Every year around 23,000 animals come through the shelters’ doors across The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) Victoria network and more than 10,000 reports of animal abuse are investigated.

As a total figure it seems insurmountable but on a day-to-day basis the charity’s 350 staff (most of whom work directly with the animals) and 3500 volunteers look after each and every one of the animals with never-ending love and care.

To acknowledge International Day of Charity on 5 September, Good2Give has been talking with many of our charity partners including RSPCA Victoria, to celebrate their successes and inroads to making the world a better place. As Victoria’s largest animal welfare charity, RSPCA Victoria is on the front line of animal rescue and welfare. Their need for sustainable funding is focused on ensuring the 23,000 animals coming through their doors every year are safe and healthy.

Contributions are directed to three main focus areas:

• Care, shelter, treatment, rehabilitation and protection of abandoned, mistreated or neglected animals, and those affected by natural disasters
• Enforcing existing laws to prevent cruelty to animals, as well as influencing the amendment or development of legislation and standards for the protection and welfare of animals
• Changing the hearts and minds of the Victorian community about humane treatment and management of animals, and increasing public awareness of and support for animal welfare

Meeting Maria’s Puppies

One of the 23,000 animals supported by RSPCA Victoria over the past year was Maria.

“At our RSPCA shelters we always expect the unexpected,” says Helen Canny, Business Development and Partnerships Manager at RSPCA Victoria. “But even our vets and vet nurses were surprised when Maria arrived.”

Maria, a gentle bulldog cross, was painfully thin and covered in an agonising rash when she arrived. Her teats were also very swollen so RSPCA staff didn’t know if she was pregnant or had just given birth.

“As she was skin and bones it was hard to believe that she was still carrying her puppies, but then they started to arrive. Maria went into labour in our shelter,” explains Helen.

By the following morning the RSPCA and Maria had welcomed seven tiny puppies into the world. All of the dogs received urgent care and Maria’s skin condition was treated. She was also put on a special diet so she could build up her strength and produce nutritious milk for her puppies.

The recovery continued at the home of a foster carer before they all found forever homes. Maria and her puppies had a happy ending thanks to RSPCA Victoria.

“This cruelty is shocking,” says Helen. “But sadly it isn’t uncommon. Every day, we expect to see the victims of the most terrible abuse and neglect and we have to be ready to give them all the care and protection they need.”

Aligning Corporate Support

Improving employee engagement and wanting to have some sort of social impact are often the reasons many charities attribute to corporates and businesses offering their support. Often, it’s also because it’s the right thing to do.

“Our corporate partners are very generous and provide both financial support and goods and services, which we find very useful for what we do. They contribute because they want to give back and because it’s the right thing to do,” says Helen.

“One of our national partners, Hills, provides the food for all dogs and cats in our animal shelters around Australia. They are contributing towards a vital need, but they are also stretching our dollar which is invaluable.”

Corporate and business employees also volunteer with the RSPCA and with 140 dog walkers needed every week at RSPCA Victoria’s main shelter in Burwood East, the need never wanes.

“Volunteers across the board help us immensely. They walk dogs, they do shifts in our op shops or at our shelters, and often they rally together to organise a blanket drive or to hold a fundraiser in their workplace for staff or customers.”

Workplace giving is also a welcome funding stream for RSPCA Victoria as it’s a sustainable source of funding for the organisation’s core services.

In the past financial year RSPCA Victoria received almost $30,000 through the Good2Give workplace giving platform.

“We can be reasonably confident on workplace giving donations coming in every month which are directed towards caring for the many thousands of animals that come into our care each year,” says Helen.

“The donations also help to fund our inspectorate, education services, adoption and foster programs and more.”

If your company has Good2Give’s workplace giving program in place, you can donate to RSPCA Victoria while you work. If not, visit the charity’s website to support their terrific programs and initiatives.