Rescuing Wildlife Responsibly

Following a recent internal review, the Scottish SPCA identified a legal compliance issue relating to the use of pentobarbital, a controlled drug used by trained frontline staff to humanely end suffering in severely injured wildlife. As soon as this issue was identified, we acted quickly to withdraw the drug from use.

We are now working closely and proactively with the relevant authorities to address this matter. In the meantime, we have made operational changes to how we provide end-of-life care to wildlife who need it. These changes involve working in close collaboration with our partners and veterinary professionals to ensure that animals continue to receive compassionate, timely support.

What This Means in Practice

We remain fully operational and continue to respond to every wildlife call-out we receive.

Our experienced frontline teams are:

• Responding to wildlife emergencies across Scotland.
• Working alongside veterinary partners and wildlife charities to deliver expert care.
• Continuing to rehabilitate and release hundreds of wild animals through our National Wildlife Rescue Centre.
• Being supported by a dedicated internal taskforce who are monitoring and guiding interim procedures.

“Our mission is to care for all animals, always and this has not changed. We are minimising the impact any changes have on animals, colleagues and our partners. We are incredibly proud of the resilience and continued dedication everyone has shown throughout as we work towards a long-term solution.”

— Anna Hart, Interim Chief Executive

Looking Ahead

Our Board has commissioned an independent external review to understand how this situation arose and to put in place a sustainable and compliant future model. This will support our teams, strengthen our processes, and ensure we continue to lead the way in care.

Our priority remains unchanged: to rescue, protect and lead the conversation on animal welfare.