FROM THE EXPERTS
Chris Packham
RSPCA President
After watching the investigation footage, Chris Packham has called the RSPCA Assured scheme "utterly indefensible".
"I found [the footage] extraordinarily difficult to watch. I felt sick, frankly. Animal suffering is animal suffering no matter where it is, but when it's happening in your own backyard - when we should be in a position to guard against it - it hurts more."
Ayesha Smart
Specialist barrister in animal welfare law and Crown Court judge
"Some of these RSPCA Assured farms do not even comply with basic legal requirements even though they hold themselves out to the public as being a ‘higher welfare’ supplier. This is effectively fraud [...]."
Dr Alice Brough
Ex-commercial pig vet with extensive experience on RSPCA farms
"In my opinion, to refer to RSPCA Assured pigs as 'high welfare' is extremely misleading. For the RSPCA to be involved in such cruel industrial exploitation of animals is deeply disappointing given their outward, honourable intention to prevent cruelty to animals. In short, the pig industry and the RSPCA are failing to provide anything close to a life worth living for pigs."
Professor Andrew Knight
Veterinary Professor of Animal
Welfare and author
"Many of these birds suffer severely. All crowded into these barren sheds, with minimal opportunities to exercise highly motivated natural behaviours such as foraging and exploring within a naturalistic environment, and dust-bathing, experience chronic stress.
These birds are highly sentient, and such treatment of them is not ethical."
Mark Borthwick
Doctoral fellow studying behaviour and behaviour change on salmon farms
"This suffering is not caused by a single lapse in standards and practice, but rather, a farming system that is fundamentally not fit for purpose. I question the factual basis on which the RSPCA is certifying these animals, as the RSPCA's own standards are not being met, and these animals are clearly being kept in cruel conditions."
If you want to read the full report, click here.
If you have any information about RSPCA Assured farms (their locations, law breaches, animal negligence), click here.
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To see further evidence collected on all 45 farms, click here.
This year we put everything we had into exposing the lies and cruelty of the RSPCA. The cost of this massive exposé was approximately £150,000. Because of its press-sensitive nature we have not been able to fundraise until now. We urgently need your support to help us keep our heads above the water so we can keep doing our vital work.
