Animal Liberation, an Australian animal rights group dedicated to permanently improving the lives of animals, has again called for an immediate ban on all logging on private and public land, and urgent government funding and support for NSW rescue and rehoming organisations, including animal sanctuaries.

“It is not only animal agriculture producers who are struggling with the climate emergency consequences of drought and bushfires. Volunteers who dedicate their time and energy into saving lives and caring for injured and displaced animals are really struggling too” said Animal Liberation’s Chief Executive, Lynda Stoner.

“Our native animals, and notably our koala populations, were already experiencing devastating human-related impacts, primarily through loss of habitat and the NSW government’s winding back of environmental protection legislation, and the rollover of forestry agreements. Remaining koala and other native species populations are now being further decimated from the unprecedented bushfire activity across NSW, and it isn’t even summer yet.”

“Over recent years we have witnessed our NSW government being asleep in the driver’s seat during unprecedented increases in the clearing of native vegetation, while the creation of any new conservation areas or restoration of existing bushland areas has been minimal. The escalation in the climate emergency has already demonstrated the increase and severity of bushfires, and yet our government continues to support and promote logging on public and private land including in these now fire destroyed areas.”

“In northern eastern NSW we have lost an estimated 1.1 million ha because of recent bushfire activity and in the northern rivers area alone, over 100,000 ha of native habitat has been destroyed and our unique and precious fauna including koalas have perished or are dying. What little native flora remains including koala food trees and shelter in these oppressive conditions, must be protected, and that demands a complete ban on all logging. It is outrageous that during extreme fire conditions, logging is allowed to continue with all its inherent fire risks and the evidenced consequences to our threatened native species.”

Animal Liberation Regional Campaigns Co-ordinator, Lisa Ryan confirmed, “the NSW government has announced free fodder and water supplies for producers but has not extended these same supports to animal sanctuaries. This narrow and discriminatory approach only confirms that government only values non-human animals as ‘commodities’ to be used and exploited, and that support is only for those who commercially raise animals for slaughter and human consumption, instead of those volunteers who rescue and save the lives of animals on ethical and compassionate grounds.”

“As the Australian public has always demonstrated, when it comes to the suffering and welfare of our animal friends, the public are incredibly generous with donations and offers of support and this is certainly the case with the current situation in NSW, which sadly will continue during the remaining weeks of Spring and then into Summer. The NSW government must also be compelled to contribute financially.”

“All animals are suffering and we are calling on the NSW government to immediately ban all logging and extend current feed and water supplies to all who have animals in their care, where the impacts of drought and bushfire are being experienced, including the urgent provision of emergency funding for all rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming organisations, including animal sanctuaries.”

Contact: Lisa Ryan | lisa.r@animal-lib.org.au | (02) 9262 3221