The RSPCA

The RSPCA is a charity which is based within the UK and it promotes animal welfare, its full name is The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The organisation is responsible for investigating cruelty complaints, collecting animals from unsuitable owners and also rescuing animals. The charity is very active, during in 2009 it investigated 141,280 complaints around cruelty and collected and rescued 135,293 animals.

This is the oldest and also largest animal welfare organisation in the world; it is also one of the largest charities in the UK. The creation of the RSPCA has led to many other charities in different countries being set up, many with the same purpose of the RSPCA. This organisation is unique in the fact that it operates solely on voluntary donations and does not receive any state or lottery funding.

The charity was established in 1824 and was granted royal status by Queen Victoria. This organisation has played a critical role in developing and modifying numerous legislations including The Cruelty to Animals Act. They also played a great role in the changes made in 2006 to the Animal Welfare Act.

The RSCPA operates in numerous different ways; the society owns four hospitals which are located within Birmingham, Greater Manchester, Putney and North London. Not only does the charity own these hospitals, but it also owns many clinics which can be used for the treatment of animals.

Centres which are operated by the charity deal with a wide range of injured and rescued animals, the people who work here are often employees and also volunteers. Four wildlife centres are also owned by the charity, these are located at East Winch, West Hatch, Stapeley Grange and Mallydams Wood. These wildlife centres are used to provide treatment to the sick, injured and orphaned; they also play a critical role in releasing animals back to the wild. An RSPCA branch is likely to be known by the majority of the general public, these are located within towns and cities. Each of these branches is set up as an individual charity and is operated at a local level. The branches are usually operated by volunteers, and are funded using money which has been raised locally. The branches are very important to the charity as they play an influential role in how the organisation operates; they help to re-home three quarters of all animals which are taken in by the RSPCA.

The branches also offer a range of services which include general advice, micro-chipping, neutering and subsidised animal treatments. As well as operating at a local level, the charity also operates at the National level; this includes the National Control Centre. This control centre receives calls from the general public; these calls are then passed on to local inspectors. Numerous different calls are taken which surround numerous different topics, such as reporting cruelty or found animals.