Scottish SPCA Annual Review 2014

Scottish SPCA Annual Review 2014 and onwards

Peter Devlin

Welcome Welcome to the Scottish SPCA Annual Review 2014 and onwards.

The Scottish SPCA is Scotland’s animal welfare charity. We rescue animals in danger, find pets new homes, investigate abuse and prevent cruelty through our free Prevention through Education programme for Scottish schools. Founded in 1839, the Scottish SPCA has been helping animals in Scotland for over 175 years.

Peter Devlin

Contents

• • • • • 5

Investing in the future

9

A record year for rehoming

10

More wild animals saved than ever before

13

Record number of animal cruelty bans

14

Raising funds

• • • • • 15

Raising awareness

16

How our funds were raised

17

How our funds were used

18

Thank you!

19

Board of Directors

Annual Review 2014 and onwards 03

Peter Devlin

Our free Prevention through Education programme has reached well over a million children since its launch in 2009.

Annual Review 2014 and onwards 07

Peter Devlin

Investing in the future The Scottish SPCA’s rapid progress in recent years has been remarkable – and in this review of 2014 you will read about many new records.

Together with our supporters, we have been able to rehome and help more animals than ever before, develop the largest and most successful education programme of its kind in the UK, build new and extend existing rescue centres and ensure more people guilty of abusing and neglecting animals face justice in court.

At any time, these achievements would be remarkable. It is all the more astonishing that we have taken such great strides during a period of economic and political turbulence.

While there are now signs of economic recovery and we are in

the aftermath of the independence referendum, the reality is times are still tough for many people – and sadly animals are often the first victims.

This creates huge pressures on our resources and frontline staff, with full rescue centres, animals being abandoned and discarded on the streets and an unprecedented level of calls to our helpline.

It’s important to remember what this actually entails. It means we have many more mouths to feed and animals to care for, more calls to answer and callouts to respond to and more instances where we need to investigate and try to identify the people responsible for mistreatment.

Yet our progress has continued. In 2014 we found loving new homes for a record 6,719 rescued animals.

Annual Review 2014 and onwards 05

That was more than in 2013, which in itself was a record-breaking year.

The £4.8 million extension of our rehoming centre in Glasgow will be completed in 2015, taking our overall investment in our rescue centres to £15 million over the past seven years. It is of great credit to the staff and volunteers at Glasgow that despite the huge upheaval caused by the building works they managed to rehome 1,343 animals in 2014, one more than in 2013.

We are very proud that this level of dedication and determination is reflected across the Society in all areas of our work.

Another fantastic achievement has been at our National Wildlife Rescue Centre, where our expert team were able to successfully rehabilitate 4,461 wildlife casualties in 2014.

Our free education programme for Scottish schools continues to go from strength to strength and has reached well over a million children since its launch in 2009. By reaching more than 317,000 children in 2014, we not only exceeded but doubled our long-term target.

The results have been immediate, with many more children alerting us to animals in danger and fewer being involved in cruelty to animals. Our programme is winning the hearts and minds of today’s youngsters and will have a profound impact on animal welfare in Scotland for generations to come.

In 2014 we achieved another key goal by reaching 50,000 members, which is around 1% of the Scottish population and equates to approximately 2% of all households in Scotland. The support we receive from our donors is not only greatly appreciated – it is absolutely vital.

All we have accomplished has been hand in hand with our supporters, staff and volunteers and it is together we look towards the challenges fast approaching.

Today, tomorrow and in the years ahead we will be there for defenceless animals in desperate need of our help.

This will mean continuing to invest in education, expanding and building new rescue centres and further developing successful partnerships and relationships to promote animal welfare.

Day after day we see first-hand the tragedy of cruelty to animals and the horrific suffering involved. But by and large Scotland remains a nation of animal lovers – these are the very people who rehome our rescue pets, call our helpline, donate, volunteer their time and help animals in many other ways.

To each and every one, we would like to say ‘thank you!’

Stuart Earley Chief Executive

06 Annual Review 2014 and onwards

Harry Haworth Chairman

The ÂŁ4.8 million extension of our Glasgow Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre, known locally as the Glasgow Dog and Cat Home, is our largest ever single investment in animal welfare.

Photos: Peter Devlin

Pippi n

Star and Randy

Findlay

Primrose Jill

Photos: Scottish SPCA

Rebus

Suzie

Tam

Kahn

Some of our fantastic rescue pets off to their new homes!

Scottish SPCA

Steph

A record year for rehoming In 2014 we rehomed an incredible 6,719 rescued animals – a new record and an increase of more than 1,000 since 2010. This included finding loving new homes for:

• 2,503 cats • 1,813 dogs • 537 rabbits • 876 rodents • 56 snakes • 26 equines • 908 birds and other animals

We were also able to reunite 1,386 animals with their delighted owners.

The Scottish SPCA does not put healthy animals to sleep. Unfortunately, many of the animals who arrive in our care have been abused and neglected or are sick and injured.

It’s heartbreaking but sometimes the kindest and only choice is to relieve their suffering. Sadly, 1,473 animals had to be put to sleep in our rehoming centres on veterinary advice and 177 were unable to survive.

Thinking of taking on a new pet?

) Visit scottishspca.org

:

Call 03000 999 999

Annual Review 2014 and onwards 09

More wild animals saved than ever before In 2014 we took in a record 7,248 wildlife casualties. We were also able to return 4,461 back to their natural habitats - also a new record.

This is testament to the expertise and dedication of the team at our National Wildlife Rescue Centre, who frequently provide round the clock care for orphaned animals.

We care for almost every kind of wild animal found in Scotland, including

birds, seals, otters, deer, hedgehogs and badgers.

Sadly, many wildlife casualties arrive in our care with severe injuries or illnesses and either cannot be returned to the wild or die due to their conditions. In 2014, 1,172 wild animals had to be put to sleep in our care and 1,551 were unable to survive.

10 Annual Review 2014 and onwards

Grogan was found orphaned by the A92 in Fife and was hand-reared in our care before being successfully returned to the wild.

Photos: Colin Seddon

Annual Review 2014 and onwards 11

Scottish SPCA

Yewster was in a horrific condition when we rescued him. He was emaciated and his skin condition was so severe it would not respond to treatment. Sadly, a vet advised Yewster should be put to sleep to end his suffering. His owner was banned from owning animals for life.

Twink’s owner admitted neglect and was banned from owning animals for 20 years.

Scottish SPCA

Record number of animal cruelty bans A record number of people were banned from keeping animals in 2014 following Scottish SPCA investigations.

In total, 63 disqualification orders were handed out by the Scottish courts, 12 of which were for life. This was a 66% increase on the 38 bans given in 2010.

Fines totalled more than ÂŁ23,000 and 35 people were sentenced to community service orders.

Our animal helpline received 243,148 calls in 2014 and our inspectors and animal rescue officers attended a record 78,202 callouts.

Annual Review 2014 and onwards 13

Raising funds

Scottish SPCA

In 2014 it cost ÂŁ14.3 million to run the Scottish SPCA and we would like to thank everyone who supported us and helped save so many lives. We receive no government or lottery funding so every pound and penny donated is vital. Last year we reached over 50,000 members, which was a fantastic achievement. This is approximately 1% of the Scottish population and the equivalent of 2% of all households in Scotland.

Raising awareness

Commonwealth Games athlete and animal lover Eilidh Child got our 2014 Rehoming Week off to a flier alongside agility dog Moss.

We continue to promote the Society’s work and in 2014 we:

• Appeared in 4,856 media items • Increased our Facebook and Twitter followers to more than 160,000 the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA) Media Marketing • WandonMeasurement Award for our Rescue Pets Make Great Pets! campaign Animal 999, the STV series following our work rescuing and rehoming animals, remains a great success and our profile continues to rise.

Annual Review 2014 and onwards 15

How our funds were raised 40%

2% 5% 6% 32% 15% Legacies £5.7m Memberships

£4.6m

Donations

£2.2m

Investment

£0.9m

Rescue centres

£0.7m

Other income

£0.3m

TOTAL £14.4m

These figures have been extracted from the audited financial statements approved by our Board of Directors on 23 March 2015 and signed on their behalf by our Chairman, Harry Haworth. Please write to our head office if you wish to receive a copy of the statements.

16 Annual Review 2014 and onwards

How our funds were used 38%

1% 2% 3% 8%

38%

10%

Inspectorate

£5.5m

Rescue centres

£5.4m

Generating income

£1.4m

Support £1.2m Press, publications & campaigns

£0.4m

Education £0.3m Other expenditure

£0.1m

TOTAL £14.3m Operating surplus £0.1m Net movement in funds* -£0.2m Net assets £39.4m *After investment movements in the year

Annual Review 2014 and onwards 17

Thank you!

Photos: Scottish SPCA

We would like to say ‘thank you’ to each and every volunteer, fundraiser and supporter who helped make 2014 a success and ensured we were able to rescue and rehome a record number of animals.

Quite simply, we could not achieve what we have and be there for defenceless animals in need without you all.

Your time, effort and dedication are vital and hugely appreciated. If they could, we’re sure our wonderful rescued animals would say ‘thank you’ too – and they do in their own special way!

18 Annual Review 2014 and onwards

Board of Directors

Peter Devlin

We would like to thank our nonexecutive directors, who generously volunteer their advice, guidance and expertise to the Society.

Mrs Reay Campbell (Chairman: January to August 2014, Director: January to December 2014) Mr Harry Haworth (Vice Chairman: January to August 2014, Chairman: from August 2014) Mr Ronnie Soutar (Vice Chairman: from August 2014) Mr Harry Smith (Honorary Treasurer) Mr Nick Alexander Mr Keith Chandler Ms Fiona Davis Mr Dan Macdonald Mr Ian Megahy (January to June 2014) Dr Sheila Rusbridge Mr Ian Turnbull Ms Kathy Peebles (from June 2014) Mr Stuart Earley (Chief Executive)

Annual Review 2014 and onwards 19

Get in touch ) 03000 999 999 : scottishspca.org

) @ info@scottishspca.org :

Kingseat Road, Halbeath, Dunfermline KY11 8RY Scottish Charity No. SC 006467 Cover photo: Colin Seddon

Peter Devlin

Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals