Richard D. Ryder

As a campaigner Ryder modernised theRoyal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), setting up it's animal welfare policies, scientific and campaigning departments and played a leading role in achieving half a dozen pieces of new UK legislation as well as approximately 20 EU reforms protecting animals. He achieved this in his roles as a senior RSPCA Trustee (e.g. Chairman) as Director of The Political Animal Lobby (PAL) and as an employee of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

In later years Ryder revived the use of psychobiography, suggesting new psychological insights into the behaviour of many great figures of history. He also helped to set up the

Animal Interfaith Alliance that brought together animal supporters from the major faiths.

Ryder has been described idiosyncratically as "the Moses of the Animal Welfare movement"

(Rt Hon Lord Houghton of Sowerby, CH, 1980), "the man who changed the direction of the

RSPCA over the course of 40 years" (BBC Radio 4, The Report, 30 July 2015), "the stormy

petrel of the RSPCA" (V S Pritchett, CH, 1985), "the leading British animal rights

intellectual" (Country Life, 1995) and "the father of the modern animal rights movement"

(Mail on Sunday, 28 June 2015). Peter Singer has said "Ryder's thoughts on ethical issues

have been extremely influential; his concept of speciesism had a momentous impact on my

own work" (2015).

Ryder twice ran for Parliament as a Liberal Democrat and has helped many human welfare

charities. His moral theory has widespread implications for human society and applies to

human as well as to nonhuman animals. He is often under political attack from hunters and

other animal abusers, who have frequently misrepresented his liberal reforms and lawful

democratic tactics.