Mind the gap: RSPCA Animal Kindness Index reveals gap between people’s love of animals and the reality of their choices

By Emma Slawinski - Director of Policy, Prevention and Campaigns

The RSPCA today (19th June) launches its second Animal Kindness Index - our annual investigation into people’s attitudes towards animals in the UK. 

We all know animals deserve to be treated with kindness and compassion, to be able to live good lives, and that everyone, from individuals and communities to governments, have a part to play in creating a better world for animals.

The year’s index, from the RSPCA, Scottish SPCA and Northern Ireland-based USPCA, finds that while 69% of people say they are animal lovers, animal welfare is threatened by a gap between people wanting to be kind to animals and the impact their choices have on the animals around them.

Government policy and industry practices have normalised the everyday animal suffering involved on farms, in labs and in entertainment to such an extent that many people are unaware of the reality of the impact of their lives and actions.

Lack of awareness and transparency means people are often inadvertently fuelling, funding and furthering poor practices towards animals because they don’t understand the harms these cause.

Furthermore, Cost of Living pressures are affecting people’s ability to be kind to animals, as they struggle to care for their pets and it pushes welfare down the political agenda.

Key findings from the 2023 RSPCA Animal Kindness Index include:

• Harmful dog breeding practices (46%) were the most important animal welfare issue for people, followed by the puppy trade (42%) and then moving away from intensive farming (38%)
• Four in ten pet owners had changed their behaviours, such as going without food, going to pet foodbanks or stopping visiting a vet, due to financial pressures and one in four said their pet had suffered as a result
• Cost of Living is still threatening the welfare of pets: 40,000 people visited the RSPCA’s ‘rehome my animal’’ web page so far this year, a 72% increase on the same period last year
• People are still turning to DIY, cheaper options for caring for pets, with 45,000 searches for giving paracetamol to a dog in April, up 13% on the same period last year 
• 83% believe animal welfare should be protected by the governments through legislation
• 80% of people think animals should either never be used in a way that causes harm (43%) or only when there is no feasible alternative and it benefits humans (37%)

People want  animal welfare protected through legislation but just last month the Government ditched its vital Kept Animals Bill, which promised to finally end live exports and the gruelling journeys suffered by farm animals, to end the keeping of primates as pets, to prevent the import of dogs with horrifying cropped ears, and so much more. While we remain hopeful that the UK Government will move quickly to bring these important measures into law through other means, and glad to hear their reassurance that this will happen, this is clearly vital as we strive to be a kinder nation. Politicians must lead the way and make it easier for people to make the right choices to reduce animal suffering.

Last week marked our 199th birthday, the countdown to our historic 200th year. Back in 1824, a small group of people met in a London coffee shop determined to change animals’ lives and sparked a movement which spread across the world. 

For nearly 200 years we’ve been changing minds, laws, industries and lives to create a better world for animals and people alike. But there's still so much more to do. Animals are facing bigger challenges than ever – through climate change, factory farming, war, and the cost-of-living crisis. And if those of us who prioritise animal welfare aren’t following through in our choices, we are undermining animals’ chances of having a good life. 

Our Animal Kindness Index shows people still care deeply for animals. We must harness this kindness to create a better future for the animals who share our world. 

You can help now by campaigning with us for the Government to deliver the promises it made to animals in the Kept Animals Bill or taking our new  Animal Kindness Quiz to find out what actions you can take to create a kinder world.