We have received a response from Chris Sherwood, CEO of RSPCA, I have pasted the full response below along with my email back to him further down. He is reinforcing that these are only proposals. I would urge everyone to keep donating directly to the branches (links on the petition description), sharing the petition (over 12,500 signatures!) and fundraisers and sharing so he can't ignore our voices. I will of course keep you updated with any further responses.
Email from Chris:
Dear Laura
Thank you for your email on the RSPCA restructure proposals in relation to the Southall Cattery, Putney Hospital, South Godstone and Lockwood centres. Can I also thank you for your years of volunteering at the cattery, your life long support for the RSPCA and your passion for animal welfare which comes through in your email and also your campaign to keep our services in the South London area.
When I became Chief Executive two years ago, my goal was to focus the RSPCA on its core animal welfare work, ensure it was financially sustainable to continue that important work and build a workforce that was proud to work for the organisation. As you know the RSPCA offers many welfare services for pets, wildlife, farm animals and research animals and we are the only charity with a team of inspectors across England and Wales rescuing animals and then caring for, treating and rehabilitating those animals. All this is incredibly costly.
As we move towards our 200th birthday in four years' time, the RSPCA is facing one of the biggest challenges in its history and needs to adapt now to protect the vital services the Society provides to animals in the future. The impact of the Covid pandemic has exacerbated the need for this long-term change. It has also highlighted an underlying problem that for too long the Society has been spending more than its income. To safeguard our important work, and help those animals we rescue, for instance we currently have more than 5,000 animals in our care, long term change is required. The current way we operate our services is not financially sustainable. Failure to ensure spending is in line with income could mean that the Society is not able to rescue animals that need us in the future.
This period is not unique to the RSPCA and is an incredibly challenging time for all charities as the current crisis has exacerbated an already difficult financial situation. Whilst the RSPCA has reduced its deficit before the coronavirus crisis, the charity is now forecasting a deficit of £20-25m this year. This will obviously increase if action is not taken now.
In addition the pandemic has hit the RSPCA's free reserves due to large decreases in the housing market and the stock market. These have dipped to a level which amounts to less than six months’ operating funds, sharpening further the need for significant and urgent action to reduce costs. The Charity Commission recommends reserves levels of between three and six months.
The proposals, and they are at present only proposals, will see the RSPCA refocusing its activities to be the most effective in helping those neglected and abused animals, the animals who need us most, and working in closer partnership with charities and other organisations to tackle the welfare challenges facing animals in this country. The RSPCA can no longer do everything, it needs to focus on its core work, rescuing animals from poor welfare, rehabilitating them and giving them a forever home. So yes, the RSPCA is considering all options to save money. I can confirm our proposals to save money cover all areas of the RSPCA including our Horsham office and front line services such as Southall Cattery and the other centres in the south. The proposals also cover all levels of staff.
This is a painful process - I did not become Chief Executive to close down centres such as Southall cattery. But what I can guarantee is that our rescue work for animals will not diminish whether in South London or north England. The RSPCA's centres are, at present, not located where there is greatest need. Over 60% of all our budget goes on front line services such as centres and the inspectorate and I do not expect this to change after the restructure is completed.
I want to reassure you that the RSPCA will emerge as a more effective organisation and will continue to rescue those animals most in need from cruelty and neglect.
I understand the passion behind those 10,100 people that have signed the petition to save the four centres. Last week I met with the local Putney MP and told her we are looking at every avenue to ensure animal welfare in that area continues at the level it is today. I am of course happy if you want to give an update to those that have signed the petition, namely that the RSPCA sadly needs to make tough financial decisions to ensure it is financially sustainable for the future, and reverse the decline that Coronaviurs has heightened; the proposals are just that at this stage, proposals, and I together with my Board of trustees are looking at all the responses we have received to the consultation before we make a final decision. Unfortunately doing nothing is not an option but I can guarantee that the resources we put in to our rescue work will not diminish and we will emerge a stronger organisation to fight animal cruelty and promote kindness to animals.
Finally, I would like to thank you for how dedicated you are to the Southall Cattery and for all your volunteering and work with the cats there, and in helping the work of the Society.
Thank you for taking the time to write to me with your concerns.
Many thanks
Chris
Email to Chris:
Dear Chris,
Thank you for your prompt and thorough response, I would just like to query some of your concerns and responses.
Regarding your comments regarding stocks and housing shares, these will recover. As I'm sure you know the Goverment have recently introduced incentives to support these- I would not suggest a dip in these are a valid reason for a permanent closure or every business in the country would be closing.
Whilst I appreciate they are only proposals currently and you are considering other options I would suggest your proposals focus more strongly in restructures and pay scale changes at a higher level and a change in your advertising campaigns, as you said yourself the RSPCA "needs to focus on its core work, rescuing animals from poor welfare, rehabilitating them and giving them a forever home", which your rescue centres and animal hospitals do so fantastically, but your higher level management and fundraising division need to better support.
I would ask that you explain in detail how you would propose to ensure your rescue work for animals will not diminish and would ask you answer the following:
- Where will the animals normally rehomed and rehabilitated by these branches go?
- As RSPCA have predicted an increase in animals needing their support, where will they go with centres closing?
- Where will local residents access reduced fee vetinary work or spay/neuter to prevent an increase in strays?
- You mentioned in the proposals other charities taking over the sites, have you had any direct promising or successful conversations about this? I assume if so you would not close the branches without these agreed.
- Can you explicitly outline the support you will put in place if you close branches to ensure animal welfare continues to be your number one priority.
- Can you outline the changes and sacrifices that will be made at a higher level to support branches to stay open and save money? This includes what percentage of the senior and executive team are taking pay cuts or redundancies to ensure animal welfare can remain the organisations primary concern. RSPCA have not published a financial report since 2018 so I believe this needs to be published ASAP, preferably prior to the branch closures.
I would appreciate if you could advise exactly when you and your board of trustees are meeting, the petition continues to receive signatures and comments (now exceeding 12,500) and I believe it is important they can be provided with the most up to date picture if you are to fully listen to the voices of the supporters who are against this closure.
I look forward to your further response.
Many thanks,
Laura