History

The Ulster Society for the Prevention Cruelty to Animals (USPCA) is the second oldest Animal Welfare Charity in the world. It was founded in 1836 by Commander Francis Anderson Calder, a retired navy officer, as the Belfast SPCA. The eventual name change from Belfast to Ulster SPCA acknowledged the scale, scope and success of the Charity’s expanded operations across the province.

The Charity’s first initiative was to erect water troughs across the city for the sustenance of the heavily burdened working horses in industrial Belfast. Just over a year after its inception the charity had successfully lobbied for the Act of Parliament ‘relating to the cruel and improper treatment of animals’ to be extended to Ireland.

The purpose of our founders to ‘Prevent Cruelty and Relieve Suffering’ remains as the driving force for our charitable activities today. Whilst there are heartless individuals willing to inflict unnecessary suffering on animals the need for a USPCA remains.