April 22, 2025
The RSPCA’s Kingaroy animal shelter will close at the end of June after a new agreement could not be reached with the South Burnett Regional Council over management of its pound.
At the moment, RSPCA Queensland hosts Council’s “Animal Housing Facility” for a fee alongside its own centre near Kingaroy Airport.
An RSPCA Queensland spokesperson said the organisation had not agreed on new terms to continue the existing pound management agreement so a difficult decision had been made.
“RSPCA Queensland will relinquish its lease on the Kingaroy site at the end of June,” the spokesperson said.
“RSPCA Queensland and Council will work closely together to ensure a smooth transition to the new pound arrangements.
“RSPCA Queensland is a 94 per cent community-funded organisation, and we take our responsibility to invest every donor dollar with care and strategic intent.
“Our focus is on initiatives, programs and partnerships that deliver the greatest impact for animals in need.
“As the animal welfare landscape continues to shift across Queensland, we remain committed to adapting our strategies to ensure we respond effectively to emerging challenges and opportunities.
“RSPCA Queensland remains committed to protecting animals in the region. Our Inspectorate will continue to provide vital support to at-risk animals across the region, working closely with the Department of Primary Industries to ensure continued education and intervention where it’s needed most.
“We will also continue our advocacy efforts for animal welfare improvements, our community outreach programs and promote responsible pet ownership through initiatives like Operation Wanted.
“RSPCA Gympie, Toowoomba and Dakabin will continue to support the rehoming of animals across the region.
“Across the term of the agreement, and in collaboration with South Burnett Regional Council, RSPCA Kingaroy is very proud to have supported the Kingaroy community and celebrates the 6924 animals that have been rehomed, and 2507 animals which have been reunited with their owners via the RSPCA Kingaroy site.”
Mayor Kathy Duff said Council would continue to work closely with the RSPCA for a smooth transition to new arrangements.
“(Council) will announce the interim arrangements at the May Ordinary Meeting,” Mayor Duff said.
“Council and RSPCA have held a long and positive working relationship and whilst we respect their decision not to renew their lease, we wish the RSPCA every success going forward.”
- UPDATE April 23: Council Response To RSPCA Closure
[UPDATED]
This is outrageous! With the huge animal displacements in this area, this decision is the worst. Surely the public deserves to keep the RSPCA as it will mean more animals will have nowhere to go and euthanasia will be the only option. It is a long drive to Gympie or Toowoomba and most people would rather dump animals than take the long drive. There must be some better solution.
This is absolutely a tragedy for our poor animals that are at a time where there are more and more animals needing rehoming and being dumped by heartless owners.
Another blow for the South Burnett. It makes this place even more uninviting.
This has come as a shock, to be honest. The South Burnett region needs a place like the RSPCA. As mentioned in other comments as well, where are all the left behind, dumped and animals that people wish to surrender going to go?
Experience with Councils, they will only keep animals for a set amount of time. Then the poor things get euthanased. That is not acceptable.
None of the other branches of the RSPCA are even close to being local to our region.
I don’t who is to blame for this, I have my ideas. But something needs to be done about this situation now.
This is disgraceful. Sth Burnett Council and RSPCA shld be able to negotiate an agreement as to facilitation of animals’ welfare and needs. Sth Burnett Council has demonstrated it is not committed to community’s needs and lacks insight of its role to Sth Burnett community.
Naturally the public don’t know the details leading to this decision, but I have no doubt that it was the council that would not give the RSPCA the necessary support.
I’ve adopted two animals from the shelter over the past few years and the staff has always been great to deal with.
The staff told me that at least 20 feral cats are captured and brought in every week (especially since the Victorian exodus of 2021 led to South Burnett taking in so many people) from the streets of Kingaroy, so now those streets will become overrun.
I agree with comment 1 on part. However, in regards to comment 2 by Dana Roberts that animals are being dumped by heartless owners this is simply a presumption by Dana Roberts as she gives no consideration to the owners circumstances.
I am an animal lover who hates to see 👀 or hear of any cruelty to any animal as all they want is to be loved and cared for by their owners.
I believe a lot of the issues in regards to animals are due to the government and so-called councils.
If the fees were not so exorbitant for desexing animals and for surrendering animals I believe the problem would be far less as more owners would be able to keep their beloved pets.
I will give you an example of price gouging and the greediness of vets, councils and the RSPCA.
I recently wanted to desex and vaccinate my dog. After telephoning every vet between Nanango, Kingaroy and Murgon and getting a price for the aforementioned services, I saved myself $500.
Now you tell me that that is not greediness on the part of veterinary surgeries.
Now for the RSPCA. Charging a person to surrender an animal a fee of $80 per animal even if that person is not the owner is absolutely ludicrous.
Imagine if a person trying to do the right thing found a litter of say 6 puppies or 6 kittens dumped, simply due to the owners not being able to afford the exorbitant fees, the good Samaritan would then be charged $480 by the RSPCA to surrender them.
Ask yourself, honestly, how would you feel if this was you? What would you do? Would you pay the fee?
I am not saying that this is the case with everyone as there are some very cruel and evil people out there who just simply have no regard for life, human or animal.
It is a very, very sad society we all live in, but thankfully that is going to change very soon.
Bloody ridiculous, everything seems to be closing down. Feeling sad and angry
We recently adopted a dog from Kingaroy RSPCA. The staff were really lovely. This news has made me feel so sad.
Here is another side, not often thought of. Everyone knows the benefit of a small pet to an elderly person’s life, alleviating loneliness.
But what happens if the person passes away? Who will look after the animal if it outlives its owner? (Most assume a family member will take it, but I’ve seen most of the time that’s not the case, as an animal is a living responsibility, unlike say … money).
I had made provision in my will, that should, upon my death I have a pet, a generous amount of money from the sale of my house (enough to feed it for 20 years!) will be left to the local RSPCA to keep, no matter how long it takes to rehome the pet. Let’s call it a *legacy* adoption. And I have noticed that the RSPCA promotes this idea, because I had a pamphlet from them a few years back. So… what now? Where will my pet go if he outlives me?