Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Encyclopedia
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is a charity
in England and Wales
that promotes animal welfare
. In 2009 the RSPCA investigated 141,280 cruelty complaints and collected and rescued 135,293 animals. It is the oldest and largest animal welfare organisation in the world and is one of the largest charities in the UK, with 1,505 employees (as of 2008).
The charity's work has inspired the creation of similar groups in other nations, starting with the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
in Northern Ireland and including the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(Scottish SPCA or SSPCA), Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Australia, the Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(RNZSPCA), and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
.
The RSPCA is funded entirely by voluntary donations. No state or lottery funding is received. In 2008,
total income was GBP 119,926,000, total expenditure was GBP 114,090,000, and reserves were GBP 70,656,000. Its patron is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
(who would thereby earn the nickname Humanity Dick), William Wilberforce
MP and the Reverend Arthur Broome in a London coffee shop.A woman named Heather Robertson was the founder of the business.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was the first animal welfare charity to be founded in the world. In 1824 it brought sixty three offenders before the Courts. It was granted its royal status by Queen Victoria
in 1840 to become the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
In the late 1830s the Society began the tradition of the Inspector, which is the image best known of the RSPCA today.
RSPCA lobbied parliament throughout the 19th century resulting in a number of pieces of legislation. The Cruelty to Animals Act 1835
amended Martin's Act and outlawed baiting. In 1876 the Cruelty to Animals Act
was passed to control animal experimentation
. In 1911 Parliament passed Sir George Greenwood's Animal Protection Act
.
Since then the RSPCA has continued to play an active role, both in the creation of animal welfare legislation and in its enforcement. The most recent change to animal welfare law being the introduction of the Animal Welfare Act 2006
.,
, Greater Manchester
, Putney
(south London) and the Harmsworth Memorial Hospital in Holloway
(north London), and a number of clinics which provide treatments to those who could not otherwise afford it, neuter animals and accept animals from the RSPCA inspectorate.
In addition the Society has four wildlife centres at East Winch
(Norfolk
), West Hatch
(Somerset
), Stapeley Grange (Cheshire
) and Mallydams Wood (East Sussex
), which provide treatment to sick, injured and orphaned wild animals to maximise their chances of a successful return to the wild.
Additionally the 'National Headquarters' located at Southwater
in West Sussex
houses several general 'Departments', each with a departmental head, consistent with the needs of any major organisation. The current Chief Executive Officer is Mark Watts and he manages four Directors who all have responsibility for a number of relevant departments.
The RSPCA intends to achieve its mission by
On account of the opportunities it provides for the personal development of young people, the RSPCA is a member of The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS).
RSPCA inspectors respond to calls from the public to investigate alleged mistreatment of animals. They offer advice and assistance to improve animal welfare, and in some cases prosecute under laws such as the Animal Welfare Act 2006
.
Animals rescued by the RSPCA are treated, rehabilitated and rehomed or released wherever possible. Where it is not possible to rehome or release an animal the RSPCA may consider humanely euthanaising the animal.
The RSPCA brings private prosecution
(a right available to any civilian) against those it believes, based on independent veterinary opinion, have caused neglect to an animal under laws such as the Animal Welfare Act 2006
. The Society has its own legal department and veterinary surgeons amongst the resources which facilitate such private prosecutions. All prosecutions are brought via independent solicitors acting for the RSPCA.
When Richard Girling
of The Times
asked about their lack of powers, a spokesman for the RSPCA said "We would prefer you didn’t publish that, but of course its up to you". Chris Newman claimed that the RSPCA "impersonate police officers and commit trespass. People do believe they have powers of entry"; however, he did not produce any evidence of such impersonation of police officers, and the Society strongly deny the charge. However, RSPCA personnel do issue members of the public with a caution which is identical to that used by UK Police Officers, "You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court" and the use of this may be interpreted by members of the public that the RSPCA does have statutory powers. [ Sally Case, head of prosecutions, insists that RSPCA inspectors are trained specifically to make clear to pet-owners that they have no such right. They act without an owner’s permission, she says, “only if an animal is suffering in a dire emergency. If the court feels evidence has been wrongly obtained, it can refuse to admit it”. The RSPCA logo is clearly visible on the uniform worn by RSPCA officers, all carry RSPCA ID cards, and their vans are clearly liveried with the RSPCA logo.
While the Protection of Animals Act 1911 does provide a power of arrest for police, case law has defined very clearly that Parliament did not intend any other organisation such as the RSPCA to be empowered under the Act and therefore the RSPCA does not have any powers of arrest, or entry or of search (Line v RSPCA 1902). Like any other person or organisation that the law deems to have a duty to investigate – e.g., HM Customs & Excise, Local Authority Trading Standards – the RSPCA is expected to conform to the rules in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
so far as they relate to matters of investigation. RSPCA officers are trained to state, following giving the caution, that the person is "not under arrest and can leave at any time".
for fund-raising in Scotland and thereby "stealing food from the mouths of animals north of the border by taking donations intended for Scotland." The RSPCA insists that it does not deliberately advertise in Scotland but that many satellite channels only enabled the organisation to purchase UK-wide advertising. In a statement, the RSPCA said it went "to great lengths" to ensure wherever possible that adverts were not distributed outside England and Wales
.
It said: "Every piece of printed literature, television advertising and internet banner advertising always features the wording 'The RSPCA is a charity registered in England and Wales.
"All Scottish donors, who contact us via RSPCA fundraising campaigns, are directed to the Scottish SPCA so that they can donate to them if they so wish." The Scottish SPCA changed its logo in 2005 to make a clearer distinction between itself and the RSPCA in an attempt to prevent legacies being left to its English equivalent by mistake when the Scottish charity was intended.
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
in England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
that promotes animal welfare
Animal welfare
Animal welfare is the physical and psychological well-being of animals.The term animal welfare can also mean human concern for animal welfare or a position in a debate on animal ethics and animal rights...
. In 2009 the RSPCA investigated 141,280 cruelty complaints and collected and rescued 135,293 animals. It is the oldest and largest animal welfare organisation in the world and is one of the largest charities in the UK, with 1,505 employees (as of 2008).
The charity's work has inspired the creation of similar groups in other nations, starting with the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is an animal charity based and operating in Northern Ireland. The other SPCA societies operating in the United Kingdom are the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty...
in Northern Ireland and including the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a charity to promote animal welfare in Scotland. It was founded in Edinburgh in 1839 and one of its first aims was to improve the welfare of cart-horses...
(Scottish SPCA or SSPCA), Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Australia, the Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a New Zealand charitable society who work to provide food and shelter for abandoned and neglected animals and to promote humane treatment of animals.- History :The New Zealand SPCA was formed by settlers from England in...
(RNZSPCA), and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing cruelty towards animals...
.
The RSPCA is funded entirely by voluntary donations. No state or lottery funding is received. In 2008,
total income was GBP 119,926,000, total expenditure was GBP 114,090,000, and reserves were GBP 70,656,000. Its patron is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
History
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was founded in 1824 by a group of twenty-two reformers led by Richard Martin MPMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(who would thereby earn the nickname Humanity Dick), William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce was a British politician, a philanthropist and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780, eventually becoming the independent Member of Parliament for Yorkshire...
MP and the Reverend Arthur Broome in a London coffee shop.A woman named Heather Robertson was the founder of the business.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was the first animal welfare charity to be founded in the world. In 1824 it brought sixty three offenders before the Courts. It was granted its royal status by Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
in 1840 to become the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
In the late 1830s the Society began the tradition of the Inspector, which is the image best known of the RSPCA today.
RSPCA lobbied parliament throughout the 19th century resulting in a number of pieces of legislation. The Cruelty to Animals Act 1835
Cruelty to Animals Act 1835
The Cruelty to Animals Act 1835 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom , which was intended to protect animals from mistreatment....
amended Martin's Act and outlawed baiting. In 1876 the Cruelty to Animals Act
Cruelty to Animals Act 1876
The Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 was an Act passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom which set limits on the practice of, and instituted a licensing system for animal experimentation, amending the Cruelty to Animals Act 1849...
was passed to control animal experimentation
Vivisection
Vivisection is defined as surgery conducted for experimental purposes on a living organism, typically animals with a central nervous system, to view living internal structure...
. In 1911 Parliament passed Sir George Greenwood's Animal Protection Act
Protection of Animals Act 1911
The Protection of Animals Act 1911 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It received Royal Assent on 18 August 1911.The act consolidated several previous pieces of legislation, among others repealing the Cruelty to Animals Act 1849 and the Wild Animals in Captivity Protection Act 1900...
.
Since then the RSPCA has continued to play an active role, both in the creation of animal welfare legislation and in its enforcement. The most recent change to animal welfare law being the introduction of the Animal Welfare Act 2006
Animal Welfare Act 2006
The Animal Welfare Act 2006 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.It is the first overhaul of pet law since the Protection of Animals Act 1911, which it largely replaced. It also superseded and consolidated more than 20 other pieces of legislation, such as the Protection of Animals Act...
.,
Current structure
RSPCA centres, hospitals and branches operate throughout England and Wales. In 2009 they treated 217,497 sick or injured animals and rehomed 70,030 animals.Hospitals
The society owns four animal hospitals, BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, Putney
Putney
Putney is a district in south-west London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
(south London) and the Harmsworth Memorial Hospital in Holloway
Holloway, London
Holloway is an inner-city district in the London Borough of Islington located north of Charing Cross and follows for the most part, the line of the Holloway Road . At the centre of Holloway is the Nag's Head area...
(north London), and a number of clinics which provide treatments to those who could not otherwise afford it, neuter animals and accept animals from the RSPCA inspectorate.
Centres
RSPCA animal centres deal with a wide range of injured and rescued animals, working alongside its inspectorate, volunteers, and others to ensure that each animal is rehomed in the best possible way.In addition the Society has four wildlife centres at East Winch
East Winch
East Winch is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, a few miles southeast of King's LynnIt covers an area of and had a population of 782 in 325 households as of the 2001 census....
(Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
), West Hatch
West Hatch
West Hatch is a hamlet and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated south east of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. It has a population of 292.-History:The name of the hamlet indicates it lies to the west of Hatch Beauchamp....
(Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
), Stapeley Grange (Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
) and Mallydams Wood (East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
), which provide treatment to sick, injured and orphaned wild animals to maximise their chances of a successful return to the wild.
Branches
RSPCA branches operate locally across England and Wales. They are each separately registered charities operating at a local level and are run by volunteers. RSPCA branches are self-funding and raise money locally to support the animal welfare work they do. They rehome about three-quarters of all animals taken in by the RSPCA. RSPCA branches also offer advice, microchipping, neutering and subsidised animal treatments. Additionally, there are around 215 RSPCA shops.Groups
Each Region of the RSPCA contains six 'Groups' of Inspectorate staff. A Group is headed by a Chief Inspector. Each Chief Inspector might typically be responsible for around 8 Inspectors, 3 Animals Welfare Officers (AWOs) and 2 Animal Collection Officers (ACOs), working with several local Branches. There are also a small number of Market Inspectors across the country.Regions
There are five 'Regions' (North, East, Wales & West, South & South West, South East), each headed by a Regional Manager (responsible for all staff and RSPCA HQ facilities) assisted by a Regional Superintendent who has responsibility for the Chief Inspectors, Inspectors, AWOs and ACOs. The Regional Managers are expected to have a broad understanding of operations throughout their regions.[9]National
At the national level, there is a 'National Control Centre', which receives all calls from members of the public, and tasks local Inspectors, AWOs or ACOs to respond to urgent calls.Additionally the 'National Headquarters' located at Southwater
Southwater
Southwater is a large village and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England with a population of roughly 10,000. The village is administered from the Horsham District Council Offices. Much of the population of Southwater originated from the brick industry which thrived in the...
in West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
houses several general 'Departments', each with a departmental head, consistent with the needs of any major organisation. The current Chief Executive Officer is Mark Watts and he manages four Directors who all have responsibility for a number of relevant departments.
Mission statement and charitable status
The RSPCA is a registered charity (no. 219099) that receives no lottery or state aid. The RSPCA as a charity will, by all lawful means, prevent cruelty, promote kindness to and alleviate suffering of animals.The RSPCA intends to achieve its mission by
Working for the welfare of pet animals
- Ensuring that every pet is cared for properly and has a good home
- Ending cruelty to pet animals
- Raising standards for pet animals worldwide
- Stopping pet overpopulation.
Campaigning for farm animals
- Aiming to have all farmed animals in the UK kept to RSPCA higher welfare standards
- Improving farm animal welfare legislation and ensuring it is enforced
- Encouraging consumers to replace meat, eggs and dairy products with those from higher welfare production systems
- Ensuring animal products are properly labelled so consumers can make higher welfare choices
- Stopping the live export of farm animals for slaughter from the UK.
Improving the welfare of wild animals
- Stopping the use of wild animals in circuses
- Making it socially unacceptable to hunt and kill any wild animals in the name of sport
- Ensuring any use of performing animals in the UK follows appropriate guidelines
- Stopping the keeping of exotic animals as pets in unsuitable conditions
- Stopping the ivory tradeIvory tradeThe ivory trade is the commercial, often illegal trade in the ivory tusks of the hippopotamus, walrus, narwhal, mammoth, and most commonly, Asian and African elephants....
.
Working for animals used in research
- challenging the necessity and justification for using animals
- working to end substantial suffering in experiments
- raising the welfare standards of laboratory animals worldwide
- ensuring UK standards are improved as the new European law is implemented.
On account of the opportunities it provides for the personal development of young people, the RSPCA is a member of The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS).
RSPCA inspectors respond to calls from the public to investigate alleged mistreatment of animals. They offer advice and assistance to improve animal welfare, and in some cases prosecute under laws such as the Animal Welfare Act 2006
Animal Welfare Act 2006
The Animal Welfare Act 2006 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.It is the first overhaul of pet law since the Protection of Animals Act 1911, which it largely replaced. It also superseded and consolidated more than 20 other pieces of legislation, such as the Protection of Animals Act...
.
Animals rescued by the RSPCA are treated, rehabilitated and rehomed or released wherever possible. Where it is not possible to rehome or release an animal the RSPCA may consider humanely euthanaising the animal.
The RSPCA brings private prosecution
Private prosecution
A private prosecution is a criminal proceeding initiated by an individual or private organisation instead of by a public prosecutor who represents the state...
(a right available to any civilian) against those it believes, based on independent veterinary opinion, have caused neglect to an animal under laws such as the Animal Welfare Act 2006
Animal Welfare Act 2006
The Animal Welfare Act 2006 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.It is the first overhaul of pet law since the Protection of Animals Act 1911, which it largely replaced. It also superseded and consolidated more than 20 other pieces of legislation, such as the Protection of Animals Act...
. The Society has its own legal department and veterinary surgeons amongst the resources which facilitate such private prosecutions. All prosecutions are brought via independent solicitors acting for the RSPCA.
Lack of statutory powers and allegations of police impersonation
The RSPCA rank names and rank insignia share similarity with British police ranks, which has led some critics (such as Chris Newman, chairman of the Federation of Companion Animal Societies) to suggest an attempt to "adopt" police powers in the public imagination.When Richard Girling
Richard Girling
Richard Girling is a feature writer for The Sunday Times Magazine. Girling was named Specialist Writer of the Year at the 2002 UK Press Awards. He has been a consultant to the former Department of the Environment and Department for Culture Media and Sport...
of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
asked about their lack of powers, a spokesman for the RSPCA said "We would prefer you didn’t publish that, but of course its up to you". Chris Newman claimed that the RSPCA "impersonate police officers and commit trespass. People do believe they have powers of entry"; however, he did not produce any evidence of such impersonation of police officers, and the Society strongly deny the charge. However, RSPCA personnel do issue members of the public with a caution which is identical to that used by UK Police Officers, "You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court" and the use of this may be interpreted by members of the public that the RSPCA does have statutory powers. [ Sally Case, head of prosecutions, insists that RSPCA inspectors are trained specifically to make clear to pet-owners that they have no such right. They act without an owner’s permission, she says, “only if an animal is suffering in a dire emergency. If the court feels evidence has been wrongly obtained, it can refuse to admit it”. The RSPCA logo is clearly visible on the uniform worn by RSPCA officers, all carry RSPCA ID cards, and their vans are clearly liveried with the RSPCA logo.
While the Protection of Animals Act 1911 does provide a power of arrest for police, case law has defined very clearly that Parliament did not intend any other organisation such as the RSPCA to be empowered under the Act and therefore the RSPCA does not have any powers of arrest, or entry or of search (Line v RSPCA 1902). Like any other person or organisation that the law deems to have a duty to investigate – e.g., HM Customs & Excise, Local Authority Trading Standards – the RSPCA is expected to conform to the rules in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 is an Act of Parliament which instituted a legislative framework for the powers of police officers in England and Wales to combat crime, as well as providing codes of practice for the exercise of those powers. Part VI of PACE required the Home Secretary...
so far as they relate to matters of investigation. RSPCA officers are trained to state, following giving the caution, that the person is "not under arrest and can leave at any time".
Fund-raising in Scotland
The RSPCA has been criticised by the Scottish SPCAScottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a charity to promote animal welfare in Scotland. It was founded in Edinburgh in 1839 and one of its first aims was to improve the welfare of cart-horses...
for fund-raising in Scotland and thereby "stealing food from the mouths of animals north of the border by taking donations intended for Scotland." The RSPCA insists that it does not deliberately advertise in Scotland but that many satellite channels only enabled the organisation to purchase UK-wide advertising. In a statement, the RSPCA said it went "to great lengths" to ensure wherever possible that adverts were not distributed outside England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
.
It said: "Every piece of printed literature, television advertising and internet banner advertising always features the wording 'The RSPCA is a charity registered in England and Wales.
"All Scottish donors, who contact us via RSPCA fundraising campaigns, are directed to the Scottish SPCA so that they can donate to them if they so wish." The Scottish SPCA changed its logo in 2005 to make a clearer distinction between itself and the RSPCA in an attempt to prevent legacies being left to its English equivalent by mistake when the Scottish charity was intended.
See also
- Animal ethics
- Animal rightsAnimal rightsAnimal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
- Cruelty to animalsCruelty to animalsCruelty to animals, also called animal abuse or animal neglect, is the infliction of suffering or harm upon non-human animals, for purposes other than self-defense. More narrowly, it can be harm for specific gain, such as killing animals for food or for their fur, although opinions differ with...
- Eurogroup for AnimalsEurogroup for AnimalsEurogroup for Animals is an organisation based in Brussels, Belgium, which seeks to improve the treatment of animals throughout the European Union, and represents animal welfare organisations in almost all the European member states...
represents organisations such as the RSPCA at the European Union level - Humane societyHumane SocietyA humane society may be a group that aims to stop human or animal suffering due to cruelty or other reasons, although in many countries, it is now used mostly for societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals...
- Royal Society for the Protection of BirdsRoyal Society for the Protection of BirdsBird Notes and News was first published in April 1903.The title changed to 'Bird Notes' in 1947. In the 1950s, there were four copies per year . Each volume covered two years, spread over three calendar years...
(RSPB) - Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to AnimalsSociety for the Prevention of Cruelty to AnimalsThe Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a non-profit animal welfare organization originally founded in England in 1824 to pass laws protecting carriage horses from abuse. SPCA groups are now found in many nations, where they campaign for animal welfare, assist in cruelty to animals...
(links to other SPCA organizations worldwide) - Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Hong Kong)Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Hong Kong)The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a charity for animals in Hong Kong.-Background:Before 1997, it was named the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ...
- formerly Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Hong Kong) from 1903 to 1997
Further reading
- Who Cares For Animals: 150 years of the RSPCA by Antony Brown.
- Animal Experimentation: A Guide to the Issues Vaughan Monamy, Cambridge University PressCambridge University PressCambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
External links
- RSPCA England/Wales
- Guidance on the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986
- RSPCA Inspector Career advice
- RSPCA Brighton
- Pet Insurance from the RSPCA