The RSPCA
Sentient – “Able to perceive and feel.”
Let’s be honest most of us probably don’t have a lot of time for the majority of politicians. They promise the earth to get elected but unfortunately they either become fairly anonymous until the next election is due or join the list of self-serving, arrogant, officialdom that frequent the halls of power. The list of adjectives to describe the bunch of unscrupulous individuals is almost endless, however, occasionally a really good one comes along and makes a real difference.
One of the best was a man few people have heard about. Colonel Richard Martin, a member of the English parliament who introduced the Cruel Treatment of Cattle Act 1822 also known a Martin’s Law. The man himself was also known as Humanity Dick a nickname bestowed on him by King George 1V.
Few politicians have left a legacy as important as Richard Martin’s as the legislation that this man campaigned for led to the understanding that animals were sentient* beings and as such should be treated with respect and kindness.
Regarding cruelty to animals, some of the worst offenders in those day’s were those involved with the care of livestock.
At that time sadly the vast majority of farmworkers were uneducated, lived in appalling conditions, were at the mercy of their employers and lived with virtually no rights of their own.
At that time pet ownership was the exclusive domain of the landed gentry
Sadly the initial legislation only applied to some farm animals and it would take years before dogfighting, bear-baiting and other abhorrent activities were abolished.
This new law, however, led to the first person to be convicted for animal cruelty In the world. The felon was an individual called Bill Burns and the offence was that he had unnecessary struck his donkey.
Founding the RSPCA
In 1824 just two years after the Act became law one of the most famous institutions in the world was formed The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It received royal patronage from Queen Victoria in 1840 and is now known as the RSPCA.
The Society was the first animal welfare charity to be formed in the world and in its first year it brought 63 offenders before the courts
The charity operates in England and Wales but also assists with advice across Europe, Asia and Africa.
The format has also been copied by many other countries and individual places including Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Ulster, America, Scotland, Dublin and Hong Kong.
The Reverend Arthur Broome was the driving force in the formation of the RSPCA. This man was a visionary who at the age of 42 was appointed to be the vicar of Bromley-by-Bow. Incredibly this remarkable man, who died in 1837, was buried in an unmarked paupers grave on the 2nd July of that year had died of tuberculosis (consumption).
He had even spent time in a debtors prison having left himself penniless as a result of his commitment to the cause of animal welfare.
Broome was also a staunch anti-vivisectionist and petitioned several medical practitioners of the time to ascertain their views on the use of animals for surgical and laboratory experiments.
Now nearly 200 years after the formation of the RSPCA this man who is responsible for changing attitudes globally to how animals are treated is virtually unknown and largely forgotten.
It does have to be said that the Society has clashed on more than one occasion with the charity commission but those issues have been mostly due to the Society’s frustration at the barriers placed in their way as they try to protect animals.
Animal Cruelty
During my veterinary nursing days, the practise that I worked in was contracted to handle the RSPCA work along with the police, so unpleasant experiences, whilst not an everyday occurrence, were part of the job and it was on one of those days that I learned another of life’s lessons.
The Society employs a number of inspectors and I came into contact with the local one during my time
As I surveyed the wretched vista that was a puppy farm I turned to the RSPCA Inspector, a grizzled veteran of such encounters and expressed my anger and disgust.
“Wouldn’t you just like to take these dammed people behind that barn and give them a bloody good hiding?
His reply was succinct.
“Understand this, you are going to see a lot worse than this and you need to be able to do your job. You are the vet nurse, today you have assisted in saving lives and ending the misery of others, you have done your job. Punishment for these people is somebody else’s task.
Channel your anger into just doing what you are trained to do. Go home tonight and don’t dwell on what you have seen and done here today otherwise you will go nuts.”
Over the years I have seen and had to do things that I would rather not have done and I probably owe my sanity to that RSPCA Inspector.
“An Individual who feels for the sufferings of the Brute species and laments, in common with every benevolent mind, the wanton cruelties which are so frequently committed with impunity on this unoffending part of Gods creation earnestly appeals to the Public in their behalf.” (As originally written March 1821)
The Reverend Arthur Broome
Co founder and Ist honorary Secretary RSPCA