Opening Hours

Animal Viewing Hours:
Monday - Saturday: 10am - 3pm

General Hours: 
Most Days: 9am - 5pm
Wednesdays:  10am - 5pm
CLOSED: Sundays and Public Holidays

Our Shelter will be closed to the public the first Wednesday of each month.

Media Releases

All media releases (page 1)

Cat and owner reunited after six years thanks to up-to-date microchip details

Tags
A Canberra woman and her 12-year-old cat have been reunited, more than six years after ‘Zeffa’ was presumed dead. Zeffa’s family had only recently moved to Canberra around 2017 when he escaped, on the same evening as a large storm hit the region. The cat’s owner, a former vet nurse, assumed the worst after nobody contacted her to say he’d been found. “He’s microchipped so after we couldn’t find him, we hoped that eventually he’d wind up at a vet and they’d scan his microchip and give me a call,” she said. “But the call never came and unfortunately we thought he must be dead.” The RSPCA ACT’s

Preparation key to enjoying summer months with pets

Tags
Amidst heatwave warnings being issued by ACT and NSW weather services, RSPCA ACT is reminding pet owners to include their pets in their plans to stay cool this summer. RSPCA ACT’s CEO Michelle Robertson said simple preparation and thinking ahead is all it takes to make sure the whole family enjoys summer. “Whether you’re going for a walk or going on a road trip, there are simple things that you can do, like taking extra water or ensuring enough shade, to keep your fury friends comfortable and safe," Ms Robertson. “Warm weather can be dangerous for pets, but the risks are very easy to avoid,”

Foster carers urgently needed as kitten season ramps up

Tags
The RSPCA ACT is in desperate need of volunteer foster carers for cats and kittens as the influx of felines increases during ‘kitten season.’ The situation was highlighted recently when 21 strays (15 kittens, six adult cats) were presented to the shelter on a single day. CEO Michelle Robertson said while Monday is often the day when the most stray animals arrive, receiving twenty-one cats at one time makes things very challenging for the team. “Our staff and volunteers are truly amazing and I’m so proud of them for always giving 100%, but I would dearly love to get some more helping hands

Animal welfare sentencing falls short of community expectations.

The RSPCA ACT CEO Michelle Robertson said the organisation will continue to advocate for more stringent enforcement and sentencing of people found in breach of the Animal Welfare Act. “Animal welfare is our greatest concern, and we would like to see penalties where offenders are held accountable for their violations,” she said. This follows a disappointing outcome in the Canberra Magistrates Court on Tuesday, 10th of October when a former Gordon, ACT resident pleaded guilty to failing to provide treatment for illness to an animal. The charge carries a maximum penalty of $16,000 or one year of

The ACT Magistrate Court has sentenced a woman to a 12-month good behaviour order

The ACT Magistrate Court has sentenced a woman to a 12-month good behaviour order and a two-year animal ban. This follows charges, and a subsequent guilty plea, of aggravated cruelty causing the animal's death. RSPCA ACT Inspectors commenced investigations into the report of a deceased dog in June 2021. Investigations revealed that the defendant provided minimal food to the German Shepard dog named Lucy, which was gifted to her. ***Trigger Warning*** Lucy became so malnourished that her skeletal features were visible, and her condition deteriorated to such an extent that she passed away. Our

Do you speak cat? Please help change lives – become a Foster Carer.

RSPCA ACT is seeking meowvellous cat-speaking, cat loving Canberrans to open up their homes and hearts to be foster carers for kitties in need. As the months grow warmer, the shelter expects to be seeing another influx of kittens requiring care, socialisation and loving hands until they find their forever homes. During the 2022 financial year, RSPCA ACT rehomed 750 cats and kittens who were homeless and unowned. These cats or kittens were either trapped by RSPCA ACT staff or were rescued and brought into the shelter by members of the public. CEO Michelle Robertson says that “foster care is

Valuing your 'friendchips' with your furry friend on International Microchip Day

RSPCA ACT is reminding Canberra pet owners who value their friend-chips with their furry friends, to get them chipped and if they are already chipped, to check that all details are up to date. CEO Michelle Robertson explains that “regardless that microchipping is mandatory in the ACT, we still see too many animals that either come in without a microchip, or with details being outdated. “If your pet goes missing, a microchip will help to quickly identify your pet and have them reunited with you as soon as possible. And this is one of our goals, to reunite people with their pets as fast as

RSPCA ACT's top tips for safe and happy contained cats.

With the new cat containment laws introduced and extended across the ACT. Here are some puurfect tips to help keep your four legged friend pawsitively happy and content at home. Peek-a-boo!: Cats like to whisker themselves away into hiding places during their downtime. They mix it up between bright and sunny windows and dark corners, wardrobes and under the bed. Cats are also very fond of spying on the neighbourhood from an elevated spot too. Hiding places can be as simple as a cardboard box, a big fluffy cat bed or igloo or one of your drawers of clothing. Cat trees are also a wonderful