Inspectorate News

So....you want to be an Animal Welfare Investigator?

A bit about what the job involves

Inspectors can remove and maintain possession of any animal where they reasonably believe that an offence is being committed.

Education is an important part of an inspector's work.  Teaching people to be more aware of their animals' needs encourages them to become more responsible and hopefully a better owner.  Other duties an inspector may carry out are:

• collecting sick or injured stray animals

• providing transport for owned animals in need of urgent veterinary treatment

• checking the properties of people who want to adopt a dog or livestock animal from the SPCA to esure their section is fully fenced/suitable property.

• attending rodeos and other animal events to check they are operating legally

• giving educational talks to schools, colleges and clubs

A small selection of 2008 Cruelty Cases

Ginger cat shot through the abdomen with an arrow.

Female dog, emaciated & with broken ribs.

Herd of emaciated cows.

Extremely emaciated female dog.

Emaciated in-calf cows starving on a hill country farm.

Ewe suffering from extreme fly strike.

One of 3 ewes with extremely overgrown feet.

Herd of emaciated & starving bobby calves.

2 x emaciated broodmares with foals at foot.

Female puppy that had been deliberately run over with a car.

Ewe suffering from necrotic fly strike.

Abandoned & injured ewe.

Cat strung off a fence by a shoe lace.

Emaciate cow that has been down for approx. 1 week.

Severely overgrown fleece on sheep.

Past Cruelty Cases

Emaciated dog, living area contaminated with faeces, no water available and tethered by a very heavy chain.

A home for 2 puppies in the back seat of a car, and contaminated with faeces, and no water.

Untreated Mange, Owner pending prosecution

Sheep with one and a half years worth of fleece

Goat with an enlarged udder

(No welfare issues after a vet consult, udder fills with milk but goat not suffering)

Emaciated horse - Died of starvation, owner prosecuted.

Roadside goat with overgrown hooves

Emaciated horse

One of many underweight yearling cows

Goat with a very rotten foot, owner prosecuted.

One of 55 goats found dead on a farm, died due to parasite infection, 5 found alive, Owner successfully prosecuted.

Underweight Horse

Dog with mange, underweight and no water supplied, owner prosecuted, below is the same dog a few months after love, treatment and food.

Above dog, after a few months

Underweight horse

Calf that died of starvation, owner pending prosecution