Report Cruelty Donate

Our role

The state and territory member Societies provide services to animals in need through their shelters and inspectorates. In the national office, RSPCA Australia works to influence animal welfare policy, practice and legislation across the country
Go to Our role

Animal welfare science

Caring for animals

Farm animal welfare

Public education

Advocacy

Enforcing the law

Key issues

The RSPCA advocates for the welfare of animals across a number of industries, issues and platforms. Help from our supporters is important to progress change. Working together is key.
Go to Key issues

Farm animals

Sport, entertainment & work animals

better than live export hero banner
Priority issue
On 1 July 2024, the Federal Government…
Live sheep export

News

Here you'll find the latest news relating to the RSPCA's vital work, press releases on national events, education on animal welfare issues, animal welfare science updates and our very own podcast covering a range of current topics.
Go to News

Blog

Media centre

Podcast

take action live sheep export alternate
Media release: Live sheep export unfixable, unnecessary, unacceptable – and now, soon to be unlawful
Read the media release

Support us

Whether you're an individual or a business, there are multiple ways you can support the RSPCA
Go to Support us

For individuals

For businesses

National events

An animal in the RSPCA care being cared for by an RSPCA vet
Donate now to support your local RSPCA and make a difference to animal welfare across Australia
Donate

Learn

The RSPCA aims to make evidence-based research accessible to the community, so that they can have confidence in the choices made when it comes to animal welfare.
Go to Learn

Knowledgebase Offsite

Animal Welfare Seminar

Animal Welfare Science Update

Education resources

Cage free and proud

Responsible sourcing

Key information

Domesticated animals

Non-domesticated animals

Aquatic animals

RSPCA Approved Standards

AWS2025 Website Image 2000x2000 v2
RSPCA Animal Welfare Seminar 2025
Animal ethics and animal welfare…
Learn more

About

The RSPCA is an independent, community-based charity providing animal care and protection services across the country.
Go to About

Annual reports

Annual statistics

Board & governance

Scholarships

Join our team

Our history

Contact

about us national statistics
Read our National Statistics
Compiled on a national basis by RSPCA…
Annual statistics

Adopt

By choosing adoption, you’ll not only have the chance to make a friend for life, but you’ll be giving an animal a second chance and helping support the RSPCA.
Go to Adopt

Adopting a dog or puppy

Adopting a cat or kitten

Adopting other animals

Responsible pet ownership

adopt a pet logo
Visit the Adopt A Pet website
Make a difference to a pet’s life today.
Search Adoptapet
Contact Us
RSPCA Approved Farming
Report Cruelty Donate
Report Cruelty Donate
Subscribe now! Keep up to date with the latest animal welfare news
  1. Home
  2. News
  3. Media centre
  4. Animal welfare organisations unite to…

Three leading animal welfare organisations, FOUR PAWS, Humane Society International (HSI) Australia and RSPCA Australia, announced today a partnership to work towards an end to mulesing across Australia.

The partnership will include regular contact with major international brands as well as numerous wool growers across Australia, in response to demand for non-mulesed wool that is stronger than ever.

The three organisations are encouraging the wool industry to fast-track the move away from mulesing through the uptake of better genetics to produce non-mulesed wool that is both sustainable and responsible, satisfying growing consumer demands.

Spokespersons for the three groups say that with the newly elected board of wool industry body Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) announced recently, industry, producers and the community are looking for leadership on this issue. One of the goals in AWI’s Wool 2030 Strategy promises to build grower confidence to manage flystrike risk without mulesing, and the animal welfare advocates believe this goal can easily be achieved with the right leadership, support and incentives.

FOUR PAWS’ Wool Expert Rebecca Picallo Gil said, ‘With more than 3,000 Australian woolgrowers already producing high quality non-mulesed wool from flystrike resistant flocks and hundreds of brands banning mulesed wool from their supply chains, there’s no excuse for growers to continue this painful husbandry practice long term. Mulesing-free wool is the future and the Australian wool industry bodies are best placed to support their members to put mulesing in the past and prepare for the future.’

HSI’s Program Manager for Animal Welfare Georgie Dolphin said, ‘With the advanced genetics available today, it is unacceptable to continue to breed wrinkly sheep that are prone to flystrike. Our organisations want to see an end to mulesing within the next decade, a target that is easily achievable.’

RSPCA Australia Senior Scientific Officer (Farm Animals) Melina Tensen said, ’We are confident that the combined strength, expertise and connections of our three organisations can help bring about meaningful, industry-wide change. We want to see more wool growers transition away from mulesing in the shortest possible time frame and an end to the suffering of millions of lambs each year.’

Each year, more than 10 million lambs have wrinkly skin sliced from around their breech and tail area in a painful procedure called mulesing. It is done to create scar tissue that is resistant to flystrike. Breeding plain-bodied sheep that are naturally resistant to flystrike is a much more effective and humane solution. Plain-bodied sheep do not need to be mulesed, the genetics are tested by the industry, and available now.

 

subscribe box

Stay informed on big issues and how you can help improve animal welfare across Australia.

Subscribe today and we’ll keep you updated on all the latest campaigns, events and news.

We care about your data in our privacy policy.