RSPCA cancels glitzy London get together over protest by activists in opposition to ‘cruel’ Assured scheme | EUROtoday

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The RSPCA has cancelled a glitzy get together to have fun its two hundredth anniversary due to a protest deliberate outdoors the occasion over its scheme endorsing meat from accepted farms.

The gathering – by invitation solely – had been on account of happen subsequent Wednesday at The Shard in London, the UK’s tallest constructing.

But for weeks, activists against the charity’s Assured scheme had urged supporters to hitch them for an indication on the night.

They argue the UK’s greatest animal-welfare charity shouldn’t help practices that contain animal struggling, highlighting that some farms coated by RSPCA Assured are intensive manufacturing facility farms.

The RSPCA, which receives 50,000 complaints of cruelty a yr, arrange the Assured scheme to endorse farms judged to fulfill sure requirements, together with no cages, extra dwelling house and “humane” slaughter.

But a string of exposés has revealed horrific cruelty at among the farms.

The charity insists animal welfare is its “absolute priority” and the scheme is meant to “promote the highest levels of animal welfare achievable in a commercial farming environment”.

As strain mounts over the Assured programme, The Independent revealed on Wednesday that the promoting watchdog is investigating adverts by the RSPCA, following complaints that they’re deceptive as they recommend merchandise endorsed are cruelty-free.

The protest outdoors the get together celebrating 200 years for the reason that charity’s founding had been organised by activist organisation Animal Rising, which stated it discovered widespread struggling and neglect when it investigated greater than 40 Assured farms.

Leaders of the group celebrated a “victory” after they learnt the charity had cancelled subsequent week’s occasion.

Rose Patterson, who investigated among the farms for Animal Rising, stated: “The planned peaceful protest was one of many actions we are implementing to raise awareness of the cruelty and suffering found within the RSCPA Assured Scheme.

“We have tried to maintain respectful communication with the RSCPA at all steps of our campaign while refusing to be silenced about the appalling conditions on their Assured farms.

“The world’s largest animal charity should not be sanctioning widespread industrial cruelty towards animals.”

An RSPCA Assured spokesperson stated: “The planned event at the Shard is no longer going ahead in the interests of public and staff safety due to a planned protest outside the venue.” ​