RSCPA's wildly woke rebrand: As charity infuriates farmers and slams Brits killing snails

Release time：2024-05-08 00:44:20 Source：Culture Corner news portal

Animal lovers and long-term donors have blasted the RSPCA for its 'woke' rebrand which seemingly casts dairy and poultry farmers as villains who 'abuse' animals. 

The charity's bizarre video compilation, launched as part of its 'For Every Kind' campaign, appears to compare those who abuse dogs to anyone who has ever swatted a spider away or treated themselves to a lobster in a restaurant. 

A range of animals are seen singing along to Aretha Franklins' Respect, as clips show chickens and dairy cows, a bee being caught in a lawnmower and a snail almost being stepped on.

The campaign even questions why Britons treat rats and foxes as pests yet 'we love hedgehogs who visit our garden' and 'turn a blind eye to the suffering of billions of meat chickens'. 

One farmer immediately hit out at the 'out of touch video', asking the charity, 'so you're implying that farming and farmers mistreat their animals then?' while another slammed it for creating a 'misleading' campaign.

One long time RSPCA donor told MailOnline: 'I won't give them money again. I am totally furious about the lack of respect they have shown for farmers and gardeners - the RSPCA's management are totally out of touch with those who are funding them. 

'The new campaign is a total embarrassment to a charity celebrating its 200th anniversary this year - and our money has been used to pay for this bonkers and wildly woke rebrand. It's an insult'.

The outcry comes months after the charity was slammed for alienating its traditional pet-loving advocates with its push for plant-based diets and its appointment of Extinction Rebellion supporter Chris Packham.

Others have slammed it for its string of ludicrous rescues from saving seagulls from the rooves of houses and mountain goats from mountains. 

Farmers have been left furious after the RSPCA compared cattle farming to stepping on a snail. Pictured is a grab from their rebranding video

Throughout the video, which warns against people ordering lobster in a restaurant, a bee is seen caught in a lawnmower 

Chief executive of the RSPCA Chris Sherwood said the campaign had been launched so people realise 'all animals have feelings and emotions' and that 'whether they are pets, wildlife, on farms or in labs, they deserve to have a fulfilled life of their own.'

'We are devoted to our cats and dogs, but we often don't realise we are connected to billions of other animals in our lives, through the things we buy and the choices we make,' he said.

READ ALSO: Farmers are furious after the RSPCA launches rebrand with bizarre video appearing to compare cattle farming to stepping on a snail

'All animals are amazing, but sadly we've come to see many creatures as commodities and we value their lives differently because of it.  

'As a society, we love our native birds, but turn a blind eye to the suffering of billions of meat chickens; we love the hedgehogs who visit our garden, but treat rats and foxes as pests.'

Yet Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, warned the RSPCA against pushing its own 'agenda' adding that it needs to be 'very careful' of the relationship it forges with farmers.

He told MailOnline: 'None of us want to mow a bee or stand on a bee or step on a snail but these aren't the issues.

'We know far too many cats and dogs are treated badly and there are significant problems out there and there are real domestic issues that need to be addressed across welfare of animals

'The video is largely about anthropomorphism and the fact they are using cute cartoon animals suggests the agenda isn't really related to animal welfare. 

'I urge them to ensure the focus of the organisation does remain on relieving suffering and the fundamental issues the RSPCA was first set up to address.' 

The new campaign 'For Every Kind' comes as part of the decision to rebrand the charity for the first time since the 1970s

The campaign is part of the charity's rebranding its logo - for the first time since the 1970s. Pictured: The old logo (left) and new logo (right)

Chief executive of the RSPCA Chris Sherwood said the campaign had been launched so people realise 'all animals have feelings and emotions'

He added that while the charity's political agenda was much lower than it was around a decade ago, it still seemed more focus on 'fundraising and public popularity' than welfare concerns. 

The new campaign comes as part of the decision to rebrand the charity for the first time since the 1970s. 

READ HERE: 'The RSPCA are DELUDING themselves': Fury of meat-loving Brits after their survey claimed nearly six in ten are ditching roast beef dinners for plant-based alternatives - as charity is accused of 'cooking' stats

To help with the change, it hired creative agency JKR to help 'inspire everyone to create a better world for every animal' and advertising agency AMV BBDO. 

It's new 'For Every Kind billboards will be dotted across the country include one that reads 'yes, even snails' and another that reads 'some seals love to socialise. Some don't.'

Gareth Wyn Jones, a Welsh hill farmer, said the video was 'a kick in the teeth', and had left 'a lot of angry farmers'.

'Respecting animals is what 99 per cent of farmers do. There's a few rotten apples but those are the ones that the RSPCA keeps showing,' he told the Telegraph.

Mr Bonner added: The RSPCA has a slightly schizophrenic relationship with farming because it is one of the biggest farm assurers for livestock farming, and goes across the country to make sure animals are being raised correctly. 

'It raises considerable amounts of money for checking these farms are operating to a high standard. It needs to work carefully that relationship and ensure that it's not suggesting that farming is illegitimate or for that matter that eating lobsters is illegitimate. 

'The farming sector is producing meat while doing so many positive things for the environment so it needs to be very careful with that relationship and show it's wholly supportive of that.' 

Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, warned the RSPCA against pushing its own 'agenda' adding that it needs to be 'very careful' of the relationship it forges with farmers

The campaign questions why 'we love hedgehogs who visit our garden' and 'turn a blind eye to the suffering of billions of meat chickens'.

A range of animals are seen singing along to Aretha Franklins' Respect, as clips show chickens and dairy cows, as well as a snail being moved to safety 

Animal lovers and long-term donators , however, have blasted the RSPCA for its ' woke ' rebrand which seemingly casts dairy and poultry farmers as villains who 'abuse' animals. Pictured: File photo of free-range chickens 

The latest campaign comes after the RSPCA has been questioned over some of its rescue missions.

It previously built up a path of 50 hay bales to rescue a heard of mountain goats that had become trapped on a rocky Welsh outcrop known as Austin's Rock for at least four days.

Conwy Borough Council forked out £250 for the bales from a local farmer to help the RSPCA rescue the animals - despite goats usually having prowess over extreme mountain passages.

It led to questions from locals, including the Coastguard who said the animals were 'safe' and 'just exploring a new part of the Great Orme' warning people 'not to put yourselves in danger' to view the goats. 

But the charity said the animals are usually 'sure footed' and were in an area they 'wouldn't normally go' with some struggling to get back to dry land.  

On another occasion the charity got called out to rescue a baby seagull from a roof it had become trapped on, saving it alongside firefighters and police who were forced to close the street in Plymouth, Devon. 

Once it was freed and checked by vets, it flew off on its own accord. It led to neighbours questioning whether the scale of the rescue was proper use of taxpayers money, with the operation thought to have cost more than £1,000. 

'The total cost to the taxpayer to save a baby seagull must have been quite high,' they said.

And just this week, the RSPCA called for sports netting to be scrapped after two fox cubs became tangled up in a cricket net in Stanmore on Monday.

The RSPCA called for sports netting to be scrapped after two fox cubs became tangled up in a cricket net in Stanmore on Monday.

The charity got called out to rescue a baby seagull from a roof it had become trapped on, saving it alongside firefighters and police who were forced to close the street in Plymouth, Devon. 

The group of 19 Llandudno goats had been stranded in an area known as Austin's Rock for at least four days

The charity had received a call from the house's resident and arrived to see the foxes struggling to get free while their mum watched helplessly.

RSPCA Inspector Mike Beaman, who attended the scene, managed to cut the cubs free and release them back into the wild with their mum.

He said: 'The poor cubs had got themselves tangled up while trying to escape. We don't know how long they'd been there as the caller had been away and found them when he returned that morning and called us to help.'

The RSPCA have since warned the public to put sports netting away when they are done playing to stop more animals from getting hurt.

'Netted fencing and netting used for gardening or in sport can be really dangerous for animals,' Mr Beaman added.

'We would urge those using netting for sports to remove and store all nets after their game and put any discarded or old netting safely in a bin. Any garden netting, such as pond netting, should be replaced with solid metal mesh'.

In September the charity irked meat-lovers across the nation after its survey suggested that nearly six in ten Brits are ditching meat products for plant-based foods.

The study found 58 per cent have taken steps to eliminate or reduce their own meat consumption. And 57 per cent think the country should consume fewer animal products, mainly due to health, environmental and animal welfare reasons. 

Last year the the charity appointed outspoken BBC presenter Chris Packham has its new chief

It sparked an angry response with some saying that 'the RSPCA really are deluding themselves' while others called for a wider spread questionnaire canvassing more people.

Meanwhile, in October the charity was probed on how it was spending the proceeds from its lotteries after it revealed more than 74 percent of money raised is spent on administration and expenses.

This meant that only 20 per cent of the proceeds went towards its vital charity work, the minimum amount spent by the Gambling Commission. 

It  raised £3,335,704 through its various lotteries in 2022, meaning about £2.5mn was spent on expenses.

Anne Kasica, founder of The SHG help group for people experiencing issues with the charity, said at the time: 'Perhaps it is time for the Charity Commission to take a much closer look at the RSPCA's financial [proficiency].'

Mr Packham has been involved in a string of controversies, including taking part in an Extinction Rebellion in London last year and urging his online followers to attend

The revelation, first reported by the Telegraph, came after the charity appointed outspoken BBC presenter Chris Packham has its new chief.

The Springwatch star said he was 'thrilled' to be appointed president of the animal welfare charity, however, others called it 'strange' and 'controversial'.

Over the years Mr Packham has been involved in a string of controversies, including taking part in an Extinction Rebellion in London last year and urging his online followers to attend.

In 2013 he branded government officials 'brutalist thugs, liars and frauds' in 2013 on the eve of a cull to stop the spread of bovine tuberculosis, and branded game shooters 'psychopaths' in an interview with the Badger Trust website. 

Yet the RSPCA defended its decision, explaining: 'Chris is much loved and a well respected voice for all animals who speaks to a wide range of society.

'Like us, Chris is ambitious for animals and we have a huge amount we want to achieve by 2030 and beyond, and his passion and expertise will help us get there. 

'He has been a Vice President at the RSPCA for almost 15 years now and during his time in this official role he has supported the RSPCA with countless projects spanning across all our work.'

A spokesperson for the RSPCA said: 'Over a billion farmed animals are reared every year in the UK - so raising standards of farming is absolutely key to improving the lives of so many animals.

'We and RSPCA Assured work with farmers, both here and across the world, to drive up standards for those animals that are being reared today. 

'We have also fought, alongside farmers, to prevent damaging trade deals which threaten to undermine our hard-won welfare standards and undercut domestic producers.

'Intensive farming practices cause suffering to animals, and we want to see a kinder and more compassionate food system, with animal welfare at its heart.

'It is not just farmers who have the power to raise welfare standards on farms. We can all play our part by choosing higher welfare products and reducing the amount of animal products we consume.'

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