The RSPCA has launched a new strategy – ‘Together for Animal Welfare’ – which aims to halve cruelty to pets, stop the illegal selling of kittens and introduce compulsory microchipping, all by 2030.
The charity wants to reduce cruelty to pets by 50% in the next decade and, as part of that aim, its rescue and care of animals will continue to be central to its work. In fact, the charity will be seeking statutory powers for its frontline rescuers to help them to reach the animals most in need more quickly.
As part of this new strategy, the RSPCA has set eight priorities for animal welfare by 2030 to change life for the better for all types of animals both in England and Wales and abroad.
Chief executive Chris Sherwood said the charity could not achieve the challenging ambitions on its own and the key to success was partnership working to do the best for animals.
“Our frontline rescue and care work saving animals 365 days a year will continue to be at the heart of what we do,” he said.
“Despite being a global health pandemic with the country lockdown for months there were still more than a million calls to our rescue line last year and our frontline officers looked into almost 100,000 complaints of animal cruelty.
“The need for the RSPCA is as great as ever and we are determined no animal is left behind.
“But the world is changing and we recognise we can’t do it alone. To achieve our ambitious aims for animal welfare, we will partner with volunteers, communities, RSPCA branches, colleagues in the welfare sector and beyond, to reach the animals who need us most.”
The charity’s eight ambitions are:
1. Reduce cruelty by half
2. Prevent ‘petfishing’
3. Boost farm animal welfare
4. End severe suffering in research
5. Secure legal protection for animals
6. Help our inspectors rescue animals sooner
7. Get the UN ‘on board for animals’
8. Inspire a one million-strong movement for animal welfare by 2030.
