The RSPCA has still not appointed a permanent chief executive, two years after Gavin Grant stepped down for health reasons.

In July the charity made David Canavan interim chief executive while it continues the process of recruiting a permanent successor to Grant.

Canavan is the charity’s vice-chair and is not paid for the role. He was the RSPCA’s director of corporate development before being elected to the charity’s Council, which are its trustees, last year.

When Civil Society News spoke to the charity in February 2015 a spokesman said that the charity hoped to have someone in place by the spring.

Newspaper reports have suggested that some candidates had pulled out of the process and the charity readvertised the post last autumn. 

In a statement the charity said: “At a meeting on 1 July 2015 David Canavan succeeded as interim chief executive. He will remain in post and lead the society until a permanent role has been appointed.

"The recruitment process for a chief executive has to be a measured, thorough process and is currently ongoing. As soon as we can update on this we will."