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Posted: 1st February 2021

RSPCA to cease private prosecutions
The RSPCA will continue to investigate cases of animal cruelty in England and Wales.
Charity will continue to investigate cases but plans to work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service.

The RSPCA has announced that it is exploring the transfer of its animal welfare prosecuting role to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to focus on its frontline animal rescue work.

Announced as part of the charity's new strategy for animal welfare, the charity said that it will continue to investigate cases of animal cruelty in England and Wales. 

RSPCA chief executive Chris Sherwood said: “We are proud of our history bringing animal abusers to justice and for many years we have been the right people to do this vital work. However, the world has changed and we have to change with it.

“We launched our new strategy this week, and a key part of this is working in partnership with other organisations with the responsibility and expertise to support our work.

“The CPS is the statutory body with responsibility for taking prosecutions in England and Wales and by working more closely in partnership with them, we can free up resources to focus on our unique frontline investigation, rescue and care work, where we can make the most difference to animals.

“However, we reserve the right to take a prosecution in future if we feel that justice is not being done for animals.”

Figures released by the RSPCA show that just one per cent of more than 100,000 cruelty reports that it receives each year go to court. Many of the cases are dealt with through education, advice and support, it said. 

The RSPCA has also announced that it is seeking statutory powers under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 for its frontline animal rescuers. This would allow them to access private land and outbuildings, but not homes if there was 'reasonable expectation' of animal suffering. 

The changes would bring England and Wales in line with Scotland and Ireland where the SPCAs have statutory powers and pass their cases to the state prosecutor.



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