RSPCA NSW has blamed "economic challenges" on its decision to close a Central Coast care centre, despite having tens of millions in cash and investments.
The closure of Care Centre Tuggerah has raised concerns about RSPCA NSW's level of fundraising and the future of animal welfare in the Hunter and across the state.
Dog Rescue Newcastle president Sue Barker said she was "worried about the lack of shelters in NSW".
She said the Tuggerah closure "will have an impact" and animal welfare groups will bear the brunt of this.
The Tuggerah decision has raised questions about the future of the RSPCA shelter at Rutherford, but the organisation said it will "continue to be maintained".
Central Coast animal welfare advocate Geoff Davidson said the RSPCA should give animal welfare groups more notice when they shut services.
"That would give the rescue community time to make a plan to pick up the pieces," he said.
RSPCA NSW said in a statement that the Tuggerah centre was "a retail outlet that had capacity to house up to 15 adoption-ready animals at a time".
"As a not-for-profit, we owe it to our community of loyal supporters and donors to ensure that every dollar donated is spent where our animals need it most.
"Due to the current economic challenges impacting our state, our organisation - like many others - have had to tighten our belts and reassess our priorities for the future."
Mr Davidson said RSPCA NSW gained more money through fundraising "than they actually use".
He pointed to the "not-for-profit" organisation's latest financial report, which showed it made an $8 million surplus last financial year.
"They averaged an annual surplus of $10 million over the last three years. Their stockmarket portfolio is worth around $44.7 million," Mr Davidson said.
He said the financial report also stated the organisation had $13.6 million in "investment properties" and $23.8 million in cash.
"Every year they cry poor, but then run a multi-million dollar surplus."
The RSPCA did not comment on the financial report before the Herald's deadline but, in a further reference to the Tuggerah closure, said the "retail-centric model" was "no longer a cost-effective way to deliver our mission of helping animals in need".
Its statement added that the "shop-front model of the centre meant that only a small percentage of animals were suitable to reside there".
This was due to the "glass, see-through enclosures and high volume of pedestrian traffic".
The statement added that the animals there were "transferred out to various RSPCA NSW shelters across the state".
Mr Davidson said the closure of the Tuggerah centre was "part of a pattern".
"The RSPCA has essentially withdrawn from the Central Coast," he said.
The RSPCA did operate a shelter at Somersby on the Coast, but it was converted into a "behaviour and rehabilitation centre for animals" in October 2021.
The Newcastle Herald reported in February that the Central Coast had more than 150,000 dogs, the highest number among local government areas in NSW.
Ms Barker said the Somersby decision "had a huge impact", with animal welfare groups having to pick up the slack of abandoned animals.
In comparison to the Coast, the data shows Lake Macquarie has 98,600 dogs, Newcastle 60,100, Maitland 44,250, Cessnock 43,670, and Port Stephens 39,475.
The cost of living, rental shortages and the pandemic have led to a big rise in the number of dogs surrendered and neglected.
Animal welfare groups say the problem is the worst they've seen in 40 years.
The RSPCA NSW continues to fundraise.
It has urged people to support the "RSPCA Million Paws Walk" on May 28 to "fight animal cruelty" and "help improve the lives of dogs that were victims of cruelty, bred to turn a profit, or abandoned by the humans they loved unconditionally".
Ms Barker believes the RSPCA can do much more to follow through on prosecutions of animal cruelty cases.
"The RSPCA are the main body to police the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. There definitely needs to be more inspectors on the ground."
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