Protecting Victorian Animals

All animals deserve our care and respect. 

We all want to see animals treated with compassion, not cruelty. 

The Greens believe that all animals have value - separate from the needs and wants of humans - and that they should be free from suffering. 

We know we have a long way to go to achieve this as a society.  

Greens in Victoria have a long track record of advocating for animals in Victorian Parliament. We’ve called for an end to duck shooting and greyhound racing, spoken out against horse racing and factory farming practices, and consistently fought for better protection for native animals. 

TAKE ACTION

Join our current campaigns for animals

Protect horses

The racing industry has a history of cruelty to animals. We want to ban jumps racing and ban whipping.

Ban greyhound racing

Thousands of healthy greyhounds are killed every year. Victoria must end greyhound racing.

End the war on wildlife

Ban duck shooting, stop logging native forests and increase funding for National Parks and threatened species.

Our Track Record for Animals

In the 15 years we’ve been in parliament, Victorian Greens have consistently fought for better treatment of animals. We’ve: ​​​​​​

  • Called for duck shooting to be banned in Victoria for more than a decade and introduced motions into parliament 

  • Moved amendments to ban sow stalls, battery cages and debeaking of hens under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act

  • Moved amendments to ban jumps racing under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act

  • Secured vital protection for wombats in Victoria by getting them protected species status

  • Spoken out against puppy farms since 2010 and voted to pass historic legislation limiting breeding animals and banning the sale of non-rescue animals from pet shops 

  • Called for battery cages to be banned under the poultry standards

  • Called for greyhound racing to be banned in Victoria

  • Secured a Parliamentary Inquiry into Victoria's extinction crisis, which handed down its damning final report in December 2021

 

Vic MPs and greyhounds

We'll keep fighting

The Greens will always push the government to go further and faster on animal rights and ending cruelty. We will hold them to account when they fail to do so.

The Victorian Greens have a long list of policy positions for animals which you can read hereSome of the things we’ll keep fighting for include: 

close up on a young pigs face

 

ESTABLISH An independent authority for animal welfare

The interests of animals can’t be in the same hands as the authority for the industries that profit from them. We need a separate authority to monitor and protect the rights of animals.

injured duck in hands of rescuer

 

Ban duck shooting 

Our native ducks are struggling. Waterbird numbers continue to drop each year due to drought and habitat destruction, yet the Victorian Government continues to greenlight the slaughter of ducks in yearly shooting seasons. Most Victorians want duck shooting to end. We need to ban it for good.

SIGN THE PETITION TO END THE WAR ON WILDLIFE

brindle greyhound at park

 

End greyhound racing 

From live baiting to mass graves, greyhound racing is gruesome for animals and a stain on our state. Many countries and states have already banned it and Victoria must ban it too.

SIGN THE PETITION TO END GREYHOUND RACING

helmeted honeyeater - yellow and black bird

 

Protect native animals from extinction 

More than 185 native species are at risk of extinction in Victoria alone. We’ll continue to campaign for strong climate action, to stop logging native forests and to manage threats from introduced species in the most humane way possible. Our plan for a $1 million zero extinction fund will help protect and restore Victoria's threatened species and their habitat.

SEE OUR PLAN FOR A ZERO EXTINCTION FUND

hen in battery cage

End intensive animal farming

There’s nothing natural about factory farms. Animals in factory farms are unable to express their natural behaviors, and are subjected to cruel, painful procedures like debeaking (hens) and tail docking (piglets). It’s Greens’ policy to phase out intensive animal farming. The Greens' plan includes phasing out battery cages in Victoria well before the 2036 national deadline, and banning sow stalls, debeaking and other cruel practices.

 

Adult kangaroo

 

PROTECT KANGAROOS

The cruel reality of kangaroo shooting has been exposed many times. Bullet wounds often result in slow, painful deaths and joeys can legally be ‘bludgeoned’ to death. The Greens want to see an end to the commercial 'harvesting' of kangaroos in Victoria and a full review of other wildlife shooting permits. 

JOIN US TO PROTECT ANIMALS 

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