By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
CALLING for an independent inspectorate into animal cruelty in Victoria, Casey resident Barrie Tapp says the situation has hit “crisis point.”
“More people are exposed to animal cruelty now and there’s not enough education about standards and care according to the law – people treat animals as a possession that’s not valuable,” he said.
Senior Investigator at Animal Cruelty Hotline Australia, Mr Tapp said he would like to see councillors in municipalities across Victoria educated on their powers of prosecution.
“There’s a lack of education around the fact that councils can enforce the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and have been able to for the past two years.
“The City of Casey is one of the best in the business but many local councils just aren’t aware of their powers,” he said.
Mr Tapp believes if the 79 councils throughout Victoria were equipped with the knowledge of their prosecution powers, the government would have an extra 200 animal cruelty inspectors working with local rangers at no extra cost.
“Animal Cruelty Hotline Australia has written to the State Government with this proposal which would take much needed pressure off the RSPCA,” he said.
With a career spanning over four decades in the industry, Mr Tapp has taken calls with the hotline for seven years and said the current situation was “the worst it’s ever been.”
“We get at least four animal abuse reports a day from anonymous callers.
“The Department of Environment and Primary Industries and the RSPCA are the only two law enforcement animal welfare agencies in Victoria and these ‘authorised agencies’ appear not to be in control of this already existing crisis,” he said.
Mr Tapp said these overworked agencies were in need of help from councils to bring the problem under control.
“The City of Casey is a great example, they are way out in front with cruelty complaints and have prosecuted more than five puppy farms in the Casey area,” he said.
