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The RSPCA has cancelled a glitzy party to celebrate its 200th anniversary because of a protest planned outside the event over its scheme endorsing meat from approved farms.
The gathering – by invitation only – had been due to take place next Wednesday at The Shard in London, the UK’s tallest building.
But for weeks, activists opposed to the charity’s Assured scheme had urged supporters to join them for a demonstration on the evening.
They argue the UK’s biggest animal-welfare charity should not support practices that involve animal suffering, highlighting that some farms covered by RSPCA Assured are intensive factory farms.
The RSPCA, which receives 50,000 complaints of cruelty a year, set up the Assured scheme to endorse farms judged to meet certain standards, including no cages, more living space and “humane” slaughter.
But a string of exposés has revealed horrific cruelty at some of the farms.
The charity insists animal welfare is its “absolute priority” and the scheme is intended to “promote the highest levels of animal welfare achievable in a commercial farming environment”.
As pressure mounts over the Assured programme, The Independent revealed on Wednesday that the advertising watchdog is investigating adverts by the RSPCA, following complaints that they are misleading as they suggest products endorsed are cruelty-free.
The protest outside the party celebrating 200 years since the charity’s founding had been organised by activist organisation Animal Rising, which said it found widespread suffering and neglect when it investigated more than 40 Assured farms.
Leaders of the group celebrated a “victory” when they learnt the charity had cancelled next week’s event.
Rose Patterson, who investigated some of the farms for Animal Rising, said: “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 said: “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.”