87-620: The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) Reform Group was founded in 1970 by members of the British RSPCA who were frustrated by the organization's inability, as they saw it, to deal effectively with the issues raised by factory farming , animal testing , and hunting . The group was particularly concerned that pro-hunting members were attempting to prevent the society from expressing opposition to bloodsports ; several of them had said they would lobby to have
174-490: A pejorative catch-all term for experimentation on live animals by organizations opposed to animal experimentation, but the term is rarely used by practicing scientists. Human vivisection, such as live organ harvesting , has been perpetrated as a form of torture . Research requiring vivisection techniques that cannot be met through other means is often subject to an external ethics review in conception and implementation, and in many jurisdictions use of anesthesia
261-405: A benefactor offering a prize of one hundred pounds for the winning entry. The terms of the competition stipulated: "The Essay required is one which shall morally illustrate, and religiously enforce, the obligation of man towards the inferior and dependent creatures--their protection and security from abuse, more especially as regards those engaged in service, and for the use and benefit of mankind-on
348-468: A letter of congratulations to the RSPCA on its anniversary. Although the society was founded by people who were mostly Christian social reformers, and in 1832 presented itself as a Christian charity concerned with welfare as well as moral reform, the RSPCA gradually developed into a non-religious, non- sectarian animal welfare charity. The RSPCA lobbied Parliament throughout the 19th century, resulting in
435-520: A licence for an experimental project, 'the Secretary of State shall weigh the likely adverse effects on the animals concerned against the benefit likely to accrue. ' " In Australia , the Code of Practice "requires that all experiments must be approved by an Animal Experimentation Ethics Committee" that includes a "person with an interest in animal welfare who is not employed by the institution conducting
522-505: A local authority. Such inspectors are not to be confused with RSPCA inspectors who are not appointed by local authorities. In cases where, for example, access to premises without the owner's consent is sought, a local authority or animal health inspector or police officer may be accompanied by an RSPCA inspector if he or she is invited to do so, as was the case in previous law. Following a series of Freedom of Information requests in 2011, to police constabularies throughout England and Wales it
609-692: A meeting and extended invitations to various reformers that included parliamentarians, clergy and lawyers. The meeting was held on Wednesday 16 June 1824 in Old Slaughter's Coffee House , London. The meeting was chaired by Thomas Fowell Buxton MP (1786–1845) and the resolution to establish the society was voted on. Among the others who were present as founding members were Sir James Mackintosh MP, Richard Martin, William Wilberforce , Basil Montagu , John Ashley Warre , Rev. George Bonner, Rev. George Avery Hatch, Sir James Graham , John Gilbert Meymott, William Mudford , and Lewis Gompertz . The organisation
696-743: A movement to encourage children to act kindly toward animals. Women were debarred from membership of the RSPCA's executive committee until 1906. In the 19th century the RSPCA fostered international relations on the problem of cruelty through the sponsoring of conferences and in providing basic advice on the establishment of similar welfare bodies in North America and in the colonies of the British Empire . The RSPCA celebrated its jubilee in June 1874 by holding an International Congress on Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Queen Victoria delivered
783-427: A number of new laws. The Cruelty to Animals Act 1835 amended Martin's Act and outlawed baiting. There was a public groundswell of opinions that were divided into opposing factions concerning vivisection, where Charles Darwin (1809–1882) campaigned on behalf of scientists to conduct experiments on animals while others, such as Frances Power Cobbe (1822–1904) formed an anti-vivisection lobby. The stance adopted by
870-545: A probe. Ferrier was successful, but many decried his use of animals in his experiments. Some of these arguments came from a religious standpoint. Some were concerned that Ferrier's experiments would separate God from the mind of man in the name of science. Some of the anti-vivisection movement in England had its roots in Evangelicalism and Quakerism. These religions already had a distrust for science, only intensified by
957-596: A prolonged dissection of a greyhound which attracted wide public comment. Magendie faced widespread opposition in British society, among the general public but also his contemporaries, including William Sharpey who described his experiments aside from cruel as "purposeless" and "without sufficient object", a feeling he claimed was shared among other physiologists. The Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876 in Britain determined that one could only conduct vivisection on animals with
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#17327932007061044-430: A regional superintendent who has responsibility for the chief inspectors, inspectors and AROs. The regional managers are expected to have a broad understanding of operations throughout their regions. RSPCA branches operate locally across England and Wales. Branches are separately registered charities operating at a local level and are run by volunteers. Some RSPCA branches are self-funding and raise money locally to support
1131-603: A salaried inspector was settled in 1838, and the inspector is the image best known of the organisation today. Broome's experience of bankruptcy and prison created difficulties for him afterwards and he stood aside as the society's first secretary in 1828 and was succeeded by the co-founding member Lewis Gompertz. Unlike the other founder members who were Christians, Gompertz was a Jew and despite his abilities in campaigning against cruelty, fund-raising and administrative skills, tensions emerged between him and other committee members, due to Gompertz's approach, considered very radical at
1218-535: A statement clarifying that the RSPCA had no direct access to the PNC, and that in common with other prosecuting bodies, it may make a request for disclosure of records. This indirect access does not include any information that the RSPCA does not need in order to prosecute a case at court. The RSPCA operates a not-for-profit farm animal welfare assurance scheme. All farms on the RSPCA Assured scheme must comply with
1305-440: A successful return to the wild. *closed as of September 2020 At the national level, the charity comprises all central functions, and a number of animal hospitals and centres. This national charity also employs local inspectors and AROs to respond to urgent calls. In additional to this there is a National Control Centre which takes calls from the public and helps ensure that RSPCA officers attend incidents where animals need help,
1392-514: Is also a small number of market inspectors across the country. The RSPCA is a registered charity (no. 219099) that relies on donations from the public. The RSPCA states that its mission as a charity is, by all lawful means, to prevent cruelty, promote kindness and to alleviate the suffering of animals. RSPCA inspectors respond to calls from the public to investigate alleged mistreatment of animals. They offer advice and assistance to improve animal welfare, and in some cases prosecute under laws such as
1479-635: Is determined on a case-by-case basis by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee , which contains at least one veterinarian, one scientist, one non-scientist, and one other individual from outside the university. In the United Kingdom, any experiment involving vivisection must be licensed by the Home Secretary . The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 "expressly directs that, in determining whether to grant
1566-448: Is found a new home. There are currently 17 RSPCA animal centres across the UK and a further 42 centres ran independently by Branches. In 2013 the society had four wildlife centres at East Winch ( Norfolk ), West Hatch ( Somerset ), Stapeley Grange ( Cheshire ) and Mallydams Wood ( East Sussex ), which provide treatment to sick, injured and orphaned wild animals to maximise their chances of
1653-529: Is funded primarily by voluntary donations. Founded in 1824, it is the oldest and largest animal welfare organisation in the world, and is one of the largest charities in the UK. The organisation also does international outreach work across Europe, Africa and Asia. The charity's work has inspired the creation of similar groups in other jurisdictions, starting with the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (founded in 1836), and including
1740-590: Is legally mandated for any surgery likely to cause pain to any vertebrate . In the United States, the Animal Welfare Act explicitly requires that any procedure that may cause pain use "tranquilizers, analgesics, and anesthetics" with exceptions when "scientifically necessary". The act does not define "scientific necessity" or regulate specific scientific procedures, but approval or rejection of individual techniques in each federally funded lab
1827-426: Is suffering in a dire emergency. If the court feels evidence has been wrongly obtained, it can refuse to admit it". In 2012, a trial was halted and charges relating to nine dogs were thrown out of court after District Judge Elsey ruled that they had been wrongly seized, stating that the police and RSPCA acted unlawfully when they seized the animals without a warrant or a vet present to establish any suffering. While
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#17327932007061914-433: The Animal Welfare Act 2006 . Animals rescued by the RSPCA are treated, rehabilitated and rehomed or released wherever possible. The RSPCA brings private prosecution (a right available to any civilian) against those it believes, based on independent veterinary opinion, have caused neglect to an animal under laws such as the Animal Welfare Act 2006 . The society has its own legal department and veterinary surgeons amongst
2001-688: The Harmsworth Memorial Hospital in Finsbury Park (north London), and a number of clinics which provide treatments to those who could not otherwise afford it, neuter animals, and accept animals from the RSPCA inspectorate. As of September 2020, the Putney Animal Hospital has been permanently closed. RSPCA animal centres deal with a wide range of injured and rescued animals, working alongside its inspectorate, volunteers, and others to ensure that each animal
2088-552: The Metro newspaper said: "The UK Government wants to shoot England's badgers. We want to vaccinate them – and save their lives." However, more than 100 people complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), saying the use of the term "exterminate" was misleading. The advertising standards watchdog judged that the advert was likely to mislead the general public who had not taken an active interest in
2175-553: The NC State University Libraries. The RSPCA currently publishes an annual review and the Animal Life magazine twice a year for members. RSPCA centres, hospitals and branches operate throughout England and Wales. In 2012 RSPCA centres and branches assisted and rehomed 55,459 animals. In 2013 the society owned four animal hospitals, Birmingham , Greater Manchester , Putney (south London) and
2262-561: The Protection of Animals Act 1911 provided a power of arrest for police, the British courts determined that Parliament did not intend any other organisation, such as the RSPCA, to be empowered under the act and that the RSPCA therefore does not possess police-like powers of arrest, of entry or of search ( Line v RSPCA , 1902). Like any other person or organisation that the law deems to have a duty to investigate — such as HM Revenue and Customs and local authority trading standards —
2349-565: The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals , as it is today. The origins of the role of the RSPCA inspector stem from Broome's efforts in 1822 to personally bring to court some individuals against whom charges of cruelty were heard. Broome employed and personally paid the salary for an inspector to monitor the abuse of animals at the Smithfield Market . The inspector hired by Broome, Charles Wheeler, served in
2436-553: The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Australia (1981), the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Hong Kong) (1997) — formerly known as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Hong Kong) (1903–1997). The emergence of the RSPCA has its roots in the intellectual climate of the late 18th and early 19th centuries in Britain where opposing views were exchanged in print concerning
2523-755: The Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (1839), the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (1840), the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (1866), the Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (1882), the Singapore Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (1959) and various groups which eventually came together as
2610-553: The 'interest' of [the physiologist's] experiments". In the early 20th-century the anti-vivisection movement attracted many female supporters associated with women's suffrage . The American Anti-Vivisection Society advocated total abolition of vivisection whilst others such as the American Society for the Regulation of Vivisection wanted better regulation subjected to surveillance, not full prohibition. The Research Defence Society made up of an all-male group of physiologists
2697-430: The 1970s. In the twentieth century the RSPCA widened the horizons in the public domain by promoting an annual "animal welfare week". The RSPCA also had annual accounts published in newspapers, like The Londoner , where the secretary would discuss improvements, report cases, and remind the public to watch over their animals' health. During the second half of 1837 the society sponsored an essay-writing competition with
RSPCA Reform Group - Misplaced Pages Continue
2784-486: The British parliament to ban the practice of bull-baiting. In 1809 Lord Erskine (1750–1823) introduced an anti-cruelty bill which was passed in the House of Lords but was defeated in a vote in the House of Commons . Erskine in his parliamentary speech combined the vocabulary of animal rights and trusteeship with a theological appeal to biblical passages opposing cruelty. A later attempt to pass anti-cruelty legislation
2871-587: The First World War the RSPCA provided support for the Army Veterinary Corps in treating animals such as donkeys, horses, dogs and birds that were co-opted into military service as beasts of burden, messengers and so forth. However, the RSPCA estimates that 484,143 horses, mules, camels and bullocks were killed in British service during the war. The RSPCA's centenary in 1924 and its 150th anniversary in 1974 were accompanied by books telling
2958-848: The National Control Centre is however, a third party contract and are not RSPCA employees. In previous years the National Headquarters located at Southwater in West Sussex houses several general departments, each with a departmental head, consistent with the needs of any major organisation. The current chief executive officer is Chris Sherwood. Since the pandemic the RSPCA no longer has a National Headquarters, with most employees now working from home and small satellite offices being set up in locations such as Horsham and London. There are three regions ("North", "South", and "East, Midlands and Wales"), each headed by
3045-463: The RSPCA "impersonate police officers and commit trespass. People do believe they have powers of entry"; however, he did not produce any evidence of such impersonation of police officers, and the society strongly denies the allegation. Sally Case, former head of prosecutions, insisted that RSPCA inspectors are trained specifically to make clear to pet-owners that they have no such right. They act without an owner's permission, she says, "only if an animal
3132-646: The RSPCA Council in 1976, then chairman from 1977 to 1979. Members of the RSPCA Reform Group have led protests against RSPCA officials that advocate blood sports. In April 1971, Hilda Owen of the RSPCA Reform Group staged a protest demonstration in Leamington contesting the re-election of Charles Smith-Ryland as president of the South and East Warwickshire branch of the RSPCA. Two months later,
3219-630: The RSPCA Ladies' Committee took over the Band of Mercy 's magazine The Bang of Mercy Advocate and renamed it simply, Band of Mercy . Colam was also its editor until 1905. Both magazines were formed to educate people about treating animals more kindly. The Animal World magazine was published up until the 1990s. Copies are stored at the RSPCA Archive in Horsham, West Sussex and digitized by
3306-457: The RSPCA Reform Group reported success as the South and East Warwickshire branch had voted to remove the president position. This animal rights -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . RSPCA The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( RSPCA ) is a charity operating in England and Wales which promotes animal welfare. The RSPCA
3393-423: The RSPCA deputy chairman Paul Draycott said that 'too political' campaigns threatened the charity's future and could deter donors. Draycott said that the RSPCA could go insolvent "We have spent months discussing where we want to be in 10 years' time, but unless we develop a strategy for now we won't be here then". In response the chairman Mike Tomlinson said "The trustee body continues to place its full support behind
3480-529: The RSPCA is expected to conform to the rules in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 so far as they relate to matters of investigation. RSPCA officers are trained to state, following giving the caution, that the person is "not under arrest and can leave at any time". The Animal Welfare Act 2006 has now replaced the Protection of Animals Act 1911, and it empowers the police and an inspector appointed by
3567-436: The RSPCA was one of qualified support for legislation. This qualified support for experiments on animals was at odds with the stance taken by Society's founder Broome who had in 1825 sought medical opinions about vivisection and he published their anti-vivisection sentiments. It was also a departure from the 1837 essay-competition (discussed above) where the essayists were obliged to expose "the specious defence of vivisection on
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3654-568: The RSPCA's "stringent higher welfare standards". RSPCA Assured assesses farms, hauliers and abattoirs and if they meet every standard, the RSPCA Assured label can be used on their food product. The RSPCA Assured scheme has received criticism from media coverage of animal cruelty that has taken place on RSPCA Assured farms. In 2009 the RSPCA was criticised by the Scottish SPCA for fundraising in Scotland and thereby "stealing food from
3741-459: The RSPCA's charitable status removed if it campaigned against hunting. The Reform Group was led by Brian Seager , John Bryant, and Stanley Cover , and the aim was to secure the election to the 46-member RSPCA Council of Bryant, Seager, and other supporters of the group's more radical agenda, including Andrew Linzey , the Oxford theologian, and Richard D. Ryder , the Oxford psychologist who coined
3828-463: The RSPCA's chief executive, management and all our people who do such outstanding work". The accusations of politicisation remain unsubstantiated. Paul Draycott also warned that the RSPCA fears an exodus of "disillusioned staff" with "poor or even non-existent management training and career paths" for employees. In response the RSPCA's chief executive, Gavin Grant denied suggestions in the memo that there
3915-592: The Scottish charity was intended. The RSPCA is an opponent of badger culling ; in 2006 there was controversy about a "political" campaign against culling, with the Charity Commission being asked to consider claims that the charity had breached guidelines by being too overtly political. The charity responded saying that it took "careful account of charity law and the guidance issued by the Charity Commission". Years later, an RSPCA advertisement published in
4002-480: The UK. The agreement included provisions such that the RSPCA would receive up to 15% of top-ups made on the network and it was expected the network would raise £50,000 in the first year of operations. RSPCA Mobile ceased service in October 2014. In 1829 when the first recognisable police force was established in England, they adopted a similar uniform to that of RSPCA inspectors who had been wearing uniforms since
4089-426: The accuracy of this claim is disputed by many historians. In the 12th century CE, Andalusian Arab Ibn Tufail elaborated on human vivisection in his treatise called Hayy ibn Yaqzan . In an extensive article on the subject, Iranian academic Nadia Maftouni believes him to be among the early supporters of autopsy and vivisection. Unit 731 , a biological and chemical warfare research and development unit of
4176-472: The animal welfare work they do. They find homes for about three-quarters of all animals taken in by the RSPCA. RSPCA branches also offer advice, microchipping, neutering and subsidised animal treatments. In 2013 there were also about 1000 RSPCA shops. Each region of the RSPCA contains groups of inspectorate staff. A group is headed by a chief inspector, who might typically be responsible 6-12 officers (Inspector and AROs), working with several local branches. There
4263-530: The animals as "victims" and the apparent sadism that Magendie displayed when teaching his classes. Magendie's experiments were cited in the drafting of the British Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 and Cruel Treatment of Cattle Act 1822 , otherwise known as Martin's Act. The latter bill's namesake, Irish MP and well known anti-cruelty campaigner Richard Martin , called Magendie a "disgrace to Society" and his public vivisections "anatomical theatres" following
4350-401: The anti-vivisection movement in Britain with his experiments when he had a debate with his German opponent, Friedrich Goltz. They would effectively enter the vivisection arena, with Ferrier presenting a monkey, and Goltz presenting a dog, both of which had already been operated on. Ferrier won the debate, but did not have a license, leading the anti-vivisection movement to sue him in 1881. Ferrier
4437-526: The anti-vivisection movement. One polarizing figure in the anti-vivisection movement was François Magendie . Magendie was a physiologist at the Académie Royale de Médecine in France, established in the first half of the 19th century. Magendie made several groundbreaking medical discoveries, but was far more aggressive than some of his contemporaries in the use of animal experimentation. For example,
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#17327932007064524-447: The appropriate license from the state, and that the work the physiologist was doing had to be original and absolutely necessary. The stage was set for such legislation by physiologist David Ferrier . Ferrier was a pioneer in understanding the brain and used animals to show that certain locales of the brain corresponded to bodily movement elsewhere in the body in 1873. He put these animals to sleep, and caused them to move unconsciously with
4611-478: The badger cull saying, "The ad must not appear again in its current form. We told the RSPCA not to use language that implied the whole badger population in the cull areas would be culled in future advertising." An RSPCA spokesman said it "welcomed" the judgement of the ASA to dismiss three of the areas of complaint about their advert but "respectfully disagreed" with the complaint which had been upheld. In September 2013
4698-485: The capacity of an inspector from 1824 to 1826 but his services were terminated when the society's revenue was exceeded by its debts. The accrued debts led to a suspension of operations when Broome as the society's guarantor for debts was imprisoned. When operations resumed there was some divided opinions in the committees that steered the society about employing inspectors, which resulted in a resolution in 1832 to discontinue employing an inspector. The permanent appointment of
4785-478: The charity's beginning in 1824. This adoption has led to similarities in the RSPCA rank names and rank insignia with British police ranks , which has led some critics (such as Chris Newman, chairman of the Federation of Companion Animal Societies) to suggest an attempt to "adopt" police powers in the public imagination. An RSPCA inspector may also verbally caution a member of the public, similar to that used by
4872-554: The discovery of the different functionalities of dorsal and ventral spinal nerve roots was achieved by both Magendie, as well as a Scottish anatomist named Charles Bell . Bell used an unconscious rabbit because of "the protracted cruelty of the dissection", which caused him to miss that the dorsal roots were also responsible for sensory information. Magendie, on the other hand, used conscious, six-week-old puppies for his own experiments. While Magendie's approach would today be considered an abuse of animal rights, both Bell and Magendie used
4959-445: The experiment, and an additional independent person not involved in animal experimentation." Anti-vivisectionists have played roles in the emergence of the animal welfare and animal rights movements, arguing that animals and humans have the same natural rights as living creatures, and that it is inherently immoral to inflict pain or injury on another living creature, regardless of the purpose or potential benefit to mankind. At
5046-487: The ground of its being for the interests of science." In 1876 the Cruelty to Animals Act was passed to control animal experimentation . In 1911 Parliament passed Sir George Greenwood 's Animal Protection Act . Since that time the RSPCA has continued to play an active role, both in the creation of animal welfare legislation and in its enforcement. An important recent new law has been the Animal Welfare Act 2006 . During
5133-512: The mouths of animals north of the border by taking donations intended for Scotland." The RSPCA insists that it does not deliberately advertise in Scotland but that many satellite channels only enabled the organisation to purchase UK-wide advertising. In a statement, the RSPCA said it went "to great lengths" to ensure wherever possible that adverts were not distributed outside England and Wales , and "Every piece of printed literature, television advertising and internet banner advertising always features
5220-513: The novelist Catherine Grace Godwin (1798–1845) described in her novel Louisa Seymour an incident where two leading female characters were aghast at the behaviour of a driver abusing a horse pulling a carriage that they subsequently discussed the problem of cruelty with other characters one of whom, called Sir Arthur Beauchamp, disclosed that he was a member of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. In 1839 another female supporter of
5307-517: The patient recover. The demand for more effective treatment shifted emphasis to research with the goal of understanding disease mechanisms and anatomy. This shift had a few effects, one of which was the rise in patient experimentation, leading to some moral questions about what was acceptable in clinical trials and what was not. An easy solution to the moral problem was to use animals in vivisection experiments, so as not to endanger human patients. This, however, had its own set of moral obstacles, leading to
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#17327932007065394-484: The police, i.e. "You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence"; this may strengthen the perception that the RSPCA has statutory powers. When Richard Girling of The Times asked about its lack of powers, a spokesman for the RSPCA said "We would prefer you didn't publish that, but of course it's up to you". Chris Newman claimed that
5481-624: The publication of books and tracts as well as the fostering of annual sermons preached against cruelty on behalf of the society. The first annual anti-cruelty sermon that was preached on behalf of the society was delivered by Rev Dr Rudge in March 1827 at the Whitechapel Church. In 1865 the RSPCA looked for a way to consolidate and further influence public opinion on animal welfare by encouraging an annual "Animal Sunday" church service where clergy would preach sermons on anti-cruelty themes and
5568-551: The recent publishing of Darwin's Theory of Evolution in 1859. Neither side was pleased with how the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 was passed. The scientific community felt as though the government was restricting their ability to compete with the quickly advancing France and Germany with new regulations. The anti-vivisection movement was also unhappy, but because they believed that it was a concession to scientists for allowing vivisection to continue at all. Ferrier would continue to vex
5655-439: The resources which facilitate such private prosecutions. All prosecutions are brought via independent solicitors acting for the RSPCA, as the association has no legal enforcement powers or authority in its own right. In May 2012 the RSPCA launched its own mobile virtual network operator service, RSPCA Mobile, in partnership with MVNO whitelabel service Shebang. RSPCA Mobile claimed to be the first charity mobile phone network in
5742-495: The role of the RSPCA. This development has included debates both inside the RSPCA (e.g. the RSPCA Reform Group ) as well as among ethicists, social activists and supporters of claims for animal rights outside of it concerning the society's role in ethical and legal issues involving the use of animals. The RSPCA's official publication, The Animal World: A Monthly Advocate of Humanity was released in October 1869. It
5829-545: The same rationalization for vivisection: the cost of animal experimentation being worth it for the benefit of humanity. Many viewed Magendie's work as cruel and unnecessarily torturous. One note is that Magendie carried out many of his experiments before the advent of anesthesia, but even after ether was discovered it was not used in any of his experiments or classes. Even during the period before anesthesia, other physiologists expressed their disgust with how he conducted his work. One such visiting American physiologist describes
5916-411: The sin of cruelty--the infliction of wanton or unnecessary pain, taking the subject under its various denominations-exposing the specious defence of vivisection on the ground of its being for the interests of science--the supplying the infinite demands on the poor animal in aid of human speculations by exacting extreme labour, and thereby causing excessive suffering--humanity to the brute as harmonious with
6003-639: The society began shortly after the organisation was founded. At the society's first annual meeting in 1825, which was held at the Crown and Anchor Tavern on 29 June 1825, the public notice that announced the gathering specifically included appropriate accommodation for the presence of women members. Several women of social standing were listed as patronesses of the society, such as the Duchess of Buccleuch, Dowager Marchioness of Salisbury, Dowager Countess Harcourt, Lady Emily Pusey, Lady Eyre and Lady Mackintosh. In 1837
6090-525: The society's story. During World War II it was reported that the RSPCA had rescued 256,000 animals during bombing raids. Bernard Montgomery sent a letter of appreciation to the RSPCA, commenting that the Society had alleviated the suffering of animals during the war. Since the end of the Second World War the development of intense agricultural farming practices has raised many questions for public debate concerning animal welfare legislation and
6177-521: The society's veterinarian, also published their essays. One entrant whose work was submitted a few days after the competition deadline, and which was excluded from the competition was written by the Unitarian minister William Hamilton Drummond and he published his text in 1838, The Rights of Animals: And Man's Obligation to Treat Them with Humanity . This competition set a precedent for subsequent RSPCA prize-winning competitions. The role of women in
6264-477: The society, Sarah Burdett, a relative of the philanthropist Angela Burdett-Coutts and a poet, published her theological understanding of the rights of animals. However it was not until 12 July 1870 that the RSPCA Ladies' Committee was established. Through the Ladies Committee various activities were sponsored including essay-prize competitions among children, and the formation of the Band of Mercy as
6351-581: The spirit and doctrines of Christianity, and the duty of man as a rational and accountable creature." There were 34 essays submitted and in December 1838 the prize was awarded to the Congregational minister Rev John Styles . Styles published his book-length work, The Animal Creation; its claims on our humanity stated and enforced , and all proceeds of sale were donated to the society. Other contestants, such as David Mushet and William Youatt ,
6438-465: The term speciesism . Ryder writes that, from then until 1978, the Reform Group succeeded in changing the RSPCA from an organization that had come to focus mostly on companion animals – despite its own radical 19th-century roots – to one that opposed bloodsports, developed comprehensive animal welfare policies, and focused more on farming, animal testing, and wildlife. Ryder became vice-chairman of
6525-575: The time, in opposition to hunting and other forms of using animals he regarded as abusive. The tensions led to the convening of a meeting in early 1832 which led to Gompertz resigning. His resignation coincided with a resolution adopted in 1832 that "the proceedings of the Society were entirely based on the Christian faith and Christian principles." Alongside the society's early efforts to prosecute offenders who maltreated animals, there were efforts made to promote kindly attitudes toward animals through
6612-424: The turn of the 19th century, medicine was undergoing a transformation. The emergence of hospitals and the development of more advanced medical tools such as the stethoscope are but a few of the changes in the medical field. There was also an increased recognition that medical practices needed to be improved, as many of the current therapeutics were based on unproven, traditional theories that may or may not have helped
6699-453: The use of animals. The harsh use and maltreatment of animals in hauling carriages, scientific experiments (including vivisection ), and cultural amusements of fox-hunting , bull-baiting and cock fighting were among some of the matters that were debated by social reformers, clergy, and parliamentarians. At the beginning of the 19th century there was an unsuccessful attempt by Sir William Pulteney on 18 April 1800 to pass legislation through
6786-576: The very first sermon was delivered in London on 9 July 1865 by Rev. Arthur Penrhyn Stanley (1815–1881), the Dean of Westminster . The "Animal Sunday" service became an annual event in different church gatherings in England, which was later adopted by churches in Australia and New Zealand in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, and it was the forerunner of the "pet blessing" services that emerged in
6873-479: The wording 'The RSPCA is a charity registered in England and Wales ' ". "All Scottish donors, who contact us via RSPCA fundraising campaigns, are directed to the Scottish SPCA so that they can donate to them if they so wish." The Scottish SPCA changed its logo in 2005 to make a clearer distinction between itself and the RSPCA in an attempt to prevent legacies being left to its English equivalent by mistake when
6960-508: Was "no strategy" in some areas, stating that there was no difficulty in attracting trustees or serious internal concerns about management. In June 2014 RSPCA campaigner Peta Watson-Smith compared the conditions livestock are brought up in across the country to that of the Jews during the Holocaust . The comments were condemned by countryside campaigners and Jewish groups. In 2015 Watson-Smith
7047-455: Was elected to the RSPCA ruling council. At the same election the RSPCA members also voted to give a seat on the ruling council to Dan Lyons . Vivisection Vivisection (from Latin vivus 'alive' and sectio 'cutting') is surgery conducted for experimental purposes on a living organism, typically animals with a central nervous system , to view living internal structure. The word is, more broadly, used as
7134-477: Was founded as the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals . Broome was appointed as the society's first honorary secretary. The foundation is marked by a plaque on the modern day building at 77–78 St Martin's Lane . The society was the first animal welfare charity to be founded in the world. In 1824 it brought 63 offenders before the courts. Princess Victoria became the society's patron in 1835, and, as Queen, granted its royal status in 1840 to become
7221-615: Was founded in 1908 to defend vivisection. In the 1920s, anti-vivisectionists exerted significant influence over the editorial decisions of medical journals. It is possible that human vivisection was practised by some Greek anatomists in Alexandria in the 3rd century BCE. Celsus in De Medicina states that Herophilos of Alexandria vivisected some criminals sent by the king. The early Christian writer Tertullian states that Herophilos vivisected at least 600 live prisoners, although
7308-463: Was inspired by the MSPCA 's publication Our Dumb Animals which had been created a year before. The Animal World magazine defined its objective as "to protect animals from torture and ameliorate their condition, and to awaken in the minds of men a proper sense of the claims of creatures placed under their dominion". It was edited by John Colam the then secretary of the RSPCA from 1869–1905. In 1883,
7395-400: Was not found guilty, as his assistant was the one operating, and his assistant did have a license. Ferrier and his practices gained public support, leaving the anti-vivisection movement scrambling. They made the moral argument that given recent developments, scientists would venture into more extreme practices to operating on "the cripple, the mute, the idiot, the convict, the pauper, to enhance
7482-634: Was revealed that the RSPCA has developed local information sharing protocols with a number of constabularies, allowing designated RSPCA workers access to confidential information held on the Police National Computer (PNC). Although RSPCA workers do not have direct access to the PNC, information is shared with them by the various police constabularies which would reveal any convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands and impending prosecutions. Information regarding motor vehicles can also be accessed. The Association of Chief Police Officers released
7569-666: Was spearheaded by the Irish parliamentarian Richard Martin and in 1822 an anti-cruelty to cattle bill (sometimes called Martin's Act ) became law. Martin's Act was supported by various social reformers who were not parliamentarians, and the efforts of the Reverend Arthur Broome (1779–1837) to create a voluntary organisation to promote kindness toward animals resulted in the founding of an informal network. Broome canvassed opinions in letters that were published or summarised in various periodicals in 1821. Broome organised
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