The player is loading ...
Sign up to get updates from us
In this episode we were lucky enough to catch up, earlier this year, with Mike Flynn MBE, Chief Superintendent of the Scottish SPCA, and we caught up just before he retired, to find out more about his 37-year career protecting animals both across Scotland and further afield. We consider the achievements of this career and challenges of working in animal welfare, including organising the largest dog-fighting capture in Europe, in 1991, that resulted in 31 arrests and convictions.
We highlight the work of the Scottish SPCA, and how they work within current legislation.
We look at the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act of 2006, which granted Scottish SPCA inspectors statutory powers, and we also look at more recent achievements in relation to animal welfare, including a ban on snaring, which has been effective in Scotland from November 2024.
Mike advocates for better enforcement of animal welfare laws, including a national register for animal abusers and stronger penalties. And on a lighter note, we also share memorable cases, such as transporting a crocodile to Spain and rescuing an ostrich in Leith Walk, Edinburgh.
On thing that we hope everyone takes away from this conversation is the urgent need for Government to update the Veterinary Surgeons Act of 1966 - a lot has changed over the last 58 years and this really is something that needs to be considered.
We hope you will join the animal welfare conversation.
Links for further information:
Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals | SSPCA
SSPCA 2024 Winter Appeal TV advert
Home - Safeguarding People And Animals - The Links Group
Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006
Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011
Biography: Mike Flynn MBE
Mike recently retired as Chief Superintendent of the Scottish SPCA, having started working for them in 1987. Mike set up the Scottish SPCA undercover unit, tackling areas of cruelty including organised dog fighting, badger baiting and puppy farming, and also wrote the first Inspectors’ Instruction manual approved by the Crown Office.
Within the Scottish SPCA Mike was responsible for all uniformed staff of the society; all Parliamentary issues relating to animal welfare for both devolved and reserved issues; and dealing with all animal welfare related Government consultations, including the provision of oral evidence to both Scottish and Westminster Committees. He has assisted in the implementation of animal welfare legislation around the world including Jersey, North and Southern Ireland, Canada and Catalonia.
Mike is a founder member of the original Links Group (exploring the link between animal and human abuse), is an independent external animal welfare advisor and was awarded an MBE in the Queens 80th birthday honours list for services to animal welfare in Scotland. He is an Honorary associate of the BVA (British Veterinary Association) and RCVS (Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons) and advises Scottish Government through membership of the Scottish Government’s Animal Welfare Commission.
Vet, Medical Educator, Company Director
Dr Mary Fraser BVMS MRes PhD CertVD MAcadMEd MIoD PGCHE FHEA FRSPH FRSB FRSM FRCVS
Mary has had a varied career, starting out in mixed practice, then focussing on veterinary dermatology, veterinary nursing, medical education, animal welfare, owner support and clinical decision making. She was awarded Fellowship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2017 for Meritorious Contributions to Practice and is a past Chair of the RCVS Fellowship Science Advisory Panel.
Working both as a clinician and academic, Mary has a PhD in immunological aspects of canine atopic dermatitis and the RCVS Certificate in Veterinary Dermatology, worked in referral practice, and also set up her own first opinion/referral small animal practice in rural Perthshire.
In between this, she had the opportunity to work in veterinary nursing at both FE and HE levels becoming a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Member of the Academy of Medical Educators, and alongside Simon Girling, setting up the Advanced Programme in Veterinary Nursing of Exotics a postgraduate training programme for veterinary nurses that has now been running for over 20 years and trained over 1000 vet nurses.
She is a accomplished researcher and author, with over 100 published articles, book chapters, books and papers. Areas of work include veterinary dermatology, medical education, preparing students for practice, the challenges of clinical decision making, providing better support in practice for clients with sight loss, and the application of evidence based medicine in practice.
During her ti…
Read More
Mike recently retired as Chief Superintendent of the Scottish SPCA, having started working for them in 1987. Mike set up the Scottish SPCA undercover unit, tackling areas of cruelty including organised dog fighting, badger baiting and puppy farming, also wrote the first Inspectors’ Instruction manual approved by the Crown Office.
Within the Scottish SPCA Mike was responsible for all uniformed staff of the society; all Parliamentary issues relating to animal welfare for both devolved and reserved issues; and dealing with all animal welfare related Government consultations, including the provision of oral evidence to both Scottish and Westminster Committees. He has assisted in the implementation of animal welfare legislation around the world including Jersey, North and Southern Ireland, Canada and Catalonia.
Mike is a founder member of the original Links Group (exploring the link between animal and human abuse) and is an independent external animal welfare advisor and was awarded an MBE in the Queens 80th birthday honours list for services to animal welfare in Scotland. He is an Honorary associate of the BVA (British Veterinary Association) and RCVS (Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons) and advises Scottish Government through membership of the Scottish Government’s Animal Welfare Commission.