Formation 1933 (1933) Legal status Charity | Type Peak body Website rnzspca.org.nz | |
The Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or SPCA New Zealand (abbreviated as RNZSPCA or SPCA) is a New Zealand charitable society who work to promote the humane treatment of animals. The society consists of 45 animal shelter organisations around New Zealand, including many in rural areas. Under the Animal Welfare Act 1999, SPCA inspectors have the exclusive power to investigate animal welfare complaints and prosecute abusers when necessary.
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The Royal NZ SPCA and its branches have initiated a range of animal welfare campaigns. It has launched public education campaigns about the humane treatment of animals, and has encouraged people to change their behaviour towards animals. SPCA has also run politically motivated campaigns aimed at promoting law changes or questioning the legality of certain practices. A 2007 Reader's Digest ranked the SPCA as the second most trusted charity, behind the Cancer Society.
History
The New Zealand SPCA was formed by settlers from England in 1882, inspired by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in England which was formed in 1824 after the passing of the Cruel Treatment of Cattle Act 1822 and which lobbied for the Cruelty to Animals Act 1835. This law was later replaced by the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876, a law which the settlers brought with them during the colonisation of New Zealand. The English society received royal patronage in 1840.
The New Zealand society first formed in Dunedin, and was followed by the establishment of the Auckland and Wellington branches in 1883 and 1884 respectively. From this point onwards, smaller communities began to establish their own branches of the society. In 1933 the separate local societies joined together to form the national New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. There are now 47 individual branches across New Zealand. In 2008 the society celebrated 125 years of continued service with a march up Queen Street in Auckland.
Agricultural and entertainment animals
The group has also been involved in campaigns against alleged mistreatment of livestock. This includes campaigns against battery hens and pregnant sow pigs kept in "sow stalls" for up to 16 weeks without being able to move or turn around.
Individual branches of the group have also been involved in unofficial campaigns, not directly recognised by the national body. A successful campaign by the Auckland arm of the organisation seen an end to rodeos at the Auckland Easter Show. There has also been moves by key members of the organisation, such as Auckland SPCA chief executive Bob Kerridge, to have rodeos outlawed altogether.
Domestic pets
The charity group has collaborated with the New Zealand Veterinary Association on a campaign against the tail docking of dogs. The SPCA claimed tail docking was an outdated and cosmetic practice which offered no benefits but causes unnecessary pain to the animal. The New Zealand Kennel Club purported there was no scientific evidence to support any of the SPCA's claims and said tail docking should be up to owners' preference. No decision was ever passed into law.
In late 2012 an SPCA campaign which involved teaching dogs was featured on TV3 current affairs show Campbell Live. The campaign received international attention, and was covered by the Daily Mail, The Guardian, BBC News, Metro UK, Huffington Post, and the Financial Times.
Family violence
The SPCA also works in conjunction with the New Zealand Department of Child, Youth and Family Services to ensure that in households where animal abuse is occurring, possible indications of child abuse are looked into and in return where child abuse is found to be occurring, animals are looked into for possible maltreatment. The Society's One of the family empathy education programme was started in 2007, backed by New Zealand celebrity Norm Hewitt, in response to research indicating that a large percentage of criminals begin abusing animals in early life.
One of the SPCA's recurring campaigns is an annual "shame" list, exemplifying the worst cases of animal abuse in New Zealand. The list is designed to bring public awareness to the abuse of animals and to alert the public to the close link between animal cruelty and domestic and family violence.
Funding
The SPCA receives no government funding to run its campaigns and programmes, and relies on fundraising campaigns, public donations and bequests for its operational income. In 2010, the Society was granted $1.2 million from the Ministry for Primary Industries (New Zealand) to deal with animal welfare cases involving large-scale farming operations, to be split over four years. The national body is sponsored by Hill's Pet Nutrition, Countdown Supermarkets, Mainfreight and Trade Me, and owns its own pet food brand.
Fines for animal welfare abuse prosecution are often directed to be paid to the SPCA, and the society often seeks the cost of food and veterinary bills from offenders during legal proceedings. The SPCA also has partnerships with various New Zealand businesses to generate funding. For example, pet store chain Animates has encouraged customers to make a donation to the SPCA in return for an ornament that they can hang on an in-store Christmas tree.