ANNUAL REVIEW 2022 25
TOGETHER FOR ANIMAL WELFARE
of Brits said they are animal lovers
said animal welfare is an important
issue to address
people have taken some action to help
animals in the last 12 months
Protecting animals and their
owners through hard times
Prices and inflation were on the rise in
2022, leaving seven in 10 pet owners
worried about caring for their animals.
Our centres began filling up with animals and fewer
people came forward to adopt them.
We expanded our pet food bank scheme - started
during the pandemic - more widely across England
and Wales, with generous donations from the Pets
at Home Foundation and Purina. With an additional
RSPCA fund of £1.5 million, we helped feed
hundreds of thousands of needy pets and provided
owners with vet vouchers. We also set up an online
cost-of-living hub, full of cost-saving tips to help
owners keep their pets safe and well.
Leading the animal
welfare debate
As part of our commitment to establish
the RSPCA as a thought leader, 2022
saw us putting animal welfare firmly
centre stage.
Our first annual RSPCA and Scottish SPCA Animal
Kindness Index gauged the public's kindness towards
animals and revealed most of us are animal lovers
who see animal welfare as the responsibility of
everyone, including governments. Overwhelmingly,
people support the RSPCA's ambition to have animal
welfare taught in schools.
We also published a book of fascinating essays by
high-profile thinkers, What have animals ever done for
us?, and held the first of the new, annual Wilberforce
Lecture series.
The Wilberforce Lecture - named after our founder
William Wilberforce - provides a platform for leading
figures to deliver lectures about the relationship
between humans and animals to thought leaders
and change makers.
The first lecture saw Henry Dimbleby speak about
meat consumption and animal welfare legislation,
and how now is a critical moment to address these
issues to secure our future and that of the animals
we share the planet with.
Improving welfare for
working dogs in Africa
Dogs working to disrupt illegal wildlife
trade and poaching activities in Africa
have needs too.
At a canine-detection units conference in Zambia
last year, RSPCA Head of Companion Animals
Sam Gaines helped handlers hear their animals'
'voices', ensuring they can do the best possible
job to protect other animals by thriving - not
just surviving.
"It was a privilege to be invited," says Sam.
"I explained how handlers could get to know their
dogs well and assess their true quality of life.
It's important for their welfare, of course, but also
helps ensure the dogs are working optimally."