In a bold and creative act of protest at the Philip Mould gallery in London, activists from Animal Rising targeted a portrait of King Charles III, overlaying it with a Wallace character from “Wallace and Gromit” as part of their ‘redecoration’.

The iconic image, coupled with a speech bubble that read, “No cheese Gromit, look at this cruelty on RSPCA farms!” was intended to spotlight alleged cruelty at RSPCA-accredited farms.

Captured on video, the protest involved two activists swiftly applying the poster to the painting by British artist Jonathan Yeo, emphasizing that the modifications were easily removable and would not damage the artwork.

Daniel Juniper, a former nursery teacher and one of the activists involved, explained the rationale behind their choice of imagery: “With King Charles being such a big fan of Wallace and Gromit, we couldn’t think of a better way to draw his attention to the horrific scenes on RSPCA-assured farms.” The activists aimed to leverage the King’s well-known affection for the film series and his position as the Royal Patron of the RSPCA to highlight the plight of farm animals.

“Even though we hope this is amusing to His Majesty, we also call on him to seriously reconsider if he wants to be associated with the awful suffering across farms being endorsed by the RSPCA,” Juniper added.

“Charles has made it clear he is sensitive to the suffering of animals on UK farms; now is the perfect time for him to step up and call on the RSPCA to drop the Assured Scheme and tell the truth about animal farming.”

This protest followed a damning report by Animal Rising that unveiled widespread abuse and neglect across 45 RSPCA-certified farms. Their investigation alleged 280 legal breaches, painting a stark picture of the suffering endured by animals under a scheme meant to assure their well-being.

Activists from the Animal Justice Project conducted extensive undercover investigations at various farms, which were certified under the RSPCA Assured scheme. These investigations revealed disturbing practices, including violence against pigs and inhumane conditions at egg-laying hen farms.

At some pig farms, investigators documented workers using electric prods, hitting, kicking, and throwing piglets. This behavior occurred despite RSPCA Assured standards that prohibit such cruel practices and the use of electric goads, except as a last resort and only on an animal’s hindquarters.

The situation at egg-laying hen farms was equally troubling. Activists reported overcrowding, severe neglect, and high mortality rates among hens. They observed numerous health issues, including prolapses and severe feather loss, suggesting chronic stress and poor living conditions. This was in stark contrast to the higher welfare standards promised by RSPCA Assured certification.

These findings have raised significant concerns about the efficacy of RSPCA’s certification and oversight mechanisms, prompting discussions about the integrity of welfare standards in certified farms. The exposure by activists aims to challenge the assurances given by such certifications and encourage a reevaluation of animal welfare practices in the industry.

The gallery confirmed that no damage had been done to the portrait.

The RSPCA responded to the protest by acknowledging the need for scrutiny but condemning the illegal method used. An RSPC spokesperson stated, “We welcome scrutiny of our work, but we cannot condone illegal activity of any kind. We remain confident that our RSPCA assured scheme is the best way to help farmed animals right now, while campaigning to change their lives in the future.” They emphasized that any welfare concerns on certified farms are taken very seriously and that swift action would be taken to investigate the allegations.

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