Wednesday, 5 December 2007

THE RSPCA

Most countries in the world have got organisations to protect and take care of animals, but the first animal protection society was founded in the nineteenth century in England.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) was started in 1824 in London. In those days, the SPCA was unusual because many people thought it was strange to care about animals. Two years earlier, in 1922, the Houses of Parliament passed a law prohibiting cruelty to cattle, horses and sheep. Because of the new law and the SPCA, people began to change their ideas about the way they should treat animals. In 1840, Queen Victoria gave her support to the SPCA. She changed the name of the SPCA to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA).

Today, there are nearly 200 branches of the society in England and Wales, as well as similar organisations in Scotland, Australia, South Africa and the USA. Every 20 seconds someone contacts the RSPCA with a question about animals. The RSPCA prepares educational material for schools and looks after abused animals. RSPCA inspectors check circuses and zoos to make sure the animals are treated properly. The RSPCA's goal is to improve the lives of animals around the world.

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