RSPCA Victoria is calling on the Victorian Government to reduce the impacts of hunting on animal welfare as part of its submission to the review of Victoria's Wildlife (Game) Regulations 2024.
While recognising some of the proposed changes already included in the draft regulations, more is still needed to reduce the negative impact on animal welfare, close loopholes, and address inconsistencies.
RSPCA Victoria's Policy and Advocacy Manager, Mhairi Roberts, welcomed the opportunity to provide feedback on the draft regulations and called on the Victorian Government to take urgent action.
"We acknowledge several changes have been made to the regulations with the potential to mitigate some of the welfare issues in hunting, however, more needs to be done to prevent thousands of animals experiencing unnecessary pain, injury, suffering, and distress," Ms Roberts said.
"In particular, it's incredibly disappointing to see mandatory education and training for hunters excluded from these regulations as it has the potential to mitigate some of the welfare issues in hunting.
"The Victorian Government itself committed[1] to improving hunters' knowledge and skill by making education and training for hunters' mandatory from 2025 following the Inquiry into Victoria's recreational native bird hunting arrangements, and this review is the most fitting time and place to have this mandated.
"As the Wildlife Game Regulations will not be revised for another decade this is a missed opportunity."
RSPCA Victoria would also like the government to include regulations to ban bowhunting, regulate a maximum shooting distance, require proficiency testing for all hunters and, due to their threatened status, the Australasian Shoveler must be removed from the game list entirely.
"These measures have the potential to substantially reduce the wounding of animals, and the review of the Wildlife Game Regulations could have a huge impact on animal welfare in Victoria by eliminating unnecessarily harmful hunting practices," Ms Roberts continued.
"Making these changes along with others in our submission would bring our wildlife protections into the 21st century at a time when animal welfare matters to many Victorians."
RSPCA Victoria's submission made 16 recommendations to improve game regulations in Victoria and the submission can be viewed here.
The RSPCA is strongly opposed to the hunting of animals for sport, believes animal welfare is still applicable when hunting, and hunters must meet all relevant animal welfare standards and guidelines.
