The RSPCA is set to mark its 200th birthday amid its busiest week of the year – with the charity using its landmark anniversary to issue a rallying call to the people on the Isle of Wight to join a million-strong movement for animals. Last year, across England and Wales, the charity took an astonishing 31,947 calls to its emergency line during its birthday week (12th-18th June) – more than any other week of the entire year.] The charity’s rescuers also dealt with 5,573 incidents in that week alone – with its dedicated frontline teams responding to countless pets, wild and other animals subjected to cruelty, neglect and mistreatment. Some 32 of the incidents dealt with that week were on the Isle of Wight, with the charity dealing with a total of 1,058 separate incidents across the county throughout 2023. Animal rescuers are now braced for another busy period this year – as they prepare to celebrate 200 years of the RSPCA working with the public to change animals’ lives for the better. In Ryde, a fox cub was given a helping hand after getting his head trapped in a wire fence in June last year. Animal Rescue Officer Kane Goodyear managed to cut him free before taking him to a specialist wildlife centre for care and treatment before being released back into the wild. Now the charity is urging people to join its million-strong movement with animals facing “some of the biggest threats in our history” – including the cost of living crisis, the growth of intensive farming and climate change. Chris Sherwood, Chief Executive of the RSPCA, says:
“Our dedicated rescue teams are so busy on the frontline for animals, and – as we celebrate our landmark 200th anniversary this week – we’re expecting to be as busy as ever. “Our birthday week was the busiest week of the whole year last year – and we’re proud that, working with the public, we’re continuing to help animals on the Isle of Wight and across the country. “But we know we can’t do this alone – and the support of our friends in the animal welfare sector, and the public, is set to be more important than ever as we all look to work together to create a kinder, better world for all animals. “To keep creating a better world for every animal, we need more people to take action. That’s why, in our 200th year, we want one million people to join our movement – and to share in our vision for every kind.”
Sunday (16 June) marks 2 centuries since the animal welfare organisation – then the SPCA – was founded at Old Slaughter’s Coffee House in London, by a London vicar, Arthur Broome, and 22 founding members, including the MPs William Wilberforce and Richard Martin. By 1840, Queen Victoria had given permission for the Society to add ‘Royal’ to its name – and this Royal link was recently maintained with HRH King Charles III confirmed as the charity’s new patron. To find out more about how you can join the RSPCA’s million-strong movement for animals visit www.rspca.org.uk/200.
People should watch the recent exposé on RSPCA approved farms, what a racket!
No mention of what they intend to do to celebrate this occasion on the Isle of Wight though. Nothing advertised at their shops,
Although I fully support the RSPCA and all the courageous work they are doing and remarkable things they do for animals, I no longer support any charity financially since they started doing lotteries.
All the advertisements, donate now, we are in dire financial crisis , your donation helps, sorry and then give out £1000 + in lottery prizes. Nope . That’s not what I support.
I do not understand why we have the RSPCA on the island they have only 34 pets under there control including rabbits, cats etc. They have spent thousands in the last few years on modernising there premises for what?
A high percentage of there staff are on salaries. When you ring the RSPCA for help you get a mainline help number that is only interested in fobbing you off. It seems like the only place to get proper help for either a
domestic animal or wild animal is Friends of the Animals. From what i understand it costs over £2000 a day to run Godshill RSPCA is it donation money well spent?
I totally agree. Report an injured animal and RSPCA will do nothing, that’s if you can even get through to them. FOTA, on the other hand, amazing charity who really do care.