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RSPCA

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This article is about the original RSPCA in England and Wales. Similarly named societies in other countries are listed (with links) at the SPCA disambiguation page.
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Founded1824
FounderRichard Martin, William Wilberforce, Reverend Arthur Broome
Location

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is a charity in England and Wales that promotes animal welfare. It is the oldest and largest animal welfare organisation in the world[1] and is one of the largest charities in the UK. Queen Elizabeth II is its patron.[2]

Founded as the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in 1824, it adopted its current name after being granted royal status by Queen Victoria in 1840. It 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 and in 2006 reported an income in excess of £110 million[3].

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 MP (who would thereby earn the nickname Humanity Dick), William Wilberforce MP and the Reverend Arthur Broome originally as a society to support the working of Richard Martin's Act. This Act had been passed in Parliament on 22 July 1822 and was against cruelty to farm animals, particularly cattle. The group assembled at the "Old Slaughters" Coffee House in London to create a society with the will and authority to enforce the new law.[4]

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was the first animal welfare charity to be founded in the world. It was granted its royal status by Queen Victoria in 1840 to become the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.[5]

William Wilberforce was already famous from his work to abolish slavery in the British Empire.

At first the organisation did not employ Inspectors. A committee inspected the markets, slaughterhouses and the conduct of city coachmen. Rev Arthur Broome, from his own funds, employed a Mr Wheeler and his assistant, Charles Teasdall. In 1824 they brought sixty three offenders before the Courts.[6]

In the late 1830s the Society began the tradition of the Inspector, which is the image best known of the RSPCA today. By 1841 there were five Inspectors, each paid a guinea a week, based in London, who travelled to various parts of the country bringing suspected offenders before the Courts.[7]

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 in England/Wales, in Australia and the other independent SPCA groups around the world have continued to play an active role, both in the creation of animal welfare legislation and in its enforcement.

Structure today

The 1830s introduction of Inspectors also encouraged local supporters of the RSPCA to band together. Supporters were able to form a local 'Branch', and if the Branch raised sufficient funds then it could employ an Inspector. Today there are 172 local Branches of the RSPCA, which are locally funded.

Branches

Local Branches are responsible for a range of animal facilities, depending upon the fund-raising capacity of the Branch. These local facilities include almost 100 animal clinics and welfare centres (including 4 specialist wildlife centres). The branches run, between them, 207 charity shops for fund raising purposes. Local branches are also responsible for local staffing. There is a certain reliance on volunteer staff members for fund-raising, secretarial, and administrative duties, whilst other staff must be employed. Local staff include: Veterinary Staff: Hospital & Clinic Assistants, Veterinary Nurses, Veterinary Surgeons (almost all are full-time). General Staff: Fund-raisers, administrators, secretaries (a large proportion are volunteers). Animal Care Assistants: ACAs, senior ACAs, Animal Centre Managers (many full-time, but supported by volunteers). Animal Collection Officers: ACO’s were previously designated a distinctive green uniform, but can now be seen in white shirt and black tie along with blue jumper.[citation needed] They are required to demonstrate animal-handling skills and a basic understanding of wildlife, although there are no specific educational qualifications a 3 year valid driving license is required as well as 'robust physical health'. They are also expected to carry out euthanasia (subject to training after 3 months employment) where necessary, although they must undertake a criminal records bureau check and the attendance of an ethics course.[8] Staff or volunteers wishing to train as Inspectors are required to demonstrate certain minimum standards in formal education.

Groups

Local Branches, their staff, and the Inspectors who work in them, report through a structured chain of command, divided geographically into 'Groups'. A Group is headed by a Chief Inspector. Each Chief Inspector might typically be responsible for around 7 Inspectors, 3 ACOs, and 1 specialist Inspector (Port Inspector, or Market Inspector, for example) working with several local Branches.[9]

Regions

The Groups are collected into five 'Regions' (North, East, Wales & West, South & South West, South East), each headed by a Superintendent. Despite being geographically large areas, the regional Superintendents are expected to have a broad understanding of operations throughout their regions.[10]

National

At the national level, there is a 'National Control Centre', which receives all calls from members of the public, and tasks local Inspectors or Animal collection officers to respond to urgent calls by means of an airwaves set. Additionally the 'National Headquarters' located at Horsham in West Sussex houses several general 'Departments', each with a departmental head, usually a Chief Superintendent. These national Departments include, for example, 'Training', 'Operations', and 'Special Operations'. The Chief Superintendents, as Heads of Department, report to the Chief Officer (the senior member of the uniformed Inspectorate) and the Society's 'Directors'. The current Chief Officer is felix singh.

Rank insignia

Template:RSPCA rank table

Mission statement and charitable status

The RSPCA is a registered charity (no. 219099) that receives no lottery or state aid. In 2006 it had an annual expenditure of £95.5 million, placing it in the top 40 of UK charities.[11] Its annual running costs are funded exclusively by voluntary donations and legacies.

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

  • effecting strong branch, regional, national and international organisations dedicated to providing a public service, delivering effective relief of animal suffering and enforcing the law
  • working tirelessly to reduce the harmful impact of human activities on animals through education, campaigning and the application of ethics, science and law
  • striving for the highest levels of efficiency, effectiveness and integrity
  • urging that, save where the public benefit requires, humankind should not intentionally cause suffering to any animal when it is not for its own benefit, or cause suffering by neglect. This applies whatever the animal, or the situation in which it finds itself.[12]

Thanks to 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)[13].

Functions

The RSPCA operates a number of sites that can hold lost, neglected, injured or otherwise homeless animals. Only if an animal cannot be returned or re-homed is it put down. The majority of animals killed by the RSPCA are sick or injured to an extent that it is the only humane course of action. It also operates specialist veterinary hospitals and clinics, as well as animal collection centres.

RSPCA inspectors respond to calls from the public to investigate alleged mistreatment of animals. These officers are normal civilians and have no special rights nor statutory powers. Like other civilians, they may not enter anyone's premises without permission; they do, however, benefit (unlike other citizens) from specialist training and equipment, and a regular interaction with local police forces, which enables them more easily than most to seek assistance from the local police force, which may ask a magistrate for a search warrant, to enter private homes.

Unlike the RSPCA, local authority employees working for animal welfare, Government Animal Health Officers and the police do have powers to enter in an emergency under the Animal Welfare Act, but normally require a warrant - the RSPCA falls under none of those categories.[14] The RSPCA has no powers to prosecute other than by bringing a private prosecution (again, a right available to any civilian) against those it believes have caused neglect to an animal, though again (and unlike most private citizens) the Society enjoys the benefit of its own legal department, and its own qualified lawyers and veterinary surgeons amongst the resources which facilitate such private prosecutions.[15]

See also

Further reading

  • Who Cares For Animals: 150 years of the RSPCA by Antony Brown.[16]
  • Animal Experimentation: A Guide to the Issues Vaughan Monamy, Cambridge University Press

References

  1. ^ http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RSPCA/RSPCARedirect&pg=FundraisingHomepage Retrieved on 2009-01-30
  2. ^ http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RSPCA/RSPCARedirect&pg=about_the_rspca&marker=1&articleId=1144060334919 Retrieved on 2008-09-30
  3. ^ http://www.guidestar.org.uk/gs_summary.aspx?CCReg=219099 Retrieved on 2009-01-30
  4. ^ http://www.animallaw.info/historical/articles/arukrspcahist.htm retrieved on 2008-03-24
  5. ^ http://www.rspca-durham.org.uk/history.html Retrieved on 2008-03-24
  6. ^ http://www.animallaw.info/historical/articles/arukrspcahist.htm Retrieved on 2008-03-24
  7. ^ http://www.rspca.org.au/about/history_origins.asp Retrieved on 2008-03-24
  8. ^ Animal collection officer requirements are outlined on the RSPCA careers page[1].
  9. ^ This typical Group structure is outlined in the RSPCA job description document available on-line here.
  10. ^ This RSPCA web page includes a regional map of the five regions.
  11. ^ Charities Direct
  12. ^ http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RSPCA/RSPCARedirect&pg=about_the_rspca&marker=1&articleId=1163248954407 Retrieved on 2008-03-24
  13. ^ Full list of NCVYS members
  14. ^ http://www.countryside-alliance.org.uk/political/general/enforcement-of-the-animal-welfare-act-2006/ Countryside Alliance
  15. ^ http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RSPCA/RSPCARedirect&pg=prosecutions rspca.org
  16. ^ Detail from a copy of the book, published by Heinemann of London in 1974 with an ISBN of 434 90189 X. The chapters relate to the Origin of the Society, and finishes with prospects for the future, with a foreword by John Hobhouse (Chairman of the RSPCA). Appendix section includes a List of Past Presidents and Accounts information.

Video clips

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