The SHG has collated these figures into tables to provide the media and anyone else interested with a means of easily comparing RSPCA Wales statistics between 2013 and 2019. A glance will enable busy journalists to see whether claims of increases or decreases over a set number of years really show the claimed trends or if extending the time period shows something completely different.
All of the statistics used here have come from the RSPCA Annual summary. for Wales from 2014 to 2019. Note that the RSPCA regularly changes the names of the things they measure or the way that they are measured making it very difficult to draw comparisons.
The data for 2013 is taken from the 2014 report.
The 2018 report is light on content. Very few figures are given.
The 2019 report states that the inspectorate numbers 40. We have put this down as inspectors but in all probability it means the sum of all employees in the inspectorate, not just inspectors.
One statistic that has not changed over the years is the number of calls which has remained steady at 50,000. This is important because all of the other figures that are quoted vary year on year. It is difficult to understand why calls for one issue would increase proportionately to the decrease in another issue leaving the total number of calls constant.
Table 1 shows the make up of the RSPCA Inspectorate in Wales to the extent that it can be ascertained from the figures given in the Annual Summaries.
Table 1.
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
| RSPCA as a Whole in Wales | |||||||
| Calls from the public | 50000 | 50000 | 50000 | 50000 | 50000 | ||
| No. Inspectors | 23 | 30 | 40 | ||||
| No. Animal Welfare Officers | 3 | ||||||
| No. Animal Collection Officers | 7 | 6 | |||||
| Animals Collected and Transported by ACOs | 3129 | ||||||
| No. Market Inspectors | 3 |
Table 2 contains the prosecution statistics.
The 2018 report refers to 5940 pet owners offered and accepted animal welfare advice. We have taken this to mean they were given a welfare and improvement notice.
2 of the 60 defendants convicted in 2019 were youths. Children in other words.
No explanation is given for why the statistics change year on year. Nor is there any explanation of why the different statistics go up and down but the total number of calls remains static.
We can only speculate that the RSPCA chooses what to investigate depending on the availability of funds and the campaigns they are running.
They state that the number of convictions fell for the first time in 4 years, which is true, although we do not have the 2018 figures. What they have not pointed out is the steep drop in convictions between 2013 and 2014 and the steady rise thereafter.
What is really happening is that all of the figures oscillate around an average, some years they rise and some years they fall, and unless the RSPCA increases the number of inspectors and the amount of money it has available to spend on prosecutions that will remain the position. No charity can ever match the funding or resources available to state prosecutors. This is why prosecutions should always be the job of the state, not private bodies like charities.
Table 2.
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
| Defendants Convicted | 79 | 47 | 41 | 61 | 67 | 60 | |
| Total Convictions | 297 | 116 | 89 | 120 | 148 | 122 | |
| Cautions | 38 | ||||||
| Complaints of Cruelty | 11740 | 9895 | |||||
| Complaints Investigated | 4484 | 10540 | 10176 | 10856 | 7197 | ||
| Welfare and Warning Notices | 5618 | 5790 | 7119 | 6678 | 5940 | 4392 | |
| Convictions | 116 | 89 | 122 |
Table 3 gives the Regional Prosecution Statistics. Note that the figures for 2018 and 2019 were not published in the Annual Summaries.
Table 3
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
| Regions Stats | |||||||
| South East Wales | |||||||
| Total Convictions | 169 | 54 | 52 | 35 | 38 | ||
| Defendants Convicted | 36 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 19 | ||
| North & Mid Wales | |||||||
| Total Convictions | 35 | 32 | 27 | 17 | 44 | ||
| Defendants Convicted | 13 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 20 | ||
| South West Wales | |||||||
| Total Convictions | 73 | 30 | 10 | 68 | 66 | ||
| Defendants Convicted | 30 | 11 | 6 | 28 | 28 |
Table 4 contains a mix of information given on animals collected, rehomed, neutered etc plus details of the number of Branches and clinics. They are divided between the RSPCA as a whole in Wales and those for the Branches and Animal Centres.
The 2015 report had this spectacular comment:
Whilst an encouraging 78 percent of dogs were reported to be microchipped, more than 60 percent of dogs acquired in the previous five years had been sourced from private sellers or friends and family. So whilst the RSPCA warmly welcomed the improvements made by the Welsh Government to the standards for licensed dog breeding in Wales, which came into force in April 2015, these statistics show us there is still much work to be done to educate potential dog owners.
Here we see the beginnings of the legislative moves to destroy dog breeding and force those who want to obtain a dog to get one from charities
The 2017 figures for cats neutered is part of the joint project with Cat Protection. People who took it up were also offered a microchip. We are not told how many took up the offer of a microchip..
The 2017 report also states that most animals collected and rescued are wildlife.
The number of Branches in Wales dropped from 14 in 2015 to 13 in 2017.
Table 4
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
| RSPCA as a Whole in Wales | |||||||
| Animals Collected and Rescued | 8537 | 7589 | 7642 | 8220 | 8006 | 8294 | |
| Animals Rehomed | 1750 | 1856 | 2140 | 2000 | 1977 | ||
| Dogs Rehomed | |||||||
| Cats Rehomed | |||||||
| Cats Neutered | 3000 | 7745 | |||||
| Other Animals Neutered | 1500 | ||||||
| Equine Complaints Dealt With | 2166 | ||||||
| No. Equines Complained About | 10780 | ||||||
| Equines Taken In | 70 | 100 | 72 | ||||
| Wild Animals Rescued | 4919 | ||||||
| Dogs Rescued | 626 | 601 | |||||
| Cats Rescued | 1930 | 1514 | |||||
| Animals Neutered | 4500 | 9000 | |||||
| Animals Microchipped | 2500 | ||||||
| No. Vet Clinics | 7 | ||||||
| No. Animal Centres | 3 | ||||||
| No. Branches | 14 | 13 | |||||
| No. Equine Rehoming Officer | 1 | ||||||
| No. Adoption Centres | 1 | ||||||
| Branches Stats | |||||||
| Animals Rehomed | 1176 | 850 | 1044 | ||||
| Neutering provided for Animals | 4245 | 4500 | |||||
| Cats Neutered | 3000 | ||||||
| Other Animals Neutered | 1500 | ||||||
| Animals Microchipped | 2540 | 2500 | |||||
| Welfare Treatments Provided | 11682 | ||||||
| No. National RSPCA Animal Centres | 2 | ||||||
| Animals Rehomed by Animal Centres | 900 | 933 | |||||
| Dogs Rehomed by Animal Centres | 239 | ||||||
| Cats Rehomed by Animal Centres | 444 | ||||||
| RSPCA Cymru & Newport Pets at Home | |||||||
| Animals Rehomed | 1251 | 100 |
We will add to these statistics as new data becomes available. Please let us know if you find any errors or if you find data that is currently missing from these tables.
Alec Swan
/ June 14, 2020I continue to bleat to those who will listen, and often those who won’t, that today, and perhaps as never before – we need an rspca – – NOT the constant and fraudulently trumpet blowing iteration which banner-waves and as a fund raising machine, but a body which returns to its charter.
Considering the vast – and often obscene, amounts of money which pour in to this particular charity’s coffers, we need to investigate and so, be assured as to the fund disposal routes.
Whilst the rspca – and curiously as the EU, has a regime of self appointment and so, protection, we will never see any level of clarity or openness on display.
In life, we have Faith and Hope – neither of which we can attach to this particular charity.
J herbalist
/ June 14, 2020thank you so much for this. have they disclosed their PTS figures?
thanks
________________________________
theshg
/ June 14, 2020The stats that are in the tables are all that we have for Wales. It might be worth looking at the differences between the numbers of aninals “collected and rescued” and the numbers of “animals rehomed”, although an animal might stay with the RSPCA for several years, especially if it is a case animal and the prosecution is vigorously defended against, so this won’t be a particularly accurate result. It might, however, if used in posts elsewhere with an explanation of how it was calculated, push the RSPCA in Wales to give some actual figures for PTS .
We are only given the numbers for Wildlife Rescued in 2017. If that figure is taken from the number of animals “collected and rescued” it still leaves a substantial number unaccounted for.