RSPCA Australia Humane Award Awards

The RSPCA Australia Humane Award was established in 1990 to recognise persons who have rescued an animal, and in doing so, have shown exceptional courage and bravery and risked their own personal safety. Due to the strict judging criteria only five awards have been made since 1990. Recipients of the Humane Award receive a medal and a certificate.

Recipients of Humane Award

Shane Pendlebury

The first RSPCA Australia Humane Award was made to Mr Shane Pendlebury, a young fire authority volunteer from Narre Warren in Victoria, who at great personal risk, crawled down a street water drain of 18 inch diameter to save a dog who was wedged inside. Mr Pendlebury received the Award from the RSPCA Australia Executive at the 1990 Annual General Meeting in Canberra.

Kim Scott

On 26 October 1993 Mr Kim Scott of Pelican, NSW was awarded the RSPCA Australia Humane Award. The award was presented by the Hon Justice Michael Kirby AC, at the NSW RSPCA headquarters in Yagoona. Mr Scott risked his own life to save 25 donkeys from drowning in a flooded creek. Rising water trapped the donkeys and a wire fence blocked their escape. Mr Scott swam across the creek in the dark carrying a pair of heavy bolt cutters, cut the wire fence and led the animals to safety.

Thomas Windsor

The third RSPCA Australia Humane Award was presented by the Hon David Wotton MP at Barron Townhouse, Adelaide, on 31 October 1996 to the family of the late Mr Thomas Windsor. Mr Windsor was tragically killed on December 20, 1995 while saving the life of a koala. Mr Windsor had seen the koala on the road and was struck by a car when he got out to help the injured animal.

Guy Gorman

On 1 November 1999 the RSPCA Australia Humane Award was made to RSPCA Inspector Guy Gorman. Inspector Gorman heroically rescued a horse from the flood-swollen Gnarr Creek drain. He disregarded his own safety and refused to leave the horse until it was safe.

Guy Ellis

The fifth RSPCA Australia Humane Award was presented to 17 year old, Mr Guy Ellis. Mr Ellis dragged an elderly man from a burning flat then returned to the flat to rescue the man's dog, Buster. It is the opinion of the Fire Service that had Mr Ellis not intervened, the man, and certainly his dog, would have perished.

If you know of someone that has committed an act of exceptional courage and bravery on behalf of an animal and wish to nominate that person for an RSPCA Australia Humane Award please contact your local state or territory RSPCA.