RSPCA Australia's Great & Small Talk

What does life look like for the more than 700 million chickens farmed for meat in Australia each year? In the latest episode of Great & Small Talk, host Brian Daly is joined by Melina Tensen, Senior Scientific Officer (Farm Animals) RSPCA Australia, to discuss the realities of meat chicken welfare in Australia. From fast-growing breeds and housing conditions, to husbandry practices and the changes needed to improve animal welfare, this conversation explores an issue that affects millions of animals every year. Whether you're passionate about animal welfare, conscious about farming practices, or simply want to better understand the lives of farmed animals, this episode offers valuable insights into one of Australia's largest animal industries.

This week on the RSPCA Great and Small Talk podcast, we’re joined by Dr Melissa Meehan to dive into the world of pet insurance. What it is, how it works, and what pet owners really need to know. From breaking down common misconceptions to explaining the fine print, Dr Meehan shares practical insights to help you make informed decisions for your furry family members. Whether you already have pet insurance or are considering it for the first time, this episode is packed with helpful advice for navigating the options and understanding why being prepared can make all the difference.

What happens in a crisis when an animal is in urgent need of help? In our latest podcast episode, we sit down with Dr Elaine Ong OAM and Nicole de Haan from Vets for Compassion , to talk about rescuing and caring for animals in the middle of a crisis situation. Through bushfires, floods, domestic situations and more, her team intervenes when animals need them the most, often in challenging conditions that render other services unable to help. Shedding light on the risks and welfare impacts of the modern world for animals today, along with some incredible stories from their work on the frontline - this is an episode not to be missed.

Shark nets are often seen as a simple solution for beach safety, but at what cost? In this episode, we’re joined by Andre Borell, founder of Envoy and Rachel Woodrow from RSPCA QLD, to dive deep into the complex issue of shark safety, unpacking how shark nets actually work, their effectiveness, and the impact they have on marine life. Tune in to hear the facts, the debates, and what the future of shark safety could look like.

We know animals are sentient, but do we really understand what that means, and why it’s important to recognise? In this episode, we are joined by Dr Kris Descovich, Senior Scientific Officer at RSPCA Australia to explore animal sentience and what science tells us about the emotions, consciousness and inner lives of animals. From curiosity and play to fear and pain, we explore how different species perceive and respond to their environments and why it matters.

Animal videos are everywhere on social media, but what’s really happening beyond the screen? In this episode, our host Brian Daly is joined by the Nicola O’Brien from the Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition (SMACC) to unpack the hidden realities of viral animal content. From staged rescues to exploitative trends, we uncover how seemingly “cute” videos can sometimes come at a serious cost.

Are indoor cats safer? And is letting your cat roam freely doing more harm than good? In this episode, our host Brian Daly is joined by Dr Gemma Ma, veterinary policy and project officer at RSPCA NSW, to discuss the risks of roaming, the potential challenges of containment and what cats really need for optimal physical and mental wellbeing. With advice on outdoor enclosures, catios and creating enriching indoor spaces cats will love, Dr Ma breaks down what responsible containment can look like and why it matters

Since 2020, a total of 857 dogs have been killed on the racetrack, it's an alarming statistic. In this episode of Great and Small Talk, we confront the uncomfortable realities behind Australia’s greyhound racing industry. An industry which, despite repeated inquiries, high injury rates, declining participation, and persistent welfare failures, continues to operate thanks to government support. Join our host Brian Daly as he speaks to Dr Di Evans, RSPCA Australia, and Debbie King, RSPCA WA about this highly charged topic, as they break down industry myths, poor welfare practices and what needs to change to protect Australia's greyhounds.

There's currently a lot of discussion about how to effectively manage cats in Australia, for many reasons including safeguarding our native wildlife, and also to ensure cats are kept safe and responsibly cared for. A big part of the conversation is how to manage 'stray' or unowned domestic cats. Often misunderstood, stray cats are a relatively small group compared to owned cats or feral cats, they are an important part of the issue as they may interact with both groups with potential risk of unplanned litters or spread of diseases, and for the unowned cats themselves the welfare issues that impact them in their difficult lives. In this episode our host Brian Daly delves into the issue of cat management with Dr Gemma Ma, Community Veterinarian at RSPCA NSW, discussing the impacts of unowned cats, the common misconceptions, and what can be done to help them while reducing the number of unowned and unplanned cats in Australia.

RSPCA Inspectors play an extremely important role in enforcing animal welfare legislation across the states and territories. Theirs is a role that can be both heartwarming and heartbreaking, sometimes all in the same day. This week we chat with Andrea Lewis, Head of Animal Welfare, RSPCA SA and Scott Meyers, Chief Inspector, RSPCA NSW to hear their stories from on the field, including their journey's to becoming RSPCA Inspectors, the highs, surprises and frustrations that come with the role plus many more questions and insights into helping all creatures great and small.

"Just the mere act of housing animals in a laboratory environment has negative welfare impacts, so whatever happens to these animals as part of a study adds to this stress and suffering." Every day across Australia millions of animals of all species are used for research including mice, rats, fish, reptiles, rabbits, cats, dogs, farmed animals and monkeys. Many people are unaware of the scope and breadth of these experiments and the myriad of welfare impacts that result. Join our host Brian Daly as he speaks with Dr Di Evans, Senior Scientific Officer RSPCA Australia on the current realities of life for animals used in research, the welfare impacts, the urgent improvements needed and animal-free alternatives as a way forward.

There's no such thing as a bad dog, but all dogs can have good and bad days. The reasons that dogs may display aggressive or unwanted behaviours are varied and can often be a response to fear, anxiety, or past traumas they have experienced. Understanding dog behaviours and the signs they communicate to us through their body language is an important factor in managing and preventing aggression or fear-based incidents. Join our host Brian Daly as he discusses all things dog behaviour and dog safety with Dr Gabrielle Carter, Veterinary Specialist in Animal Behaviour, RSPCA Victoria and Georgie Caspar, Head of Animal Care, RSPCA NSW.

Domestic violence is a significant issue in Australia, with recent reports stating 1 in 4 women and 1 in 8 men have experienced violence by an intimate partner or family member. And as nearly 70% of households in Australia have pets as part of their families, animals are often the forgotten victims in domestic violence situations. In fact, many victim-survivors may stay in a harmful relationship out of fear of what would happen to their animal if they left, or because they don't know where to turn for assistance. In this week’s episode, our host Brian Daly joins Ann-Margaret Withers, Senior Manager Outreach, Education and Crisis Support Programs, RSPCA NSW, Lauren Roberts, Community Outreach Manager, RSPCA VIC, and esteemed Barrister at Law and media personality Gina Liano to cover this important issue in depth. Including the impact domestic violence can have on animals, the legal protections and loopholes afforded to them, and the resources available for both humans and their pets to assist them in staying together safely.

"Think about it, you've got an animal that grows wool to make winter clothing and we're shoving them into these hot humid environments... it makes no sense." It's the pressing animal welfare issue that has Australians passionately debating, with the vast majority wanting to see live sheep export stopped for good. In 2024 after many inquiries and with mountains of evidence showing that not only was the trade broken, but inherently cruel, the Federal Government made the historic decision to legislate an end date for the live sheep export trade. In today's episode we speak with those on the frontline advocating for sheep welfare, Dr Suzie Fowler – Chief Science Officer at RSPCA Australia, and Dr Lynn Simpson, Former live export veterinarian. With our host Brian Daly they separate fact from media spin, discuss their experiences with the industry and why the industry must transition to ensure a better future for Australia's sheep and farmers. It's an episode you don't want to miss.

Kangaroos are widely recognised as one of Australia's most iconic species, known for their unique physical characteristics and cultural significance. While these animals are beloved by many, managing groups of peri-urban kangaroos who inhabit environments close to established city or rural centres poses a significant challenge. In this week's episode of Great and Small Talk, we chat with Kris Descovich, Senior Scientific Officer, RSPCA Australia about kangaroos, the challenges of managing the effects of peri-urban kangaroo inhabitation and the need to prioritise kangaroo welfare.

Pigs are social, intelligent and inquisitive animals who love to forage and explore, and who thrive in an enriched environment. Unfortunately for the majority of the roughly 2.5 million pigs farmed in Australia, their reality is quite different. Many Aussies are aware of sow-stall free products and choose to purchase them as a more welfare-friendly alternative. But beyond the sow-stalls, farmed pigs are still being confined to spaces not much bigger than their own bodies. On this week's episode our host Brian Daly is joined by Melina Tensen, Senior Scientific Officer (Farm Animals), RSPCA Australia to talk about how pigs are farmed in Australia today, what needs to change for pig welfare to improve and what concerned individuals can do to help.

Australia is a diverse country with many weather extremes and increasing climate instability. When natural emergencies like floods or fires occur, preparing ahead of time can often make the world of difference for animals. From preparing an emergency go bag for your animals, to practicing evacuation methods, to knowing where you and your furry family members can shelter safely, we cover it all in this episode of Great and Small Talk. Join our host Brian Daly as he catches up with Robert Leach - NSW SES, Randwick Unit member, to cover all the essentials to keeping animals safe and calm during major weather events.

For some Australians, a day at the races is a tradition, a national pastime for people to have a punt and watch their favourite horse race along the track in hope of that big win. But behind the celebratory air, is a dark side riddled with animal welfare issues. From the oversupply of racehorses, questionable training techniques, the use of whips and the physical toll racing takes on the horses involved, it's an industry that is in urgent need of improvement. The animal welfare science and the expectation of how we care for animals has moved considerably over the last two decades, as have the expectations of many in the community to do better for animals used in sport while the practice still continues. Join our host Brian Daly along with Dr Suzie Fowler - Chief Science Officer at RSPCA Australia, and Dr Di Evans - Senior Scientific Officer at RSPCA Australia, to uncover the many layered issues of horseracing and what needs to change.

Growing awareness of animal welfare has led many caring Australians to actively seek more conscious choices with the products they buy. For some products this is easy, with clear labels on the packaging that identify higher-welfare practices. But when it comes to dairy these labels are largely absent, making it nearly impossible for the average shopper to know if the cheese or milk they select is from a producer with good standards of welfare for their cows. Join Dr Natalie Roadknight – Senior Scientific Officer at RSPCA Australia to delve into all things dairy, including how dairy production works, the impacts and welfare issues for dairy cows and calves and the questions caring individuals can ask producers to make better choices in the dairy aisle.

We know cat caregivers want to provide the very best life for their feline companions, so they are happy and healthy and live a long time. And we know that to give cats the best change at this, the RSPCA’s position is that cats should be kept at home. But why is keeping cats at home important? And what does that look like? How do we provide an environment at home that meets all a cats needs including enrichment and the ability to express natural cat behaviours while making them safe and comfortable? Join Sarah Zito - Senior Scientific Officer at RSPCA Australia (and cat enthusiast!), to discuss these and many more cat related questions in this episode of RSPCA's Great and Small Talk.