On one hand, the RSPCA is synonymous with their animal care centres, places people can go to live up to the “adopt, don’t shop” mantra.

On the other hand is their inspectorate team, created to give the organisation legal teeth to prosecute against those who do harm against animals – all creatures great and small, as the motto goes.

The inspectorate team have an important responsibility, to ensure those who are doing harm against animals are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

It serves as a deterrent for others who may deliberately mistreat animals. However, as it always is with these types of issues, it is never just black and white. Often, the mistreatment of animals such as obesity comes from their owners loving them just a little too much.

It may be that they can’t bear to let their companion go, to hand them over to someone else, or even the RSPCA.

Or, it may be that they didn’t realise the extent of the mistreatment, or the extent their animals have been suffering.

Animals can’t tell us whether they are being mistreated, and they often have a high tolerance for dealing with neglect.

That is why the new focus for the inspectorate team will help to marry up those two halves of the RSPCA business and give it another element to add to its arsenal.

The inspectorate team will, in addition to their court duties, be more visible in the community and will engage in public awareness campaigns and educational programs.

This will help to educate people about the best ways they can care for their animals.

Education is the key to change, and it makes sense the RSPCA would focus its attention there. It would be great to see more animal inspectors on the roads in Tasmania, not only prosecuting those who do the wrong thing, but also engaging with those who do the right thing.

It will go a long way in changing people’s attitudes towards the inspectorate team and may lead to more animals being surrendered before things go too far.