Make us an ally: RSPCA PrintIncrease Text SizeDecrease Text Size24 Nov, 2013 04:00 AMMATTHEW CAWOOD RSPCA chairperson Lynne Bradshaw.RSPCA chairperson Lynne Bradshaw. THE agriculture sector should adopt the RSPCA as an ally that can help it short-circuit future community concerns about animal welfare, RSPCA chairperson Lynne Bradshaw believes. The RSPCA is one of Australias most powerful brands, Mrs Bradshaw told Fairfax Agricultural Media, and is the face of community aspirations concerning animal welfare. Standing up against the RSPCA is standing up against the community, she believes. RSPCA engagement in improving agricultural practices, on the other hand, will help the sector address the more sensational attacks of the animal rights movement. Mrs Bradshaw feels it has suited some in the live export industry to lump RSPCA in with the animal rights groups, but she insists there is a big difference. People who join the organisation have to realise that we arent anti-farming. Our charter isnt against using animals for food and fibre. Thats different to the animal rights groups, who say we shouldnt be using animals for food, she said. There are people who think that if they join RSPCA, they will change our position. But we take in a cross-section of views, and our policies are based on mainstream thinking and current science. We fund a lot of people working to improve livestock welfare. For pretty much all her time with RSPCA, Mrs Bradshaw has been frustrated at agricultures reluctance to change production methods that she believes society is finding increasingly unacceptable. The majority of people are concerned with the cost of food, but now theres a real awakening to the plight of animals in intensive farming systems and during transport. More people are asking about that aspect of food production. Persisting with systems that antagonise the community is a self-defeating cycle, she argues. Were community-driven, and the community tends to call the shots on what it perceives. The information the community is getting is that animal welfare is a hot topic. Media is geared for sensation, and organisations that harness the media recognise this. Every sensational exposure of animal welfare abuse heightens community pressure for better production systems.
Posted on: Sat, 23 Nov 2013 22:56:08 +0000
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