Chris Packham calls on RSPCA to suspend Assured seal of approval

Chris Packham has described footage from RSPCA animal farms as “completely untenable” following an extensive undercover investigation.

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Undercover footage from Animal Rising revealed the extent of breaches of health and welfare standards on RSPCA-certified farms. In an interview with The Sunday TimesPackham, the RSPCA president, called on the charity to stop the program immediately.

“I think the footage is completely untenable,” Packham, who follows a plant-based diet, told the publication. “I know you’re going to ask me whether (these RSPCA Assured programs) are deliberately misleading or deceiving the public because they come with a branding that suggests there is a standard of animal welfare that the public would expect. What we saw in that footage is not a standard of animal welfare that any member of the public would accept. That’s not acceptable.”

The RSPCA refused to suspend the program, The Justbecause there is “a risk that millions of farm animals will receive even less protection”.

Widespread violations

Animal Rising obtained videos and photos from 45 animal farms across the UK during 60 investigations over a four-month period. In a report published on Sunday, Animal Rising said it found suffering animals on every farm. In total, 280 breaches of legal standards and 94 breaches of animal welfare codes of practice were documented. The worst and most common breaches included dead and dying animals in stables.

RSPCA Assured is considered the gold standard of farm assurance schemes. Animals raised on certified farms are guaranteed more space, enrichment and “humane” treatment and slaughter. According to the RSPCA, the scheme does not allow factory farming. But according to Animal Rising, many of the farms are high-intensity livestock farming, and at least one farm has a licence to keep up to 64,000 laying hens.

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According to Ayesha Smart, an animal welfare lawyer and Crown Court judge, some farms fail to meet basic legal animal welfare standards.

Severe neglect

Animal Rising’s report details some of the worst cases of neglect and breaches of RSPCA standards that investigators found, looking at farms where pigs, laying hens, broilers, salmon and trout were kept.

Pigs were found dying from viral and bacterial infections on a farm in Somerset. At a salmon farm in Scotland, salmon were missing eyes and body parts and suffering from an infestation of sea lice. At a chicken farm in Norfolk, live chicks pecked at dead chicks left on the barn floor, while many died of starvation and dehydration.

The environments on the farms lacked many of the features RSPCA Assured is supposed to provide, such as enrichment to relieve stress and boredom. Chicken catchers have also been seen grabbing hens by the legs and throwing them, although this is permitted under the scheme’s standards as long as both legs are involved.

The highest number of violations occurred on pig farms, followed by egg farms. In nine of the 12 pig farms examined, pigs’ tails were docked, indicating routine mutilation that is technically illegal. Dr. Alice Brough, a former veterinarian in the pig industry, points out in the report that tail docking should be a last resort to prevent tail biting. “If the standards were truly ‘high welfare standards,’ there should be no need to mitigate bad behavior such as tail and ear biting,” she writes.

Missing inspections

Smart, who has reviewed all the evidence collected by Animal Rising, said it is clear that the farms are failing the animals. “The farms are simply not adequately monitoring these animals, ensuring they have a suitable living environment, and not addressing their pain or suffering in a timely manner,” she said.

There is also too little oversight of the farms. “Only a few British farms are actually inspected by an official inspection body every year and that clearly needs to change to ensure that basic requirements are met,” said Smart. “Without this investigation, the condition of these farms on the ground would not have come to light.”

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RSPCA-certified farms are supposed to be inspected “at least once a year,” according to the program. But Brough said she had seen many cases of animal suffering during pre-arranged RSPCA inspections.

A 2022 report by Animal Equality (AE) showed that even when breaches of the law are discovered on farms, few are prosecuted. Only farms deemed “high risk” are prioritised by government inspectors, meaning most are not checked. AE found that less than three per cent of UK farms were inspected between 2018 and 2021. Inspections took place on only half of the farms about which a complaint was made. Less than one per cent were ultimately prosecuted, although breaches of the law were evident on a third of the farms inspected.

Not just “a bad apple”

Animal Rising’s investigation is one of many that have been carried out on RSPCA-certified farms over the years. Over the past 16 years, at least 33 investigations have been carried out by animal welfare groups, documenting numerous cases of animal suffering and abuse.

In summary, Animal Rising says, this shows that there is never “a single black sheep” as RSPCA Assured often claims. Animal Rising is calling on the RSPCA to abandon the program and take a clear stance on animal welfare.

In a statement to The Sunday TimesThe RSPCA said: “The RSPCA’s higher welfare standards have been independently proven to improve the lives of millions of animals every year.

“Any concerns about the welfare of animals on RSPCA Assured farms are taken extremely seriously and RSPCA Assured will promptly investigate these allegations. RSPCA Assured has not yet received the footage to investigate the welfare claims, but if there is evidence of systemic problems we will conduct a review to ensure the integrity of the system.”

Plant-based news has contacted RSPCA Assured for further comment.