SANTA CLARA, CA --(Marketwired - June 15, 2017) - The Queensland branch of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA Queensland) has further invested in the welfare of abandoned and injured animals with the widespread adoption of Avaya video conferencing technology. The solution enables RSPCA's diverse workforce to engage in better, faster collection, care, treatment and placement of animals.
The animal welfare agency has seen a significant increase in the number of cared-for animals in the state in the last two years, from about 44,000 in 2014/15 to more than 51,000 domestic and native animals in 2016. The work is conducted by a vast team of regional inspectors, animal behaviorists, veterinarians and other personnel, who correspond with US-based professionals as required.
The introduction of advanced communications solutions like Avaya video conferencing have played a key role in enabling the RSPCA Queensland to grow its mission. Given its geographically-dispersed operations across Queensland, the agency required smarter ways of connecting more than 300 employees and its army of 5,000 volunteers. Previously, workers spent hours traveling across the state to assess and rescue animals, subsequently transporting the animals to facilities where they could administer full treatment if resources were not available in the field.
RSPCA Queensland alleviated this issue using Avaya video conferencing, giving it a purpose-built solution that ensures reliable communication. The technology delivers high-quality feeds on a lower bandwidth to keep the workforce connected, and consequently reduces mounting operational costs, all of which are supported by donations.
Using the mobile-friendly Avaya solution, field workers and behaviorists can accurately assess abandoned animals in real-time by connecting to branch offices, Australian veterinarians, or overseas specialists from any location. This increases the number of healthy pets placed with new families. For example, dogs were previously taken to a main office to be filmed, with the videos sent to specialists for evaluation; using video conferencing helps RSPCA Queensland continue saving more animals than any other organization in the Southern Hemisphere.
RSPCA Queensland also uses Avaya video conferencing for its education programs to further develop its staff, volunteers, and veterinary teams, eliminating the need for them to travel to a central location to participate in training. With high-quality video that also includes file sharing and chat capabilities, education can be delivered in real-time from operating theatres to all participants anytime and anywhere. Resources can therefore be invested in productivity rather than travel.
The animal welfare agency has identified other opportunities to leverage the Avaya video solution. This includes a training program through which experts help dog owners train their pets, and a crisis notification system that relays crucial messages to workers.
RSPCA Queensland's success using the Avaya video conferencing solution has inspired other RSPCA branches to assess potential use cases for the technology within their own operations.
Quotes:
"The Avaya solution has helped save animals' lives by bringing us the best resources and experts from across the world. This is the best solution for us, as it will enable us to reduce the needless suffering of injured and abandoned animals, while also creating new initiatives to generate additional funding."
"There is a difference between using a purpose-built system and consumer-grade video conferencing. With Avaya we don't have to worry about calls dropping or the bandwidth capabilities of staff on the road. We can also have people call in regardless of the device they are using."
Mark Townend, Chief Executive Officer, RSPCA Queensland
"Australia is a nation of animal-lovers and the vital work carried out by RSPCA Queensland lies at the forefront of our push to preserve and enhance the lives of both domestic and wild animals. Using high-quality mobile video conferencing solutions, RSPCA Queensland is now able to engage staff members more effectively no matter where they are, and save time and money which can be invested back into the core business of saving animals' lives."
Peter Chidiac , Managing Director Australia and New Zealand, Avaya
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