1925 – Animals Welfare Week

In 1925 the SSPV took part in their first Animals Welfare Week, holding many meetings throughout the week to discuss animal welfare issues.

Miss Lind-af-Hageby - SSPV third President

Various meetings were held on behalf of the SSPV including some with Miss Lind-af-Hageby as a speaker, and one in conjunction with the SSPCA.

Coverage was broadcast by the BBC on its Scottish regional station, where it showed a talk for younger viewers by Mr and Mrs Metcalfe on kindness to animals.

General history

Animals Welfare Week had been running from at least 1923. By the 1930s, it was run in Scotland by the Society, the Scottish Tail-Waggers’ Club, the Council of Justice to Animals and the Humane Slaughter Association (Scotland). It was directed by Netta Ivory and Harvey Metcalfe and celebrated in Scotland by the SSPV.

SSPV leafleting in railway station in 1920s

Animals Welfare Week was a huge success. It started mainly in Glasgow and Edinburgh, where many shop owners gifted use of their premises for propaganda centres, but soon spread throughout Scotland. Thousands of people received leaflets and signed petitions and two railway companies (L.M.S. Railway and L.N.E.R) displayed animal welfare posters for free in almost every railway station in Scotland.

The Daily Record provided premises in Glasgow and heavily advertised Animals Welfare Week, one year lending the SSPV their broadcasting van.

Miss Ivory also had a letter printed in all the major newspapers in the run up to each Animals Welfare Week asking that educational authorities and other groups come together to celebrate the week. The Edinburgh and Glasgow educational authorities were particularly responsive and in 1934 there was 1,750 posters displayed and a huge number of leaflets distributed to children.

Many cinemas, particularly in Glasgow and Edinburgh, supported Animals Welfare Week by showing films about animal rights issues that they imported from elsewhere. Some cinemas also showed slides throughout the week while others allowed collections. In 1936, it was estimated that over 100,000 people in Glasgow alone saw animal welfare films in the one week, with many cinemas showing them three times a day.

Various other events were held throughout the week, such as lectures, daffodil teas, and jumble sales. The SSPV decorated their cars with animal welfare posters and toured them round Glasgow and Edinburgh, and The Council of Justice to Animals took Shetland ponies to Glasgow each year to raise awareness about the live export of horses for slaughter. This started as one pony and its owner and grew into a yearly ‘parade’ with many Shetland ponies, boys in uniforms and people collecting money for the campaign.

Due to the war, Animals Welfare Week was not officially held in Scotland in 1940, but the SSPV did hold a few small fundraising events. It is believed the week stopped completely after this time.

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