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The Nelson SPCA Team:


The current team at the Nelson SPCA are (from left):
Dan, Carmen, Donna, Craig, Ruth and Kate.

  

Our Mission Priorities:

  • 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

  • Re-home suitable animals where possible

  • Ensure that animals which cannot be kept alive for whatever reason are humanely euthanised

  • Assist with public education

  • Promote responsible pet ownership.

 
History
 
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) was born in England in 1824 (five years before
Britain’s first police force) and is recognised as the world’s oldest and most influential animal welfare organisation. 

Seventy three years after the British SPCA was founded a small branch of the SPCA was formed in Nelson, New Zealand.

On the 22nd of February 1887 two local newspapers advertised the first meeting of the Nelson SPCA. 
This meeting was brought about through the actions of two local Richmond residents recognising a need for animal
welfare enforcement in the region.

 
Powers and duties of an Animal Welfare Inspector

An Animal Welfare Inspector is a law enforcement officer appointed by Minister of Agriculture to uphold the laws
set out in the Animal Welfare Act 1999.

This entitles an Inspector to specific powers;

  • The power of entry onto land, premises or vehicles.

  • The power to seize any animal, where necessary.

  • The power to mitigate suffering.

  • The power to humanely destroy any animal, when necessary.

  • The right to prosecute any person deemed to be breaking the laws set out by the Animal Welfare Act 1999.

These powers are essential to an inspector so they can investigate complaints into alleged breaches of the Animal Welfare Act 1999.  

A large component of the position held by an Animal Welfare Inspector is to educate the members of the community in acceptable and reasonable animal care.