A free family event in Canberra will hold inflatable unicorn and dinosaur races at Glebe Park instead of horse racing. The Compassionate Stakes, now the Festival of Kind Living, will run on Sunday 1 November from 10am to 3pm, ahead of the Melbourne Cup. Organiser Kate Luke, who runs Little Oak Sanctuary near Braidwood, says the event aims to promote animal welfare through fun. The day includes costume hire, vegan food stalls, workshops and a grand final at 2:30 pm.
An animal welfare group has declared Victoria the deadliest state for racehorses in the last racing season. The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses says its DeathWatch report recorded 48 horse deaths in Victoria between August 2025 and July 2026. Racing Victoria called the figure misleading and said there were 22 racing fatalities. The industry body said the list included horses that died from colic, paddock accidents and a road accident. The group says it wants greater transparency from racing bodies about horse deaths.
Two cyclists plan to ride a tandem bike 4000 km from Perth to Canberra, starting on 1 November, to raise money for Dogs Canberra and Lifeline. Michael Matheson-Deng and Bryce Taylor, both executives at Dogs Canberra, aim to arrive within 40 days. The route runs through Esperance, across the Nullarbor, along the coast to Adelaide, then on to Melbourne. Other riders will join them for the final stretch from Jindabyne to Canberra. The money raised will be split equally between Lifeline and Dogs Canberra. The ride also aims to encourage conversations about mental health.
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Julie O'Shea founded the charity Who Gives a Cluck in 2017 and has saved nearly 13,000 laying hens from being culled. This year, she and her volunteers plan to rescue about 1,700 hens from a commercial caged egg farm. The hens are checked for health, and those that fail go to the charity's hen hospital or a local sanctuary. Rescued hens are adopted at events held across the region, including at Mullumbimby in northern New South Wales.
A 74-year-old man has been fined $10,000 after authorities found hundreds of dead native animals at his home in Kynetown, north-west of Melbourne. Glenn Richard Rollo kept 78 emus, 26 echidnas and 42 brushtail possums, along with frozen and stuffed threatened species, stored across 14 freezers. Investigators also found 15 live reptiles in poor conditions, including prohibited pests. Rollo pleaded guilty at Kynetown Magistrates Court to all 13 charges, which included illegally possessing and selling wildlife. Magistrate Patrick Southey reduced the fine from $15,000 because of his guilty pleas.
Wildlife campaigners want kangaroo leather banned from motorcycle racing and will press their case at Phillip Island's final MotoGP this weekend. Advocacy groups Kangaroos Alive and LAV will campaign trackside and in Cowes on Saturday, marking World Kangaroo Day. They want leading manufacturers, including Alpinestars and Dainese, to switch to animal-free materials by 2027. The campaigners say synthetic suits pass the same safety tests. Adelaide hosts the event from 2027.
The New York City Council has voted to ban horse-drawn carriages from city streets and Central Park. Forty of the 51 council members backed the bill, which Mayor Zohran Mamdani supports. If he signs it, the ban will take effect in June 2028. Support grew after the death of an 18-year-old Indian tourist, Romanch Mahajan, who was thrown from a carriage in June. The Transport Workers Union opposes the ban and has said it will seek a court order to block it.
Canberra's Compassionate Stakes returns as a cruelty-free alternative to horse racing, now expanded into a festival of kind living. Organisers from Little Oak Sanctuary say the event on Sunday 1 November will feature inflatable costume races, workshops, a clothing swap, book readings and community stalls. Food vendors will offer vegan street food, pastries, gelato and coffee. The event runs from 10 am to 3 pm at Glebe Park, City. Little Oak also plans an Enchanted Garden Gala on Friday 13 November to mark its 13th anniversary.
Giving farm animals names and personalities may make children less willing to eat them, scientists have found. Researchers from SWPS University in Poland found that five and six-year-olds chose less chicken after learning about a named bird with its own habits and favourite foods. The effect was weaker than expected, as children were no less willing to eat pork, and children who already liked meat were largely unaffected. The scientists suggest the approach could encourage plant-based eating, which they say could benefit health and the environment.
A Victorian man has been fined $10,000 after more than 700 dead animals were found at his home and antiques business. Glenn Richard Rollo, 74, pleaded guilty to 13 wildlife and animal welfare charges in the Kyneton Magistrates' Court. The Conservation Regulator found taxidermied and frozen animals, including emus, echidnas and threatened species such as the barking owl. Investigators also found live prohibited pest reptiles. Magistrate Patrick Southey said he would have imposed a $15,000 fine without the guilty plea. A Victorian MP said the penalty was too low.
RSPCA WA has rescued a rooster stranded on protective netting in the Canning River. The bird, named River Phoenix, was found near the Greenfield Street Footbridge in Ferndale. The rooster is now up for adoption at the RSPCA WA in Malaga. The organisation is reporting an increase in unwanted roosters being surrendered or abandoned. Abandoning an animal is an offence under WA’s Animal Welfare Act 2002, with penalties of up to $50,000 and five years imprisonment.
Ohope Wins was euthanased after being brought down in the finishing straight of the Caulfield Cup when last year's winner, Half Yours, fell ahead of it. Both jockeys were taken to hospital for observation, with Racing Victoria confirming they would be released without serious injury. Racing Victoria stewards will hold an inquiry, though no date has been set. Elio Celotto of the Coalition for the Protection of Horses said at least 160 horses had died from racing injuries across Australia this year and called for the industry to be held accountable.
Greyhound racing has ended at Wentworth Park in Sydney after 94 years. A sell-out crowd of 6,000 attended the final meeting, where owners, trainers and punters described the night as sad. Animal rights protesters gathered outside to celebrate the closure. Greyhound Racing NSW plans to move racing to Gosford for now, with a longer term move to Richmond. The NSW government has promised $10 million to help with the transition, and the site is set to be converted into sports fields and parkland.
Perth Zoo has welcomed one-year-old giraffe Tambi after a 3300km journey from Melbourne Zoo. The young male has begun quarantine with the zoo's three female giraffes, Kitoto, Ellie and Zahara. He travelled across the Nullarbor in a specially designed trailer with his Melbourne carers. He joins the zoo as part of a regional breeding program. The State Government has committed $20 million to expand the African Savannah precinct by 2040, including a modern giraffe barn. The zoo will announce when visitors can see Tambi in his new home.
Animal advocates are calling for a plan to protect a cat colony in Jacksons Hill, Victoria, ahead of The Block production. The colony, cared for by volunteers for seven years, has about 40 cats and kittens. Concerns include displacement and distress during construction. Northern Victoria MP Georgie Purcell has written to Channel Nine and The Block, urging them to fund a rescue and veterinary program. The rescue group estimates costs could reach $20,000 for veterinary fees and foster care.
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MPs, advocacy groups and local community groups have signed an open letter to the NSW Parliament and Premier Chris Minns calling for an end to greyhound racing in NSW. The letter says more than 600 greyhounds have died on NSW tracks since July 2017, and 25,000 have been injured. It also cites 5796 recorded rule breaches, including drugging and animal cruelty offences. The Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds plans a protest at Wentworth Park on Friday 16 October, the day of the venue's last greyhound race.
Dozens of sheep have died after a truck carrying 383 animals rolled onto its side at a Hillston intersection. Local Land Services euthanised another 20 animals on animal welfare grounds. The driver suffered minor cuts but avoided serious injury. Police, emergency services and council staff attended the scene. Police found the prime mover was registered but the trailer was not, and issued an infringement notice and major grounding notices. Both vehicles must pass a full inspection before returning to the road.
Geelong volunteer Renee Heneka says shelter work is deeply rewarding, despite the common belief that it would be too painful. She has volunteered with the Geelong Animal Welfare Society, known as GAWS, for about 20 years and has fostered animals. More than 300 volunteers help the group, from fostering to cleaning pens. Heneka has adopted four animals from GAWS herself. She encourages prospective owners to see adoption as a lifelong commitment. GAWS marks its 70th anniversary with a celebration at Kardinia Park Stadium this month.
