RSPCA Victoria has launched its new Peninsula Pet Net project to tackle animal cruelty and neglect across the Casey, Cardinia, Greater Dandenong and Frankston local government areas.
Pet Net will provide low-cost preventative vet services, along with education, and emergency support to improve human and animal health and wellbeing while providing a safety net for pets in the region.
Head of Prevention at RSPCA Victoria, Rebecca Cook, said Pet Net is designed to provide a safety net for local pet owners and their pets who may be in need of additional support to ensure their animals are well cared for.
"RSPCA Inspectors received over 1,200 reports of animal cruelty in the last financial year across the southeast region," Ms Cook said.
"The majority of reports are about dogs, cats and horses with insufficient food, shelter or vet treatment being the common issues.
"When a person or family's circumstances change beyond their control, their pets will often feel the impact, which is why we have built this safety net for local pet owners as a form of early intervention.
"We're very excited to be able to launch Pet Net which will allow us to meet these challenges head on and create opportunities for people and their pets to stay together."
Speaking about Pet Net, Community Outreach Manager, Dr Lauren Roberts Ph.D. said the difficulties facing pet owners amidst the cost-of-living crisis were prevalent in the area.
"We are committed to working with pet owners to help them keep their furry friend happy and healthy and have implemented multiple avenues to provide support," Dr Roberts said.
"Our team is distributing pet food donations via local foodbanks, providing low-cost pet desexing services, running pop-up vaccination clinics, and facilitating accessible education opportunities about animal care and welfare for individuals and families so everyone can learn the best way to keep their pets happy and healthy for longer."
