RSPCA Strategy 2021-2030: Together for Animal Welfare

The RSPCA's new strategy - Together for Animal Welfare -   will have a huge impact on animal welfare in Wales; as we pledges to reduce neglect, abuse and cruelty to pets by 50% and ensure a significant increase in the number of farm animals reared to top standards.

Rescuing and caring for animals will continue to be central to the RSPCA's work in England and Wales Wales - as we continue to call for statutory powers for our frontline rescuers to enable them to reach animals most in need more quickly.

Partnership working with other organisations across Wales and beyond is also a focal part of the ambitious new strategy, with the RSPCA recognising it will not be able to meet a series of targets for animals alone.

We have outlined eight bold ambitions under the new strategy, which it aims to achieve by 2030. 

1. Reduce cruelty by half - We'll reduce neglect, abuse and cruelty to companion animals, including exotic pets in England and Wales by 50 percent.
2. Prevent 'petfishing' We'll end the illegal selling of puppies and kittens in the UK.
3. Boost farm animal welfare - We'll see more than half of all UK's farm animals reared to RSPCA welfare standards. We'll encourage people to: eat less, eat better by encouraging people to eat less meat, fish, eggs and dairy from low-welfare farms and to only choose higher-welfare labels.
4. End severe suffering in research - We'll secure a global commitment o developing, validating and accepting non-animal technologies to replace animal experiments, and put an end to severe suffering for laboratory animals.
5. Secure legal protection for animals - Establish animal protection as a significant governmental goal in both England and Wales supported by an independent public body, legally established, an Animal Protection Commission.
6. Help our inspectors rescue animals sooner - We'll achieve statutory powers in both England and Wales for RSPCA inspectors under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
7. Get the UN on board for animals - We'll secure the adoption by the United Nations of a comprehensive Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare.
8. Inspire a one million-strong movement for animal welfare by 2030 - We'll use our new Community Engagement Programme to mobilise more people to help us help animals.

The RSPCA has also announced that it is exploring stepping back from its role as a prosecutor of animal welfare offenders - and instead passing prosecutions to the Crown Prosecution Service, to instead offer greater focus on its frontline work rescuing animals and investigating cruelty.

In late 2019, the RSPCA produced a report at the request of the Welsh Government, outlining the role statutory powers could play for its frontline rescuers - and achieving such powers is a focal point of the new Strategy. It is hoped the next Welsh Government will continue this work to enable the RSPCA to be better equipped and accountable, and ease the historic bureaucratic burden currently placed on other public bodies, by supporting giving RSPCA officers powers under the Animal Welfare Act.

The RSPCA's core work of advocacy and prevention through information, advice and education are also a strong focus of the strategy with the charity aiming to reach half of million young people in England and Wales with animal welfare messages by 2030. Wales is switching to a new curriculum from 2022 - and the RSPCA plans to issue new resources to support schools and learners understand more about animal welfare, as part of the Wales' new Areas of Learning and Experience (AoLEs).

To find out more about the RSPCA's new strategy - Together for Animal Welfare - visit the charity's website.