Yesterday, the First Minister set out his Programme for Government, outlining the Scottish Government's priorities for 2024-25. While we welcome many of the commitments made today, it’s clear that we are all facing a very challenging economic climate, and further difficult decisions will likely need to be made. The expectation of what’s to come, given the tough budgetary constraints, is a cause for great concern—particularly for the third sector. More can and must be done.
We welcome the First Minister’s commitment to improve access to mental health services. Our inspectorate colleagues are in homes across the country on a daily basis and have seen the impact that mental health can have on people’s lives, and the knock on effect to pet ownership. We are working hard within communities across Scotland to support people, get them the help they need and keep people and their pets together.
We are pleased to see investment into affordable housing. The Scottish SPCA has been actively contributing to the Housing (Scotland) Bill discussions. We know the important role pets can play in people’s lives. As part of our Pets and Tenants Together campaign we found that over 75% of tenants stated they had a pet for emotional (77%) and mental health (83%) support. When asked ‘what would you do if you were told you couldn’t keep your pet in your current accommodation’ 69% of respondents stated that they would seek to move house, even if it meant risking becoming homeless.
Given our extensive rescue and rehabilitative work in our bid to help and protect Scotland’s wildlife, it was heartening to see a continued commitment to our natural environment, tackling climate change and biodiversity loss and with that we look forward to seeing the introduction of the natural environment bill into parliament. However, for us and most disappointingly, there was a clear lack of commitment to improving animal welfare. Indeed, there was no mention at all of this and we very much see this as an opportunity missed.
Across all sectors of society, we are facing increasingly difficult challenges. While we appreciate that the Scottish Government has had to make tough decisions—and likely more to come—we must not lose sight of the urgent animal welfare crisis in Scotland, which has broader implications for communities and individuals across the country.
Every day, our teams, in every community, are witnessing a growing number of animals in need of care, protection, and a voice. We see first-hand the impact of the cost of living crisis and the strain it’s placing on public services, pet owners and farmers, which is ultimately increasing the demand on our services. This crisis is real, and unless we act now and secure real commitments to animal welfare from the Scottish Government, it is likely to worsen.
As with anything in life, challenge brings opportunity—and we must take significant steps forward now to seize it. Here at the Scottish SPCA, we recognise the need to unite across various sectors—government, private, public, charitable, and community—to find innovative, and adaptive solutions. We stand ready to support our companion, farm and wild animals alongside the communities they coexist with. The Scottish SPCA is committed to being part of that solution, advocating for stronger protections, and providing the services and education needed to improve animal welfare across Scotland, making our country the best place in the world for animals to live.
While not specifically mentioned in today’s Programme for Government, we urge the Scottish Government to help us tackle issues within the following crucial areas:
- Animal Abuse - We need to create a UK National Animal Offenders Register within existing intelligence systems so that we truly make an impact when it comes to breaking the cycle of animal and human abuse.
- Animal Breeding - We want to see an end to animals being bred in the UK with characteristics that impact their quality of life.
- Animal Ownership – We want to see an animal ownership licensing register for anyone who has responsibility for an animal regardless of species be established. Being responsible for an animal should be seen as a privilege.
- Animals and the Environment – We want to live in a world where wildlife crime no longer exists. We want to see that the restoration and regeneration of Scotland’s biodiversity across the country has been achieved.
Together, let’s work towards a future where the economic recovery of our nation and animal welfare go hand in hand.
Thank you to everyone who continues to support us and the incredible work our teams deliver daily. Let’s continue to make a difference, one animal at a time.
