SPCA History & Structure

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) started in England in 1824 (five years before Britain's first police force) and is recognised as the world's oldest and most influential animal welfare organisation.

RNZSPCA stands for the Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It is a voluntary organisation which, through its district branches, provides help to animals and owners 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Society operates at two levels - national and district. The national governing body of the RNZSPCA organisation is the National Council, elected at the annual general meeting by representatives from the districts. Each of the 54 local SPCAs incorporates in its title the name of the district in which it operates. Not all local SPCAs are "branches". A small number are member societies and use "RNZ" in their name. Each of the 54 local SPCAs runs its own affairs and handles its own finances. An elected committee controls the activities. The larger SPCAs have paid staff, but most rely on unpaid volunteers. Each has one or more warranted inspectors, paid or unpaid, to investigate complaints of cruelty and to enforce the Animal Welfare Act 1999.