Thank you so much for your interest in joining the RSPCA as our Director of Advocacy and Prevention. As we enter our 201st year, this is a critical role in our work to transform the lives of all animals.
We have a strong history of changing laws, behaviours, attitudes and animals’ lives, and in the past few years we have seen important strides forward for animals. We have helped to introduce tougher sentencing for animal abuse, to get animal sentience recognised in law, to move towards a ban on keeping primates as pets, compulsory microchipping for cats, to introduce mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses, to ban glue traps and snares, to end third-party sales of puppies and kittens, and to ban live exports, to name just a few.
But animals are facing some of the biggest challenges in our history, from climate change to biodiversity loss, from the rise of low welfare farming to the cost of living crisis, and they need us now more than ever. These are complex issues that cross borders and sectors and can’t be solved in isolation; what is good for animals is good for us, and the planet. We need to work with people, partners, industry and governments to drive real and lasting change for every animal.
This year sees the launch of our refreshed strategy and our new purpose: to inspire everyone to create a better world for every animal. We also have a strong and modern new brand platform ‘for every kind’ to help us reach new, diverse audiences. Alongside this, we are launching our new ways of campaigning which seeks to drive behaviour change through a radical rethink of the way we see, feel and treat animals while working with key partners to put animal welfare back on the agenda.
The role of Director of Advocacy and Prevention will be central to our ambitions and our renewed focus on driving the most impact for the greatest number of animals. In particular, 2025 will have a strong focus on our new food and farming strategy. We recognise that low welfare farming, sometimes called factory farming, is the single biggest animal welfare issue we face globally due to the sheer scale and extent of suffering. This role will play a critical part in shaping the next steps in our ambitious goal to radically reduce the number of animals farmed and the amount of animal products we consume in the UK.
We look forward to hearing from you about how you can support us at this crucial time to improve the lives of all animals.
Claire Horton, CBE
RSPCA Chair