Find out what we think – read our submission to the UK College of Policing’s consultation for conducting effective investigations
Protect animals, protect people
For those of us of a certain age, PC George Dixon signing off from duty on our black and white television sets was somehow comforting. To know that a bobby on the beat was there to protect us was reassuring. (For those far too young to remember, a quick web search will introduce you to an iconic image from your parents’, or grandparents’, lives.)
Times have changed in many ways since PC Dixon retired but policing the community is still the same. It is about protecting the vulnerable in society from those who seek to abuse and exploit them. The number of human victims of violence is high, as many as one in four have suffered family violence for example and often those in the home are MOST vulnerable. Many women victims won’t leave the place of violence because they are concerned for their pets and face further aggression when staying.
Abusers know their victims’ weaknesses and will use children and animals to inflict further psychological pain.
As an animal charity, our role is to protect animals caught up in the cruelty and to explain that when animals are protected, people are too. A family or community that shows compassion for animals will be a safer one for all of us.
College of Policing
That’s why, as a retired police detective, I felt we should submit our thoughts to the UK’s College of Policing’s recent request for consultation on investigations.
What else are we doing to protect animals and people?
In Ukraine, and now Moldova, where we have been pushing for change since 2018, violence committed by children is increasingly part of criminal law. Around the world, there is increased awareness that those who seek to abuse animals pose a threat to society and we would like the UK to recognise this formally too. You’ll be hearing more of this from us through 2023 as it has featured in our training work in Canada, in Italy and now in India.
You might also be interested in some of the international speakers taking part in our conference for Ukraine. They are experts in this area of work, and we are so grateful for their involvement.
For now, “Evening All”.
Written by Mark Randell, Campaign Manager
