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The RSPCA Assured label promises consumers peace of mind, claiming that animals raised under its standards experience high levels of care and welfare. However, recent findings reveal the shocking truth behind the empty promises: criminal levels of cruelty and neglect are rampant across many RSPCA Assured farms. When the UK's largest animal welfare authority fails to spot and prevent animal cruelty, it begs the question - can animal farming ever truly be ethical or is this just another fairytale peddled by a bloated, greedy farming industry?
Exposing the Reality Behind the RSPCA Assured Label
The RSPCA claims that 'animals under its scheme live good lives', however an undercover investigation by Animal Rising recently exposed dozens of RSPCA Assured farms that were failing to meet even basic welfare standards. Footage from the investigation reveals harrowing scenes of animals suffering due to inadequate care, including overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, and untreated injuries. Disturbingly, dead animals were found among the living in multiple instances, highlighting the severity of the malpractice at many of these facilities. Animal Rising's findings were so serious that the RSPCA Assured scheme was labelled 'effectively fraud' by a Crown Court Judge offering an opinion on the issue (not in the course of a legal proceeding).
The RSPCA’s reputation as a welfare leader has now been called into question, and many are asking if the organisation is truly holding farms accountable—or simply 'welfare-washing' animal suffering for profit. We think the answer to that is pretty clear.
(TW: Upsetting depictions of animal suffering)
A System Built on Suffering
The issues uncovered in the RSPCA Assured scandal are not unique to just a handful of farms. They’re symptomatic of an industry built on the exploitation of animals, where profits and efficiency are prioritised over welfare. In fact, this isn't even the first time that a trusted accreditation has proven to be a sham. Last year, it was revealed that The Red Tractor Label had been stamping their mark of approval on farms where animal cruelty was rife, and that their so-called 'high standards' are in-fact the lowest animal welfare standards of any quality mark - barely meeting minimum legal requirements. Yet, they have been allowed to continue perpetuating the myth that their stamp is a sign of quality and high welfare in farming.
This pattern of food manufacturers and farmers deliberately misleading the public is also nothing new; I'm sure we're all familiar with the ridiculous adverts and supermarket signage that depict happy animals grazing in green, sunlit pastures. It's false advertising at its worst and people deserve to know if the animal they're about to eat never saw the sun or felt grass beneath their feet.
By marketing these farms as “higher welfare,” the RSPCA perpetuate the myth that animal farming can be humane. But the reality is that animals raised for food—whether they’re on factory farms or “ethical” farms—face a life of suffering, confinement, and, ultimately, a violent end.
Animal Farming Can Never Be Ethical
The reality is simple: animal farming, by its very nature, inflicts suffering on an unimaginable scale. Whether on factory farms or so-called “ethical” farms, animals all face the same excruciating fate. They live and die in a savage system that sees and treats them as commodities, not as living beings. By purchasing products with the RSPCA Assured label, consumers are led to believe they are supporting ethical practices. But no amount of certification or marketing can change the fundamental truth: animals raised for food will always suffer, regardless of the supposed standards or assurances in place.
What Can You Do?
If the RSPCA Assured scandal has shown us anything, it’s that the system is broken. We can’t rely on certifications to fix an industry inherently rooted in exploitation. Instead, we can take a stand against animal suffering by choosing compassion and rejecting animal products altogether.
- Educate Yourself: Understand the realities of animal farming, even within so-called “ethical” systems. Watch documentaries, read investigative reports, and research the labels you see.
- Speak Out: Share information with friends and family about the realities of the RSPCA Assured scheme and similar certifications. The more we raise awareness, the harder it will be for these labels to continue deceiving the public.
-Take Action: Add your voice to Animal Rising's call for the RSPCA to drop the Assured Scheme by signing their petition.
-Donate to Organisations Fighting Back: Support groups and charities who are working to bring an end to cruel farming practices (like us!).
- Go Plant-Based: Reducing or eliminating your consumption of animal products is
one of the most impactful ways to stand against animal exploitation. Not only can you save the lives of hundreds of animals a year by going vegan, but you're also reducing the demand for animal products and refusing to fund cruel farming practices.
Conclusion: Animal Farming is Inherently Cruel
The RSPCA Assured scandal has unmasked a hard truth: the fairytale of 'ethical animal farming' is just that - a fairytale. From childhood, we're sold the myth that farmed animals are somehow protected from needless suffering, but when the UK's largest and most-trusted authority on animal welfare fails to identify barbaric cruelty and instead chooses to stamp its seal of approval on it, there really is no sand left for us to stick our heads in.
As long as animals are treated as commodities that exist solely for human exploitation, cruelty will persist, and no 'cruelty-free' certification can change that.
We can no longer allow the industry to hide behind their flimsy labels and empty assurances - we must take action and we must demand accountability.
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