What is the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals?

The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (also known as the Scottish SPCA and SSPCA) is a charity to promoteanimal welfare in Scotland. It was founded in Edinburgh in 1839 and one of its first aims was to improve the welfare of cart-horses. Over the next century and a half the charity grew and merged with other local SPCAs, such as the Dundee SPCA, Glasgow and West of Scotland SPCA and Aberdeen APCA. It now has 12 animal rescue centres which treat over 12,000 animals a year, with its headquarters and animal helpline based in Dunfermline, Fife.

The Scottish SPCA is, uniquely, a specialist reporting agency to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. This enables it to lay reports for prosecutions, given there is no effective system of private prosecution in Scotland. This power is coupled with the designation of the Scottish SPCA's inspectors under section 49(2)(a) of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, which enables inspectors to exercise powers of entry, search, seizure and issue of binding notices under the Act, such as "care notices". The Scottish SPCA is the only animal welfare organisation in Great Britain to have such powers.

In promoting prevention of cruelty, the Scottish SPCA is unique in running a free visiting education service for schools, tying in extensively with the Scottish curriculum. Since devolution the Scottish SPCA has been at the forefront of campaigning in the Scottish Parliament for improved animal protection laws in Scotland and were prominent advisors on the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Bill which obtained Royal Assent in May 2006.

The Scottish SPCA is often confused with the RSPCA. Although the two societies both work with animal welfare, the RSPCA operates only in England and Wales, while the Scottish SPCA covers Scotland. Both charities are entirely separate from each other.

About us

The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Scottish SPCA) is Scotland's animal welfare charity. Our objectives are to prevent cruelty to animals and encourage kindness and humanity in their treatment.

As an animal welfare charity, we receive no government or lottery funding and rely on public donations to continue our vital work rescuing and rehoming Scotland's abandoned, neglected and defenceless animals.

Scottish SPCA Inspectors save thousands of domestic, farm and wild animals from harm and danger every year, while our vets and staff in our wildlife and animal rescue and rehoming centres look after, rehabilitate and rehome thousands more.

Visit our online animal rehoming section to view some of our dogs needing new homes, rescue cats and other animals for rehoming, including rabbits and other small animals.

We run an animal welfare education programme in schools, communities and our largest centres. We also campaign for improved animal welfare standards.

Volunteers play a key role working with animals, supporting our education programme and fundraising in their local communities.

The Scottish SPCA is entirely separate from the RSPCA, which operates in England and Wales only. There is no such charity as the 'RSPCA Scotland' or 'Scottish RSPCA'!

If you want to help an animal charity in Scotland, you can join the Scottish SPCA.

Read our Annual Review >

You can help prevent cruelty to animals. If you know of an animal in danger or distress, call our Animal Helpline: 03000 999 999.

Scottish Charity No. SC 006467