TRUSTEES' REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2014
6
TRUSTEES' REPORT
INSPECTORATE
What is our goal?
The RSPCA inspectorate is a vital area of
work which is unique to the RSPCA and
the original reason the RSPCA was founded
in 1824. No other charity provides a highly
trained team to investigate complaints
of cruelty and neglect of animals from
members of the public who are often
traumatised by what they have witnessed.
A criminal prosecution may be taken as a
last resort where advice and education fails
to improve the welfare of the animal or the
cruelty and suffering is so significant that
prosecution is the only option. The number
of investigations the RSPCA undertook in
2014 rose to over 159,000 (Table 1, page 12)
and in common with other animal charities,
demand for our services can at times
overwhelm our resources. Our response
has been to seek to match our resources
to geographical need and to ensure that
robust analysis allows us to track emerging
trends and enhance decision making. We will
modernise and streamline our investigation
process to face future challenges through
the efficient use of more limited resources.
How will we achieve our goal?
Building on the mobile technology delivered
in 2014, we are providing inspectors with
new technologies to help them manage
their workloads whilst allowing us to ensure
that resources are allocated to the areas
that need them most. In 2014 the RSPCA
commissioned Stephen Wooler, a former
Chief Inspector of HM Crown Prosecution
Service Inspectorate, to undertake an
independent review of the RSPCA's
prosecution activity. We will continue to
review the recommendations made to
modernise and enhance our prosecution
process during 2015. We are heartened that
the report recognises the RSPCA prosecutes
approximately 80 percent of cases relating
to animal welfare law and that there is
no other body which could take on its
current role. We recognise the need for,
and benefits of, updating long established
practices and evolving with the times.
How far have we got and
what will happen in 2015?
In 2015 we will deliver a new, more efficient
system that will provide real time knowledge
to senior colleagues to speed up incident
management times across the RSPCA National
Control Centre and RSPCA inspectorate, and
also improve our operations that move and
house animals.
ANIMAL RESCUE
AND REHOMING
What is our goal?
We want to ensure that our rehoming centres,
clinics and hospitals are in the right places
geographically, delivering the best method of
care to support our inspectors, as well as a
service to treat and rehabilitate as many of the
most vulnerable animals we collect as possible.
In 2014 we spent over £37 million on animal
welfare work through our operations and
centres (page 17).
How will we achieve our goal?
We will extend our in-house training
programmes to share best practice on
how to maximise rehoming rates, how to
minimise return rates and how to enhance
the rehoming experience for the public and
offer outstanding customer care.
How far have we got and
what will happen in 2015?
In 2014, trustees undertook a review of
our activities encompassing the range of
services we offer to rescue abused and
neglected animals.
We will apply our highly successful horse
protocol and rehoming strategy to other
species. This will include an improved
admissions policy, working with other agencies
and instigating an integrated rehoming strategy
for cats, dogs and rabbits.
We are committed to assessing whether our
hospitals, clinics and centres are in the right
places and delivering the most cost effective
and suitable services to the vulnerable animals
we care for.
Progress against four
key areas of focus
RSPCA BRANCHES
What is our goal?
The RSPCA is made up of a national Society
that works in England and Wales alongside
164 branches which are separate registered
charities run by local trustees. Our branches
run 41 animal centres and 29 clinics and are
responsible for 75 percent of all RSPCA
rehoming in 2014. Closer integration and
networking between the whole RSPCA
family will maximise internal care and
rehoming potential, minimise external costs,
avoid duplication of effort and provide
further economies of scale and mutual
fundraising opportunities.
How will we achieve our goal?
In 2014 we spent over £7 million in
supporting branch work on animal welfare
(page 17). The lasting effects of the financial
crisis continue to impact on the ability of the
branches and the national Society in England
and Wales to raise income at a time when
the number of animals in desperate need
continues to rise.
We will work to identify further areas where
we can be mutually supportive, in particular
by increasing the number of animals rescued
by the inspectorate that are taken into
branch animal centres and by improving our
ability to rapidly transport animals to centres
that have capacity away from areas where
centres are full.
The national Society will continue to
seek opportunities to provide support
to the branches such as generating
fundraising opportunities through the
sale of an extensive new range of RSPCAbranded
goods
How far have we got and
what will happen in 2015?
In 2014, 77 percent of the animals taken in
by RSPCA branches were rescued by the
inspectorate. This reduced significantly the
cost of external boarding. In 2015 we will
implement new working practices including
improved networking, so that rescued
animals from areas of high need can quickly
be moved to areas with available spaces.