Debate on government support for the RSPCA
A Westminster Hall debate is scheduled for 9 October on government support for the RSPCA. The debate will be opened by Ruth Jones MP.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) was founded in 1824, led by Richard Martin, an Irish politician and member of the British Parliament with the goal of preventing cruelty to animals, particularly working animals such as horses, cattle, and dogs. Richard Martin had previously been instrumental in passing one of the earliest animal protection laws, the Martin’s Act 1822, aimed at preventing the cruel treatment of cattle. At the time of its creation, the SPCA was the first national animal protection society in the world. As the society grew, the inspectors were given uniforms and truncheons; it was not until 1828 that the Home Secretary, Robert Peel, set in motion what would be the Metropolitan Police Act of 1829 which was the start of the modern police force in England.
After its formation, the SPCA successfully lobbied for the passage of the Cruelty to Animals Act 1835, which made it illegal to cruelly treat animals such as dogs, horses and cattle. In 1840, the SPCA became known as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) after being granted permission by Queen Victoria to add the word “royal” to its name. In 1870, the last bullfight in England took place after Islington, London, after an RSPCA official and a Police Superintendent stopped the event. Following the RSPCA’s sensitisation and lobbying, the Protection of Animals Act 1911, which further prohibited animal cruelty, was passed. In 1914, during the First World War, the RSPCA Fund for Sick/Wounded Horses was set up providing 13 animal hospitals, 180 horse-drawn ambulances, and 26 motor ambulances.
Scope of MembershipThe RSPCA is the UK’s largest animal welfare charity and relies on volunteers and supporters for much of its work. The organisation currently records 1506 employees, 6919 volunteers, and 408 animal rescuers on the road. On average, the RSPCA has one officer for every 162,000 people in England and Wales (based on a population of 58,744,800) and has 137 branches. Its 2023 Trustees’ report and accounts (PDF) reports the contributions of 9500 volunteers and 819,620 supporters.
FundingThe RSPCA relies on public donations to fund and support its work. Its 2023 Trustees’ report and accounts (PDF) reports 420,000 supporters making regular donations and 61,131 “new financial supporters” resulting in £46.3 million of donated income—its second-highest source of income in the financial year (the top source of income was its legacy income which stood at £83.9 million). RSPCA receives some government funding, although this amounts to less than 0.1% of its annual expenditure. Such funding is usually restricted and generally used to support the group’s international work and some flood rescue work in the UK.
RSPCA’s workThe RSPCA works on a range of areas related to animal welfare:
- Investigating animal welfare complaints and concerns from the public. They also rescue animals and provide care for them if necessary, running animal shelter and rehoming schemes.
- Campaigning on animal welfare issues. Examples of current campaigns include improving farm welfare standards, calls for breed specific legislation banning certain breeds of dogs to be removed and banning the import of dogs with cropped ears. In Wales they have campaigned for the introduction of CCTV cameras in abattoirs, which is already a requirement in England.
- They run the RSPCA Assured farm scheme, which sets minimum welfare standards for animals on participating farms. The standards cover laying and broiler chickens, turkeys, milk and beef cattle, farmed trout and farmed salmon.
Further details of their work can be found in their Annual Review for 2023 and on the RSPCA Assured website.
The RSPCA has also set out eight ambitions in its 2021-2030 Strategy:
- Reduce animal neglect and cruelty by half
- Stop illegal puppy and kitten trading
- See more than half of all UK farm animals reared to RSPCA welfare standards
- End severe suffering for animals used in science
- Secure legal protection for animals. Establish an Animal Protection Commission
- Achieve statutory powers in England and Wales for RSPCA inspectors
- Secure a UN declaration for animals
- Inspire a one million strong movement for animal welfare by 2030
There have been a number of areas where the RSPCA has received criticism of its work on animal welfare issues
Currently RSPCA inspectors do not have any more powers than members of the public to enter any premises. To enter premises without permission they need to be accompanied by police or other authorised inspectors. There have been concerns that this is not always clear to animal owners. However, the RSPCA is calling for statutory powers to be granted to inspectors in England and in Wales.
There have been criticisms in the past of the RSPCA for carrying out their own private prosecutions for animal welfare offences, which they have done since the charity was created. The RSPCA has said that it was reconsidering this area of work, as it has become more complex, and stated in their 2024 Business Plan that they would be aiming to migrate prosecutions to the Crown Prosecution Service by 2026.
An investigation by Animal Rising, an animal welfare camping group, published a report on RPCA Assured in July 2024. This highlighted concerns after visiting a number of farms under the scheme where standards were not being met. They also concluded in some cases minimum legal animal welfare standards where not been met.
In response the RSPCA has launched its own investigation, which has not yet reported. Despite this the vice-president of the RSPCA, Brian May, resigned in September 2024 setting out the view that the RSPCA’s supervision had failed and that scheme should be dismantled. RSCPCA Assured has said that the scheme remains “crucial” and a driving force for change.
Further reading09 Feb 2021
09 Mar 2021
Dogs Today
Great Debate: Should the RSPCA be granted statutory powers?
22 February 2021
House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Animal welfare in England: domestic pets (PDF)
HC 117, 16 November 2016
Government response (PDF)
HC 1003, 7 February 2017
24 September 2014