Animal welfare charity withdraws island services

The Scottish SPCA has said it is withdrawing "dedicated resources" from Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles as part of cost savings.

The animal welfare charity said its divisions were being reduced from four to three as part of restructuring.

The organisation confirmed it was facing operational cuts of 20%.

A spokesperson said the charity would continue to respond to concerns and promote animal welfare through partnerships with local vets and other agencies.

The SSPCA said claims there would be no island coverage were "incorrect".

A spokesperson said the "small number" of island cases would be assessed and investigated with support from its north inspectorate team.

The charity said the withdrawal of "dedicated resources" did not mean the charity was "completely stepping away" from island communities.