Brian May resigned from the RSPCA — the organisation literally created to prevent cruelty to animals — because it wasn't preventing enough cruelty to animals. His Instagram post triggered celebrity open letters from Ricky Gervais and Joanna Lumley, a 60-organisation petition, an internal investigation — and the RSPCA's own Chief Executive stepped down. Never underestimate a rock guitarist with a cause.
Brian May had been Vice President of the RSPCA since 2012.
Twelve years. Fundraising. Campaigning. Lending his name and his platform to one of the oldest animal welfare organisations in the world.
Then in September 2024 — he found out what was happening on some of the farms carrying the RSPCA Assured label.
Investigations had found overcrowding, poor hygiene and physical abuse of livestock by farm workers — on over 40 farms certified under the RSPCA Assured scheme. Supermarkets including Aldi, Lidl, Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury's and Tesco were all signed up to the scheme.
Brian May waited. Gave the organisation time to respond properly.
He watched. And felt their response was completely inadequate.
On September 26th, 2024 — he posted his resignation letter on Instagram.
"It is with profound sadness and not without massive soul-searching that today I have to offer my resignation as a vice-president of the RSPCA. Good folks out there are still paying extra for animal produce with the RSPCA sticker on it — thinking they are protecting farm animals from cruelty. In the end there was no other option for me."
Then the chain reaction began.
The very next day — Bryan Adams, Moby, Ricky Gervais, Peter Egan, Joanna Lumley, Miriam Margolyes and Jerome Flynn all signed an open letter urging the RSPCA to drop the scheme. Over 60 animal protection organisations signed alongside them.
The RSPCA launched an internal review. Its Chief Executive announced he was stepping down by the end of the year.
Brian May had given twelve years of service to the RSPCA — helping keep it afloat during particularly difficult times for British charities.
He resigned from the animal protection society — for insufficient animal protection.
Nobody in British public life has ever done anything more Brian May than this.
Dottie's Little Hog Hospital has rescued them, and has seen 5 cases in the past month. Rescuer Rosie Fisher said: "We think it's probably people seeing hedgehogs in their garden and thinking that it's their hedgehog and marking it." This cruel act is toxic, and can be deadly too.
We've banned live exports from Britain, now we need this to happen around the world.
We’ve written an open letter to the World Organisation for Animal Health (@WOAH) calling on them to end this inhumane trade.
Add your name: https://t.co/pbuRudRpML
#BanLiveExports
Ahead of #BanLiveExports International Awareness Day, more than 130 charities, celebrities and experts from 33 countries have joined our call for a global ban on live exports.
Add your name to our open letter: https://t.co/pbuRudRpML
Can we please ask you to Share for Axl? He’s not had any enquiries at all. We cover the whole of Scotland and beyond for the right home.
Axl is a 1.5 year old German Shepherd Cross Rottweiler.
He is good with older kids but will bark at other dogs.
Axl is in need of a new home through no fault of his own.
He is chipped and chemically neutered.
Axl is healthy with no medical issues.
He eats a mix of wet and dry food and is also crate trained.
He sleeps in his crate and is registered at the vets.
Axl is okay in the car and will bark at people to begin with but will settle.
He would be best without other dogs or cats in a home.
Ideally he would suit someone who can give him further training.
Axl is vaccinated.
For more information or to offer a new home please email [email protected]
قضى الدب "سينوتشوك" نحو 9 سنوات داخل قفص معدني ضيق، لا تتجاوز مساحته 4 أمتار مربعة 💔
9 سنوات من القهر… أُجبر خلالها على أداء عروض السيرك، متنقّلًا داخل مركبات، محرومًا من أبسط حقوقه في الحرية
حياة كاملة سُرقت منه، فقط من أجل الترفيه على حساب معاناته
لكن لحظة إنقاذه كانت بداية حياة جديدة…
بعد نقله إلى موطنه الجديد، تغيّر كل شيء
أصبح دبًا سعيدًا، يستكشف، يلعب، ويعيش كما خُلق له أن يعيش
قصة "سينوتشوك" تذكير مؤلم بأن الحيوانات ليست وسيلة للترفيه، بل كائنات تشعر وتتألم
الرفق بالحيوان ليس خيارًا… بل إنسانية 💗
After more than 100 years, beach donkey rides in parts of Wales are officially coming to an end.
For generations, donkey rides were seen as a classic part of seaside holidays. Families grew up with them, children waited in line for them – it became a tradition many people never questioned.
But over time, that started to change. More people began asking what these long days on crowded beaches were actually like for the donkeys themselves.
Concerns about heat, exhaustion, physical strain, and stressful working conditions slowly pushed the debate into the spotlight.
One of the biggest changes happened at Coney Beach in Porthcawl, where donkey rides that had existed for decades will no longer continue after new restrictions involving animals on the beach were introduced.
For some, it feels sad seeing such an old tradition disappear. But others believe traditions should evolve when animal welfare is involved.
Because memories and entertainment should never come at the cost of an animal spending its life carrying people in the heat.
And maybe this is part of a bigger shift in how society now chooses to treat animals – with more compassion than before.
#BanBeachDonkeyRides #WalesForAnimals #EndAnimalCruelty #CompassionateTraditions #ProtectDonkeys
🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲 DAY 11 💔💔💔💔💔
BRING ELEANOR HOME 💔💔💔💔💔
WE ARE HEART BROKEN 💔💔💔💔
€2,000 REWARD FOR HER SAFE RETURN / INFORMATION
Day 11, and we are still searching for Eleanor. We will not give up ❤️💔
Please keep an eye out for Eleanor, and if you think you may have seen her, or have any information at all, please get in touch immediately. Take pics, videos…please HELP US 💔💔💔
Thank you for your continued support. Let's bring Eleanor home 💔💔💔💔💔💔
https://t.co/khGRB1UCOj
€2,000 reward for information
Call or text: +353 (87) 261 1463
#bringeleanorhome
Only me... 🤦♀️🐴
I came to Spain for a few days to spend time with family, reflect, grieve the loss of my mum, and hopefully enjoy a bit of peace and quiet.
The plan was simple: feed some local donkeys and relax.
What could possibly go wrong?
Well... I noticed one donkey was struggling because his bridle lead had become wrapped around his front leg. He was clearly uncomfortable and, as anyone who knows me will tell you, there was absolutely no chance I was walking away and pretending I hadn't seen it.
Not. A. Chance.
So there I was, in rural Spain, trying to explain to emergency services that a donkey needed rescuing. My Spanish isn't exactly award-winning, and at one point I think everyone involved was wondering whether I'd completely lost the plot.
But the amazing thing is, they listened.
Before long, a team of Spanish firefighters arrived. And when I say a team, I mean SEVEN firefighters! 🚒
Honestly, the donkey must have thought he'd won the lottery.
The firefighters were absolutely brilliant, kind, professional, patient, and completely committed to helping. They safely freed the lead, checked the donkey over, and made sure he was comfortable before leaving.
It was one of those moments that restores your faith in humanity.
So a huge salute to the Spanish firefighters who treated one tangled-up donkey as if he was the most important emergency of the day. Heroes. ❤️
And a special mention to @RickyGervais , I know how much he loves donkeys, supporting them with his @DutchBarnVodka .
Somewhere in Spain today, one donkey was helped thanks to 7 firefighters and one woman who simply couldn't mind her own business. 😂🐴
Urgent, please retweet to help Coco find a FOSTER HOME #SUSSEX#UK - Must be able to attend local vet appointments. Abandoned, now in a council pound‼️
Yes ... yet ANOTHER abandoned, badly bred, deformed little Frenchie!!!! What on earth is wrong with this country!!!
Currently in council pound kennels and needing our help!
The 'owner' on her microchip has been contacted and says that they rehomed her before moving!
She was born on 1/4/21
Her teeth are understandably pretty dreadful, her breathing is poor and she is very underweight...
She will, no doubt need fairly extensive veterinary work but for now we need to get her to us and into foster to care for her while we help her recover
Thank you for reading and sharing
Details or apply for Coco below 👇
https://t.co/NosLT7ju5P
PLEASE ONLY APPLY IF YOU CAN COMMIT TO VET VISITS FOR US
#dogs #Frenchie #FrenchBulldogs #adoptdontshop @lucydahlia@JaneFallon@rickygervais@domdyer70@KatieAmess@AndrewRosindell@AlistairCarns@APDAWG1
Coco, desperate to be saved from a council pound, needs a local foster home, posted 11 June 2026 💔
Please do help us with this fundraising appeal.
Sharing is caring and helping & even a £1 donation supports us.
We really do need to raise this amount as we’re having to take legal action against a borough Council for an outstanding debt they owe us. 🥲🙏
https://t.co/pbCA8PfYMo
Well done to the brave young women in JD Sports Ilford who took on the thugs trying to loot their store & retrieving some of the stolen goods
Shoplifters like this belong in prison. Shame Labour plans to abolish prison sentences for 99.9% of shoplifters