Rising
flood waters in Wales 2004 have caused havoc in the country, and
the RSPCA has been called out to rescue trapped horses, sheep and
cattle. As rivers burst their banks and farmland slowly
disappeared under water, RSPCA inspectors tackled the dangerous
task of moving animals that were at risk of drowning. In
Llanwst, in the Vale of Conwy, five RSPCA inspectors and two
animal collection officers rescued seven horses stranded in a
flooded field. Inspectors Phil Lewis and Tim Jones took the
Society's rescue boat and successfully moved the horses to safety
on higher ground. Eight cattle and 15 sheep also had to be moved
to higher ground. The Environment Agency confirmed that
there are currently 17 flood warnings in place in the Midlands and
24 within Wales. Very high river levels means further flooding is
expected.
Action
for animals There are now 323 uniformed RSPCA inspectors
and 146 Animal Collection Officers (ACOs) in England and Wales
working tirelessly for animals in distress. In 2002 inspectors
investigated 114,004 animal cruelty complaints which resulted in
2,000 convictions.
Horses
under threat
Preventing abuse The courts are a last resort for
inspectors, who prefer to educate rather than prosecute. They
watch the treatment of animals in transit, in markets, pet shops,
boarding kennels and farms and offer help and advice about their
care. However, the RSPCA is prone to assisting Councils in
planning cases, for all the wrong reasons, and frequently gang up
on farmers and refuse to account for complaints, which they later
say were received anonymously - but in fact were not.
Cruelty casebook Every 20 seconds someone somewhere
in England and Wales dials 0870 55 55 999 - the RSPCA's
national cruelty and advice line - for help. In 2002 the RSPCA
removed 183,609 animals from danger or abuse. Inspectors and ACOs
are also an emergency service for injured, trapped, or stranded
animals and in 2002 they carried out 11,311 rescues.
Animal care The RSPCA rehomed 82,936 animals in 2002
- mostly through the Society's network of 183 branches. Branches
are separately registered charities operating subject to RSPCA and
branch rules. They work for animal welfare locally and many
provide services including subsidized veterinary treatment for
those in need, neutering and rehoming schemes. Together, branches
are responsible for 40 branch-run clinics, 37 animal centres and
ten animal welfare centres.
The RSPCA (national Society) is responsible for four animal
hospitals, three specialist wildlife hospitals, one wildlife
rehabilitation unit, 13 animal centres and five clinics throughout
England and Wales.
All animals The RSPCA's influence covers the whole
range of animal protection. The Society is involved in practical
welfare, law enforcement as well as high-profile campaigning and
education. It employs veterinary experts and consultants in the
care and treatment of farm livestock, wildlife, domestic pets and
animals used in research.
Traditions maintained The RSPCA's law-reforming
origins are an important element of its work today. Much UK animal
welfare legislation owes its existence to RSPCA campaigning, and
the Society works for animal welfare at Westminster through its
professional parliamentary lobbyists. Ministers and MPs frequently
seek the advice and opinions of the RSPCA on legislative matters.
The RSPCA's reach extends into Europe through Eurogroup
for Animal Welfare - a consortium of animal welfare
organizations from each EU member state - that campaigns for
improvements in animal welfare legislation.
Public eye RSPCA advertising campaigns, television
exposure, direct mail fundraising, promotional videos, magazines,
booklets, leaflets and posters keep the Society at the forefront
of public awareness about animal welfare.
Next generation The RSPCA's education service also
plays a key role. Support is provided in animal welfare education
for students, teachers, youth organizations and trainers. A range
of national curriculum linked resources are available, and
activity days and courses are held at the four education centres.
There is also a special RSPCA membership for schools. RSPCA school
liaison officers work with approximately half a million pupils in
England and Wales each year.
International aid The RSPCA's overseas fund
distributed more than £432,000 to animal welfare organisations in
39 different countries in 2002. There are more than 160 animal
welfare organisations in 65 countries associated to the RSPCA.
www.rspcashop.co.uk
Order the products you need while raising
much-needed funds for the RSPCA.
www.eurogroupanimalwelfare.org
Eurogroup works towards the introduction,
implementation and enforcement of legislation on the protection of
animals in the European Union.
www.animal-welfare.org.tw
The RSPCA's Chinese-language website serving
mainland China, Taiwan and Chinese speakers worldwide. It
describes the RSPCA's activities in the UK and contains more
detailed information on the international department's projects in
East Asia.
The
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA),
Britain's oldest animal welfare organisation but a recent
convert to animal rights, has been instructed by the commission
which oversees UK charities to stop campaigning against
activities of benefit to man.
The
truth behind the publicsmile"In recent months we have become somewhat
disenchanted with an old and much-loved British
institution,............................"
Swansea
Poster Some RSPCA members from South Wales were so
incensed about the vast amounts of money that is being hoarded
by HQ. that they had this poster printed and circulated it
around Wales. The RSPCA threatened libel action but was unable
to proceed as the posters told the truth.
Guither,
Harold D. Animal Rights: History and Scope of a Radical
Social Movement. Southern Illinois University Press;
reissue edition 1997. ISBN 0809321998
"Ethics,"
Encyclopaedia Britannica, retrieved June 17, 2006.
"Environmentalism,"
Encyclopædia Britannica, retrieved June 17, 2006.
Taylor,
Angus. Animals and Ethics: An Overview of the Philosophical
Debate, Broadview Press, May 2003. ISBN 1551115697
"Animal
rights," Encyclopædia Britannica, retrieved June
16, 2006.
Steven
Wise, who teaches animal rights law at Harvard Law School, has
said of this approach, quoting economist Robert Samuelson:
"Progress occurs funeral by funeral." (Wise, Steven
M. "Address at the 5th Annual Conference on Animals and
the Law," Committee on Legal Issues Pertaining to
Animals, Association of the Bar of the City of New York,
September 25, 1999)
Regan,
Tom. "Animal Rights, Human Wrongs", speech
given at the University of Wisonsin, Madison, 1989-10-27.
Cited by The
National Animal Interest Alliance.
"Animal
rights," Encyclopaedia Britannica, retrieved June
16, 2006.
"Ethics,"
Encyclopaedia Britannica, retrieved June 17, 2006.
"Environmentalism,"
Encyclopaedia Britannica, retrieved June 17, 2006.
Frey,
R.G. Interests and Rights: The Case Against Animals,
1980, Clarendon Press, ISBN 0198244215
George.
Kathryn Paxton. Animal, Vegetable, or Woman?, State
University of New York Press, ISBN 0791446875
Guither,
Harold D. Animal Rights: History and Scope of a Radical
Social Movement. Southern Illinois University Press;
reissue edition 1997. ISBN 0809321998
LaFollette,
Hugh & Shanks, Niall. "The
origin of speciesism" (pdf), Philosophy,
January 1996, vol 71, issue 275.
Animal
Voices Radio Show A Canadian based radio program with full
archieves of past shows on their website for free download.
Show features interviews with prominent organizations,
authors, and activists from across the globe. Show also covers
topics relating to social justice (for example, feminism,
anti-racism, and critiques of capitalism) as well as critical
environmental theory and praxis as they relate to animal
issues.
Of
Human and Non-Human Animals Animal issues debates, news,
reflections, putting them into a wider political arena.
Ethical and political foundations of an animal movement.
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