| Administrative History | The Aberdeen Association for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (AAPCA) was founded in 1870 by a group of Aberdeen civic representatives, advocates and ministers, in direct response to growing contemporary concern over the inadequacy of existing provisions for animal welfare in the north-east of Scotland. Undoubtedly the founding fathers drew inspiration from the work already achieved by the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, formed in Edinburgh in 1840, the Glasgow and West of Scotland Society, founded in 1856, and the Dundee Society established in 1864. Generally speaking the aims of these organisations were broadly comparable - the repression of cruelty to animals, the promotion of more vigorous animal welfare legislation on both a local and national level, and the implementation of an education programme focusing especially on the young. Entirely self-funding, the AAPCA Board of Directors traditionally relied on funds from subscriptions, donations and bequests to support the Association's work. Although collectors could expect a small payment from the Association, the only salaried employees were the inspectors. Principally, the inspectors' duties comprised the investigation of public complaints of cruelty to domestic pets, farm animals and wildlife, as well as the fostering of goodwill towards animals through educational talks to schools in the Aberdeenshire area. In more recent times the AAPCA staffing levels was increased to include a full-time education and publicity officer. On 20 August 1996, one hundred and twenty-six years of autonomy came to an end when the Association merged with the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals whose head office is located in Edinburgh. |