SPCA reveals most shocking cases of animal abuse in New Zealand

The full list, released today, details fifteen of the worst cases of animal abuse and neglect seen by SPCA over the last twelve months, and includes German Shepherds rescued from an abhorrent puppy mill, a kitten left to die in a rubbish bin and chronic neglect of a pony which was left unable to stand and assessed at the highest end of recognised pain scales.

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SPCA 2019 List of Shame

The List of Shame is released ahead of SPCA’s Annual Appeal on March 4 to 10. The Annual Appeal encourages funding to support the 41,000 animals rescued by SPCA every year.

SPCA Chief Executive, Andrea Midgen, says: “The List of Shame will shock you. 2018 was a particularly cruel year for some of New Zealand’s animals with SPCA Inspectors seeing many cases of intense neglect and extreme violence towards animals.

“SPCA Annual Appeal is our biggest fundraising event of the year, which is why it’s so important for the public to get onboard and help put an end to animal cruelty in our country.”

Each year, SPCA spends over $9 million running the Inspectorate – which includes rescuing animals and prosecuting animal offenders. SPCA is the only charity in New Zealand with the legal powers to help animals in need and bring offenders to justice.

“SPCA receives less than 1% government funding to run the Inspectorate, which is why any donation, no matter how small or large, makes a huge difference to ensuring we recruit enough Inspectors to protect the lives of animals in need.”

Fronting this year’s Annual Appeal are Daisy and Lola, two elderly poodle crosses that were found with coats matted and overgrown. The siblings should have been groomed every 6-8 weeks but instead were neglected for almost two years.

SPCA Inspector, Kelly King, was the person who rescued Daisy and Lola. “When we found the sisters, we couldn’t believe the neglect that had taken place – they didn’t even look like dogs. Both were suffering with arthritis, extensive dental disease, were deaf from multiple ear infections and were nearly blind. It took six nurses and vets an hour to remove the matted fur from each dog.”

Daisy and Lola have since been adopted together into a loving home and are flourishing with their new owners.

“We understand that the list can be distressing to see, but this is the harsh reality of what our devoted SPCA Inspectors encounter every day. Without these Inspectors, cases such as Daisy and Lola’s, may not have the happy ending they have. It’s stories such as these that showcase just how critical the work of SPCA really is. We’d love Kiwis to get behind us as we continue to rescue and care for animals, who so desperately need protection, across New Zealand,” adds Midgen.

You can get involved in this year’s SPCA Annual Appeal by donating to street collectors around the country from Friday 8th to Sunday 10th March 2019, or online at: www.spca.nz/AnnualAppeal2019