Chris Packham has taken a swipe at the RSPCA, of which he is president, which is perhaps somewhat overdue. I have been saying for a long time and elsewhere in the blog and in my books: “It has been suggested that I am somehow anti the RSPCA, but I’m not. They do a lot of good work and get some very unfair bad press. I do feel strongly that they should drop their RSPCA approved scheme for farms altogether – some of which have been found to be very far from upholding the most basic animal welfare standards, or worse.”
Packham has now called for an immediate suspension of the labelling scheme, describing the appalling treatment of animals at some of the RPSCA “Assured” farms as “indefensible”. As usual, he does not beat about the bush, suggesting that consumers are being “misled”, which of course they are. Red Tractor labels are no better. Secretly filmed footage from 45 farms certified by the RSPCA was obtained by the activist group Animal Rising (great name) and it makes clear that the organisation is being grossly hypocritical in claiming to oppose intensive farming methods. They have said they will not stop the scheme, however, on the grounds that it would “risk leaving millions of farm animals with even less protection” and that the majority of farms do meet the required standards. Not good enough – and their credibility is already undermined. Time for change.
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