TRUSTEES' REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2024
10
2024 was a hugely significant year for the RSPCA. It marked two
centuries of incredible achievements impacting the lives of millions
of animals for the better. But, as we looked back with pride, our
focus remained firmly on the future.
In 2023, after an in-depth look at how people perceived us, we knew
we had to strengthen our relationship with all sectors of the public.
To reach all the animals needing help, and in the face of growing
economic pressures and increasing demands on our services, we
need to encourage everyone to get involved. But we found that some
communities, for example, had limited awareness about what we
do or the role that they could play in improving animals' lives.
In 2024, our rebrand and campaigning got people talking and
thinking about animals - and about us. We're keeping those
conversations going in multiple ways: on TV advertising campaigns
and social media, through volunteering opportunities, in classrooms
and through debate on our groundbreaking Animal Futures podcast.
Our annual Animal Kindness Index tells us that ours is an animal-
loving society, and we want to inspire everyone to do practical
things in their everyday lives that protect animals.
We changed the way we work so that we could quickly reach those
animals suffering from cruelty or neglect, and this move also
strengthened our relationship with the public. When people called
us about animals needing help, we guided them to take the right
steps themselves, where appropriate. This dramatically eased
pressure on our rescuers, who could then attend more complex
incidents, or those involving abuse and neglect, much more quickly.
At the same time, it empowered the public to make a real difference
for animals, there and then.
When people deliberately harmed or neglected animals, we
gathered evidence and prosecuted them, securing 527 convictions
in 2024. We also worked in communities to build understanding,
empathy and compassion, and to prevent cruelty to animals.
We continued to push for legislative change and achieved important
wins this year. After 100+ years of campaigning, we were overjoyed
to finally see the end of the barbaric export of live animals abroad
for fattening or slaughter. Pet theft became a crime. And it was
heartening to see the Online Safety Act prohibiting content
encouraging animal cruelty. It was also fantastic to succeed in
pushing the Government's commitment to phasing out animal use
in research and testing.
In communities this year, we saw an increase in abandonments and
other issues, as pets bore the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis affecting
so many households. But I'm so proud of the way our branches
and other partners rallied round to make sure pets got the food
and treatments they needed to stay safe and well in loving homes.
There were challenges too. We were saddened to learn about bad
practice occurring on a small minority of the nearly 4,000 farms that
had RSPCA Assured status. To win the coveted RSPCA Assured label,
farms must follow our strict welfare guidelines. RSPCA Assured
took immediate action, withdrawing three members from the
scheme and sanctioning nine that had breached our standards.
RSPCA Assured also commissioned an independent review - its
second in four years. Both reviews confirmed that the scheme is
operating effectively and making a positive difference to the lives
of farmed animals. Nevertheless, RSPCA Assured accelerated its
existing plans to increase unannounced site visits and is exploring
the feasibility of using body-worn cameras and CCTV to give
real-time insights into animal welfare on farms.
I'm immensely proud of the RSPCA Assured scheme because it
is focused solely on driving up farmed animal welfare in the UK.
Of course, I want a world where it isn't needed anymore. But there
is an appalling lack of legal protection for farmed animals, and
enforcement is virtually non-existent. The Government carries out
welfare assessments on just three percent of farms - so it's clear
RSPCA Assured is the only hope for the millions of farmed animals
who are vulnerable as a result of inadequate welfare legislation and
enforcement. I have full confidence in RSPCA Assured to carry on
protecting them as long as there's a need.
In his six years as Chief Executive, my predecessor Chris Sherwood
did so much to innovate changes that have made us into the modern,
forward-looking organisation that we are today. He set us on the path
to building our millions-strong movement for animals, with a collaborative
10-year strategy, Together for animal welfare, launched in 2020. In
2024, he oversaw work to refresh the strategy for the next five years,
as well as spearheading our rebrand and new scope of service.
Following Chris's departure to a new role at the NSPCC at the end of the
year, it's an honour to take up the reins until a new permanent Chief
Executive is appointed. I'd like to congratulate Chris for his vision and
dedication, which shine through in the RSPCA we have today. I see an
organisation that is as committed as ever to building a better world
for every animal. I see an organisation that knows where it's going,
and what it will do to get there. I see an increasingly more diverse
organisation that's good to work for, and that we can all be proud of.
I want to finish by saying thank you to him and to so many others.
This report - though it can only ever give a snapshot of our
achievements in another intense year - is a testament to the
dedication and energy of our Board, staff, volunteers, branches,
partners and supporters throughout 2024. As we look forward to
a new phase with a new Chief Executive, I'm confident we're in
great shape to meet whatever challenges lie ahead.
Shān Nicholas
Interim RSPCA Chief Executive
Message from our
Interim Chief Executive