What is the RNZSPCA?

RNZSPCA stands for the Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It is a voluntary organisation which, through its district branches, provides help to animals and owners 24 hours a day, seven days a week, although the public should expect only genuine emergencies to be dealt with outside normal working hours.

How is the Society funded?

Our Society is purely a voluntary organisation, receiving no state funding whatsoever. It relies for its income on donations, bequests and its own fund-raising efforts.

How the workload is shared?

The Society operates at two levels - national and district.

The function of the National Office is to… Coordinate the activities of the 54 districts. Handle inspector training throughout the country. Arrange national educational and promotional programmes. Arrange national fund-raising promotions. Represent the Society on government committees. Handle major prosecutions which have national implications. Promote and handle all approaches to government for new and amended legislation relating to animal welfare. Liaise with overseas and international welfare groups.

At district level the local SPCAs… Investigate and deal with complaints of cruelty and neglect. Uphold the laws relating to the treatment of animals and take prosecutions where necessary. Give sanctuary to animals in distress. Rehome suitable animals where possible. Ensure that animals which cannot be kept alive for whatever reason are humanely euthaniased. Assist with public education. Promote responsible pet ownership.

New Zealand structure

The national governing body of the organisation is the National Council, elected at the AGM by representatives from the districts. Each of the 54 local SPCAs incorporates in its title the name of the district in which it operates. For example - the Waikato Branch RNZSPCA; Canterbury Branch RNZSPCA; and so on. Not all local SPCAs are "branches". A small number are member societies, some the original ones from last century. These member societies do not use "RNZ" in their name (eg Wellington SPCA, Otago SPCA).
Each of the 54 local SPCAs runs its own affairs and handles its own finances. A voluntary committee controls the activities. The larger SPCAs have some paid staff, but most rely on unpaid personnel. Each has one or more warranted inspectors, paid or unpaid, to investigate complaints of cruelty and to enforce the Animal Welfare Act 1999.

Facilities

Facilities vary throughout New Zealand from large complexes to a few cages in someone's backyard. Even where large complexes exist, much reliance is placed on the help of voluntary workers.