RSPCA facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

For every kind.
Formation	16 June 1824
Founders	Richard Martin William Wilberforce Reverend Arthur Broome
Type	Nonprofit
Focus	Animals
Headquarters	Horsham, West Sussex, England
Location	Horsham, West Sussex, England
Area served	England & Wales
Key people	Chris Sherwood (CEO, August 2018 – present)
Revenue	£151.7m (2021)
Employees	1,305 (2021)
Website	https://rspca.org.uk

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is a charity in England and Wales. It works to protect animals and make sure they are treated well.

The RSPCA gets most of its money from people who donate. It started in 1824. This makes it the oldest and largest animal welfare group in the world. It is also one of the biggest charities in the UK. The RSPCA also helps animals in other countries, like in Europe, Africa, and Asia.

The RSPCA's work has inspired many similar groups. These include the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (1836) and the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (1839). Other groups like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (1866) also started because of the RSPCA.

Template:TOC limit=3

History of the RSPCA

How the RSPCA Started

In the early 1800s, many people in Britain started talking about how animals were treated. Some people were worried about animals used for work, like pulling carriages. They also worried about animals in scientific tests and cruel sports. These sports included fox-hunting and cock fighting.

In 1822, an Irish politician named Richard Martin helped pass a law. This law, sometimes called Martin's Act, made it illegal to be cruel to cattle.

Founding the Society

After Martin's Act, a group of social reformers wanted to do more. Reverend Arthur Broome helped bring them together. On June 16, 1824, they held a meeting in London. Many important people were there, including Richard Martin and William Wilberforce.

They decided to create the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. This was the first animal welfare charity ever. Reverend Broome became its first secretary. In its first year, the society took 63 people to court for animal cruelty.

In 1835, Princess Victoria became a supporter of the society. When she became Queen in 1840, she allowed it to add "Royal" to its name. That is how it became the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

RSPCA Inspectors: Animal Protectors

The idea for RSPCA inspectors came from Reverend Broome. In 1822, he personally took people to court for animal cruelty. He even hired an inspector to watch over animals at Smithfield Market.

At first, the society had some money problems. But by 1838, they decided to hire full-time inspectors. These inspectors are now a well-known part of the RSPCA. They help protect animals every day.

The RSPCA also worked to change how people thought about animals. They published books and held special church services. These services, called "Animal Sunday," encouraged people to be kind to animals. This idea later spread to other countries.

Women and the RSPCA

Women played an important role in the RSPCA from early on. In 1825, the society made sure women could attend their meetings. Many important women became supporters.

In 1870, the RSPCA Ladies' Committee was created. This committee helped organize activities, like essay contests for children. They also started the Bands of Mercy. This movement taught children to be kind to animals.

Working with Other Countries

In the 1800s, the RSPCA helped other countries start their own animal welfare groups. They shared advice and held conferences. This helped spread the idea of preventing cruelty to animals around the world.

Changing Laws for Animals

The RSPCA has always worked to create new laws to protect animals. In 1835, the Cruelty to Animals Act 1835 made cruel animal sports illegal.

Later, there was a big debate about vivisection, which means doing experiments on live animals. The RSPCA supported laws to control these experiments. In 1876, the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 was passed to do this.

In 1911, Parliament passed the Protection of Animals Act 1911. More recently, the Animal Welfare Act 2006 was created. The RSPCA continues to play a big part in making and enforcing animal welfare laws.

RSPCA Through the Years

During the First World War, the RSPCA helped care for animals used by the army. This included horses, donkeys, and dogs. Sadly, many animals died during the war.

Since the Second World War, farming has changed a lot. This has led to new questions about animal welfare. The RSPCA continues to work on these issues. They aim to make sure animals are treated well in all parts of life.

RSPCA Animal Care Places

The RSPCA has centres, hospitals, and branches all over England and Wales. In 2012, RSPCA places helped and found new homes for over 55,000 animals.

Animal Hospitals

The RSPCA runs animal hospitals and clinics. These places offer treatments to animals whose owners cannot afford care. They also help neuter animals and take in animals rescued by RSPCA inspectors. As of September 2020, the Putney Animal Hospital has closed.

Animal Centres

RSPCA animal centres care for many injured and rescued animals. They work with inspectors and volunteers to find new homes for each animal. There are 17 RSPCA animal centres run by the main charity. Another 42 centres are run by independent local branches.

The RSPCA also has wildlife centres. These centres treat sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals. Their goal is to help these animals get better and return to the wild.

*closed as of September 2020

How the RSPCA is Organized

National Structure

The main RSPCA charity handles all central tasks. It also runs some animal hospitals and centres. It employs inspectors and Animal Rescue Officers (AROs) who respond to urgent calls. There is also a National Control Centre that takes calls from the public.

The RSPCA no longer has one main headquarters building. Most employees now work from home or from smaller offices. Chris Sherwood is the current chief executive officer.

Regions and Groups

The RSPCA divides England and Wales into three regions: North, South, and East, Midlands and Wales. Each region has a superintendent who manages the inspectors and AROs.

Each region also has smaller groups of inspectorate staff. A chief inspector leads each group. They are in charge of 6-12 officers who work with local branches.

Local Branches

A RSPCA shop in Bramley, Leeds.

RSPCA branches are local charities that operate across England and Wales. Volunteers run these branches. Many branches raise their own money to help animals in their area.

Branches find homes for about three-quarters of all animals rescued by the RSPCA. They also offer advice, microchipping, and low-cost animal treatments. In 2013, there were about 1000 RSPCA shops.

Inspector Ranks

RSPCA Inspectorate rank insignia

Rank	Chief Officer	Chief Superintendent	Superintendent	Chief Inspector	Inspector	Trainee Inspector	Animal Collection Officer	Animal Welfare Officer
Insignia
All inspectors wear a white shirt with the RSPCA logo. Higher ranks also have a formal uniform for special events. During big rescues, specialist teams wear dark blue polo shirts with the RSPCA logo.

RSPCA's Mission and Purpose

The RSPCA is a registered charity that depends on public donations. Its main goal is to prevent cruelty to animals. It also aims to promote kindness and reduce animal suffering.

RSPCA inspectors respond to calls from the public. They investigate claims of animal mistreatment. They offer advice to improve animal welfare. In some cases, they take people to court under laws like the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Animals rescued by the RSPCA are treated and cared for. They are then found new homes or released back into the wild.

The RSPCA can bring legal cases against people who harm animals. They have their own legal team and vets to help with this. However, they do not have police powers. They work with independent lawyers for their cases.

RSPCA and the Law

When the first police force started in England in 1829, they wore uniforms similar to RSPCA inspectors. This has sometimes made people think RSPCA inspectors have police powers. However, they do not.

RSPCA inspectors may give a warning similar to what the police use. This can also make people think they have police powers. But the RSPCA trains its inspectors to make it clear they do not have such powers.

RSPCA inspectors can only enter a property without the owner's permission if an animal is in extreme suffering. If evidence is gathered incorrectly, a court can refuse to use it.

The Animal Welfare Act 2006 gives powers to the police and local authority inspectors. RSPCA inspectors are not appointed by local authorities. However, a police officer or local authority inspector can ask an RSPCA inspector to join them.

The RSPCA can also get information from police records. This helps them in their investigations and legal cases. However, they do not have direct access to these records. They must request the information they need.

See also

• Humane society
• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
• Eurogroup for Animals represents organisations such as the RSPCA at the European Union level
• Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (links to other SPCA organizations worldwide)
• Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Hong Kong) — formerly Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Hong Kong) from 1903 to 1997
• Animal welfare in the United Kingdom
• Animal ethics
• Animal rights
• Cruelty to animals

Images for kids

• 

  A painting of the trial of Bill Burns. It shows Richard Martin with the donkey. This led to the first known conviction for animal cruelty.

• 

  Former RSPCA charity logo, used from 2002 until 2024.