The RSPCA could be deprived of its powers to prosecute people for animal abuse after MPs begun an investigation into whether it was fitting for a charity to bring legal action.
Politicians are planning to launch a formal inquiry into not only the RSPCA's powers, but also the extension of other animal charities.
It would ensure the “right cases” are taken to court, Neil Parish, chariman of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee told the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme.
"Sometimes there are cases which we feel they shouldn't have prosecuted on,” he said. “Other times we would like to know why they didn't prosecute.”
In England and Wales, animal welfare groups have the power to prosecute suspected offenders, whereas in Scotland and Northern Ireland this power would lie with the state.
However, the RSPCA says its private prosecutions save the government £50 million a year.
An RSPCA spokesman said in a statement it would "welcome a parliamentary inquiry into the way in which prosecutions are carried out by the charity".
The statement added: "An inquiry would provide Parliamentarians with an opportunity to consider the implications of the independent review of the RSPCA’s prosecutions activity carried out last year by Stephen Wooler, the former Chief Inspector of the Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate, in which he concluded that the society should continue its role as a prosecuting body and praised the charity for its 'huge contribution to animal welfare'."
