Following a year with positive progresses for animals, we welcome you to join the OneKind team in looking ahead to a 2024 of working together to achieve greater protections for animals.

Together, thanks to the ongoing support of fellow organisations and our supporters, we played a part in securing significant animal welfare successes in 2023. These achievements for animals included a ban on the ‘sport’ of fox hunting, a snaring ban commitment and gaining support for an end to dog racing in Scotland.

This year, we hope our campaigns will succeed in delivering greater protections for animals, but we’ll need your help. 

We launch our Stand Up for Pigs campaign with an exhibition at the Scottish Parliament

On Monday 29th January, we launched our new campaign to urge the Scottish Government to consult on a phase out of farrowing crates – cages for mother pigs – in Scotland.

The following day, we commenced a 3-day long exhibition at the Scottish Parliament which included an eye-catching feature; a full-sized replica farrowing crate, which is barely bigger than the sow herself. Colin Smyth MSP (pictured) kindly sponsored the stall.

Over those days, we appreciated speaking with 29 MSPs about the negative physical and mental impacts that these cages have on both the mother pig and her babies, including denying the sow of carrying out her natural maternal behaviours or nesting with her piglets.

Overall, it was a brilliant opportunity to speak with decision makers and raise awareness of our campaign.

Unbound the Greyhound: Scottish Greens to launch Bill to ban greyhound racing

We are delighted that Mark Ruskell MSP (pictured) has announced his intention to bring a Bill to the Scottish Parliament to ban greyhound racing. 
As co-ordinators of the Unbound the Greyhound campaign, we are, of course, incredibly supportive of Mr Ruskell’s plans to bring forth legislation that would make it illegal to race dogs and put an end to Scotland’s last remaining dog racing track – the unregulated Thornton, in Fife.

Thank you to everyone who has backed the Unbound the Greyhound campaign – your support has led to parliamentary action for greyhounds!

“Greyhound racing is beyond reform and it’s time to bring it finally to an end”. Mark Ruskell MSP.

Read the blog

Ban snares campaign: Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill update

As the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland Bill progresses through Parliament, we will be keeping you, our supporter, updated on key stages as we appreciate your support in our decades-long campaign to see snares banned in Scotland – once and for all.

This is the Bill that intends to ban glue traps, license grouse shooting, give the Scottish SPCA added powers to investigate wildlife crime and fully ban the use of snares, among other intentions.

Recently, we have written a detailed briefing for MSPs supporting some amendments that would strengthen the animal welfare protections in the Bill and recommending they reject others that would weaken those protections.

Over 40 venues celebrated Christmas without live reindeer in 2023

We are pleased to bring you a further update of positive progress in our campaign to cease the use of live reindeer as props in festive displays, as a total of 44 events (that previously used live animals between 2018-2022) held animal-free celebrations last year.

This came in response to calls from our supporters and an open letter we co-ordinated – signed by 11 animal welfare organisations – and sent to 219 venues and all local authorities throughout the UK.

Thank you to everyone who wrote to their local venues and urged them to opt for a compassionate Christmas for animals.

We would also like to express our thanks to our campaign colleagues; Freedom for Animals, Born Free Foundation and Animal Aid.

Read the blog

Scottish Government prepares to ban XL Bully dogs

On the 11th January, the Scottish Government announced plans to replicate the UK Government’s ban in England and Wales on keeping XL Bully dogs without an exception certificate. We, like many of you, are saddened and worried by this news.

Subject to parliamentary approval, this will be enacted in two stages from February 23rd, with rules coming into force before finally, from August 1st, it will be illegal to keep an XL Bully dog without having applied for an exemption certificate.

Prior to the Scottish Government’s decision, the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission (SAWC) clearly explained all the concerns for the dogs and people involved in the published letter ‘XL Bully dogs: letter to Victims and Community Safety Minister’.

Read SAWC's letter

Save the date: OneKind’s Fundraiser for Animals live music event on Saturday 9th March!

We are thrilled to announce our exciting event to raise funds for our work to protect animals! You are invited to join us for an evening of live music from bands and musicians - with more still to be announced – on Saturday 9th March from 7pm at the Mash House in Edinburgh.

Tickets cost £8 each and ALL proceeds from the event will go directly towards our campaigns to expose and end cruelty to animals.

Not only will you enjoy a fantastic gig, you will also be supporting OneKind's work for animals! Please share this event with your friends, family and fellow animal lovers. We hope to see you there!

Get your tickets today!

The Winter Warmers Raffles raised over £1,200!

Thank you to everyone who supported our Winter Warmers Raffle by purchasing a ticket. Together, you raised £1,249 which will go straight to our campaigns to protect animals from cruelty!

We appreciate all the independent, ethical businesses and animal-loving individuals who generously donated amazing prizes for our supporters to win.

We would love to run an even bigger and better one this spring, so if anyone would like to donate a prize, please contact us at: [email protected].

Thank you for supporting our Appeal for Pigs

We are grateful to all who kindly supported our winter appeal for pigs, thank you.

Thanks to your compassion for animals, you raised an incredible over £4,200 towards our campaigns, including our current campaign to end the use of farrowing crates for pigs in Scotland.

As our work for animals is funded by the generosity of our wonderful supporters, we couldn’t continue to advocate for greater protections for animals without your ongoing support.