We’re celebrating 200 hundred years of advancing animal welfare in England and Wales

Since 1824, the RSPCA has worked to prevent cruelty, promote kindness towards, and reduce the suffering of animals. Our vision is of a caring world in which all animals are respected and treated with compassion.

The RSPCA's 200th anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on our founding - including the idea that improving animal wellbeing is part of a broader increase of social consciousness against cruelty, suffering, and exploitation – and celebrate the future of the RSPCA and the many animals we will rescue and provide new lives for.

Research Team

We exist in a rapidly changing and sometimes turbulent world. Our current thinking as individuals, organisations, or at a societal level may no longer be adequate. It is essential to look ahead and anticipate a range of future developments.

Our research projects are based on approaches commonly called 'strategic foresight' and 'scenario planning', which have been used by many forward-thinking companies, charities, and governments around the world. While we cannot predict the future, we can assess the world today to develop a set of plausible alternative futures or scenarios, which can help us to make more informed long-term plans.

The RSPCA has appointed Firetail, an experienced strategic research consultancy, to lead this work.

The purpose of these approaches is to help us cope with uncertainty. These scenarios will stretch our thinking about what could happen in the future. They should uncover possibilities, risks, and opportunities that we may otherwise fail to see.

Our strategic foresight project will include:

• scanning for current and emerging trends
• interviewing and convening discussions with a broad range of experts and stakeholders, and
• developing a set of scenarios for the future of animal wellbeing.

Coming up in 2024

Strategic foresight projects are just a small part of what we have planned for the bicentennial year. There will be a series of expert seminars where stakeholders will reflect on various themes of animal welfare, papers will be produced detailing the policy proposals and recommendations for the future of animal welfare and rescue, and of course we have many fundraising events in mind.

Oxfordshire fundraising events will be publicised on social media, so please keep an eye on Facebook, Instagram and X so you can get involved in the fun!