RSPCA ask for $20 from every WA resident

If Western Australia was divided equally between every RSPCA inspector in the state, they would each look after an area the size of Victoria.

There are just 11 animal welfare inspectors in WA, prompting RSPCA to launch '20for20', an appeal for each resident in the state to donate $20 to the charity so it can hire 20 inspectors.

Chief inspector Amanda Swift said there were more than 6300 animal cruelty reports on average each year, and too often inspectors attended call-outs too late.

A recent animal cruelty case in the state saw a couple banned from being in contact with any animal for 10 years, after inspectors found starving dogs and horses alongside numerous animal carcasses on a rural property.

Melissa Sykes and Patrick Lawson were also fined $40,000 each and banned from owning animals for 10 years.

"Those instances are very distressing; particularly for the attending inspector, but it's the sad reality of the challenges we face," Ms Swift said.

"We know that the majority of West Australians feel very strongly about animal cruelty, but to end animal cruelty we need everyone to feel strongly about it, and everyone to take action."

RSPCA inspectors enforce the Animal Welfare Act, and there are currently seven inspectors in the Perth metro area, and four regional inspectors in Bunbury, Geraldton, Albany and Kalgoorlie.