THE NEED FOR OUR WORK Whilst some animals suffer neglect through their owners' ignorance, which may be overcome with advice and encouragement from an inspector, serious neglect and cruelty still exists. Sadly, humans cannot always be trusted to do the best for animals without the force of the law to back up their aspirations. Up until the end of last year the current laws required veterinary evidence of animal suffering for a cruelty offence to be successfully prosecuted. Even if an animal was considered likely to suffer unless veterinary treatment was sought or the standard of care was raised, the RSPCA could not take action until irrefutable evidence of suffering had occurred. This caused great frustration for inspectors and members of the public. In making thousands of calls a year about animals in worrying conditions (including emaciated dogs kept in gardens in filth or squalor or horses tethered in unsuitable surroundings in danger of becoming tangled or injured) these callers believed that there was a clear-cut case for RSPCA intervention. They became understandably distressed when no action could be taken as the animal was not yet deemed to be suffering. Whilst many animals could be helped through advice and education in one or two visits, some were visited up to 25 times before the animal had deteriorated to the point where there was necessary 'evidence of suffering' as required by the law. Following years of pressure from animal organisations, with the RSPCA as a key player, the Government agreed to launch a public consultation to review all animal legislation and in April 2007, the Animal Welfare Act became law. The Act’s new welfare offence will protect thousands of animals from enduring serious neglect each year, by legally obliging owners to care properly for their animals – to ensure they are well-nourished, receive veterinary treatment if sick or injured, and that they are kept in an appropriate environment. OUR APPROACH The RSPCA's purpose is to prevent cruelty and to promote kindness to animals by all lawful means. One effective way we achieve this is by taking private prosecutions against those who break the laws that are in place to protect animals. We operate collaboratively with the police, the fire brigade and other services on matters of organised crime, such as dog fighting, and in providing emergency relief to animals in need, such as during the recent floods. The new Animal Welfare Act will enable our Inspectors to take swifter action if this is needed. And it is RSPCA Inspectors who operate at the ‘sharp end’ of animal welfare:-  dealing with cruelty, which includes assessing the situation and taking the right action, maybe giving advice or collecting evidence for a possible court case which could lead to the eventual removal of an animal.  rescuing animals in danger, possibly working with the emergency services visiting and inspecting places where animals are kept, such as farm animal markets, pony sales, pet shops, stables and kennels.  advising the public about the care of animals and the conditions in which they should be kept. The prevention of cruelty is, as our name states, a vital element in our work, and as a result, we actively encourage pet owners and particularly young people to recognise that animals have needs and that they, as humans, have a responsibility to meet those needs. Neglect and abuse of pets, farm and working animals and wildlife in this country is sadly so high that the inspectorate is often stretched to the limit. Every year the RSPCA needs to find and train up to 25 new inspectors (out of 1,200 hopefuls), often to replace those men and women who have dedicated over 25 years of service to animal welfare. Only 8 per cent of inspectors leave before retirement. It’s a tough call and it’s not always easy to find good candidates for all the available posts. Training to become an RSPCA Inspector is tough and demands a wide range of skills and dedication. Not everyone makes it through training since it is both physically and mentally challenging. It takes 7 months and the trainees are away from their families for the majority of this period. In this time, they will become expert at understanding current legislation, including the new Animal Welfare Act, interviewing, negotiating, animal handling skills. ‘I can’t imagine what life would be like for some animals if we weren’t around. It’s a vocation, not just a job.’ RSPCA Inspector Colin Kirkwood WHAT YOUR FUNDING WILL SUPPORT The cost of training As a result of the Animal Welfare Act, RSPCA inspectors will be increasingly called upon to provide for those animals which are emaciated or have been abandoned and are therefore in need of care and attention. Once trained and on the job the RSPCA works hard to ensure that inspectors spend the maximum amount of time dealing with animals and preventing cruelty. It costs £65,000 to train & equip every single inspector and a further £57,000 to keep them on the road investigating complaints of animal cruelty. The RSPCA does not receive any government or lottery funding for our Inspectorate work and without the support of individuals, we would be unable to continue the unique and vital work we do.