RSPCA NSW have announced the closure of yet another shelter, the Blue Mountains Shelter.  The animal charity is turning it back on the hundreds of animals in pounds and shelters around NSW that are currently being killed simply because there is no more space to house them.  Can RSPCA still claim to be "for all creatures great and small" and accept donations on that basis while they reinvent themselves as a corporate player?

We need to:

• maintain our Blue Mountains shelter as a shelter in community hands
• tell RSPCA NSW to return to their original mission of rescuing animals, not generating wealth

RSPCA NSW has closed its Blue Mountains Shelter - the sixth closure in the state.  Nor will it renew the pound contract with the Council when it expires next year.  The closure was announced at a time when all the other shelters and pounds are overwhelmed with surrendered or simply dumped animals as the housing and  cost of living crises impact many households.  The situation is desperate as dozens of perfectly re-homable animals are being killed every week to make room for new arrivals. 

RSPCA NSW's latest target, the Blue Mountains Shelter, has greater significance as it is surrounded by the World Heritage listed National Park.  One of the reasons for originally establishing the shelter was to prevent people dumping unwanted animals in the bush and decimating the native wildlife. So the shelter closure will impact native animals as well as domestic. 

Due to desperate need, the Blue Mountains community raised the funds to buy 11 acres of land and build the existing shelter.  Its recently built cattery and 50 heated dog kennels have the capacity to accommodate hundreds of stray, abandoned, surrendered, neglected or abused animals every year. For decades, while the shelter was managed by the local branch and before RSPCA NSW head office took control of all its shelters, it did just that and very well.  But to RSPCA NSW the property is an asset.  It has already sold two shops, also bought with funds raised by the local community, and pocketed the sale proceeds. The revenue generated from the shops had totally covered running costs of the shelter.  The community rightfully regard the shelter as theirs and believe RSPCA NSW has profited enough at their expense.

RSPCA’s plan is just one example of a larger trend which has lead to a drastic reduction in their sheltering capacity and animal intakes across the state, now a mere quarter of what they were.  RSPCA NSW has closed five other shelters in the state and one vet clinic over recent years.  It's current CEO tried to sell the Blue Mountains shelter in 2014 but a huge community backlash prevented that from happening.

Their own figures reveal that RSPCA NSW is turning its back on thousands of animals.  E.g. in 2007/08 22,676 dogs came through their doors.   Last year, 2021/22, that figure had dropped to a mere 5,084.

RSPCA NSW's current constitution and their declining animal intake numbers shown in their annual reports make clear their primary focus is not rescuing and rehoming animals.  That costs money.  Explaining the reasons for the closure of the Blue Mountains Shelter RSPCA NSW CEO Steve Coleman told ABC Radio, that the shelter was running at a loss!  As an alternative to shelters, the charity now provides courses and services for a fee which, along with its other numerous business ventures, make money.  Last year’s financial statement showed its assets were valued at more than $154 million and it received over $34 million in bequests alone that year. 

The RSPCA of today is into corporate empire building at the expense of the animals it was set up to protect..  However, its deceptive advertising gives no indication of its current trajectory, just the opposite.  It is taking money from an animal-loving public under false pretenses.  It still presents itself as the warm and fuzzy, animal-loving RSPCA of old.  The frequent pleas for donations and fundraising support to help “rescue, rehabilitate and rehome animals in need all over the country” give no indication of the charity's current modus operandi, nor its true financial situation. Just the opposite is the case.  A recent desperate plea for donations claimed there was a “6-month wait list for surrenders” adding “Our shelters are under alarming pressure right now.  There is no time to waste.  We must act fast to help the most vulnerable animals – but we can’t do it without you.”  This claim, as shelter space is being reduced and animals are dying due to lack of space, amounts to deception of the worst kind and betrayal of a trusting public who give generously to this charity in the belief it is helping animals.

To observe the dramatic declines in animal intake numbers compare earlier years' figures with the current year’s.  See National Statistics.

See their latest financial report and judge whether their desperate pleas for donations are justified (RSPCA NSW Financials 2022).