It is one of Australia’s favourite tourist destinations. But behind the main streets of this wealthy tourist town is a grim reality Cable Beach tourists never see.

Many of Broome’s dogs and cats exist in appalling conditions - roaming, neglected, housed in animal hoarding environments, giving birth to litter after litter, suffering mange, infestations or even starvation. Volunteers with local animal rescue group SAFE struggle to manage the steady stream of animals referred for re-homing by Broome Shire Animal Management Officers. Meanwhile, government funding to provide RSPCA inspectorate services in Broome has not eventuated.

Many of the animals found wandering or abandoned are taken in by SAFE Broome’s foster care volunteers. Animals like William Wallace (below), unwanted, emaciated and hairless with mange. William Wallace is now restored to health and enjoying life with his new family. 

  

As a matter of urgency, Animal Welfare League Australia (AWLA) has initiated a free desexing and microchipping program to help stem the tide of animal suffering in Broome while a long-term plan to assist manage companion animal welfare in the area is developed.

The program has been established in collaboration with AWLA's Western Australia member SAFE Inc, and the Broome Veterinary Clinic. 

AWLA is fully funding the desexing and microchipping program in collaboration with Broome Veterinary Hospital who have discounted fees to assist at-risk animals or owners in dire financial need. In the short term, 100 animals will be desexed and microchipped.

With your help, we will be able to extend the Broome Desexing Project to provide much needed desexing and microchipping procedures for another 20 animals.

Your assistance will go directly toward delivering desexing and microchipping procedures for another 20 animals. Any further funds received will go into to the Broome Desexing Project pot to desexing and microchipping for additional animals - the more funds we receive, the more animals we will microchip and desex.

Please note, we are accepting donations as part of our crowdfunding campaign but cannot offer tax deductible receipts.

Pet over-population is rife in Broome and animals are suffering as a result. The sheer number of animals and pet owners in need will make determining which animals should be given access to the program a challenging and sensitive task. Local program administrators with community knowledge have developed a localised strategy to help determine the best candidates for the first round of the program.

The absence of an appropriate authority to enforce legislation or prosecute animal abusers is taking its toll on the animals and the town, and SAFE Inc's volunteers cannot keep up with the demand on their own. SAFE's team of volunteers are exactly that - volunteers - with jobs, families, and financial commitments of their own. It is anticipated that the development of this campaign and the support of the Broome Veterinary Clinic and the generous support of the broader Australian community through campaigns like this one should provide the financial and material support required to assist the SAFE volunteers to begin to make a real difference to the pet over-population problem.