In most Australian jurisdictions, animal cruelty complaints are handled by animal welfare inspectors appointed by the Government or the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA).

As the law treats animals differently depending on the circumstances in which they are being kept or raised, you should consider which of the following categories of complaint the animal falls into before contacting the authorities:

• Farm animal/Commercial livestock complaints: This includes complaints about domestic animals, such as cattle, horses, pigs and chickens raised for both profit and home use.
• Companion animal complaints: Pets such as dogs, cats, birds and other animals kept for companionship and enjoyment fall into this category.
• ‘Hobby’ farm complaints: This includes complaints about small farms or landholdings that keep farm animals but tend to generate most of their income from off-farm activity.

Before contacting your relevant state or territory authorities, you should try to gather the following information[i]:

• a description of the type of animal/s involved;
• details of your concerns about the animal/s (including the condition of the animal/s)
• the precise location of the animal/s;
• the name and address of the person who you believe may own the animal/s
• the name and address of the person who you believe may be responsible for the cruelty or neglect;
• the name and addresses of any other witnesses that may be able to help.
• any other issues that you think the authorities should know in advance (including the presence of aggressive animal/s or abusive or violent people at the location where the animals are kept)

You may also be asked to provide your name, address and telephone number. If you would prefer this information to remain confidential, remember to ask the person recording your complaint if your personal details will be revealed to the Court if the complaint leads to a prosecution.

1. RSPCA Australia, http://www.rspca.org.au/animal/emergency_cruel.asp; The State of Queensland (Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries), ‘How to make an animal welfare complaint in Queensland), http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/animalwelfare/15530.html

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