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Animal help plea rejected by RSPCA

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Published Date: 02 November 2009
Cobblestones Drive
Illingworth
Halifax
I just want to express my feelings about the RSPCA. I do not believe that they are doing their job properly.

They maintain to not leave any abandoned animal. However, I do not believe this to be the case.

Three weeks ago I took in two abandoned
kittens, one of which I have re-homed with no help from the RSPCA as they refused any help. I did all this by myself.

Today, on the walk to school there was an abandoned dog tied up outside Illingworth Methodist Church and yet again, the RSPCA refused to come and collect the dog so an elderly man took it upon himself and took the dog home.

I would like to start asking the question 'What exactly are the RSPCA doing with our donations?'

They have gone against everything they stand for and I believe this should be made known to everybody so they can see what sort of organisation they are running - Not a very good one!

Three animals that I know of, they have refused to help, how many more have they refused?

I am disgusted at them and they have lost any further donations from me!

Laura Smith


Leanne Plumtree, RSPCA North Regional Press Officer, responded:
I applaud Ms Smith's clear concern for and commitment to animal welfare.

Unfortunately, I don't have enough information to look into what happened in the first example she gives and would like to encourage her to contact us with more details if she is dissatisfied with how we have acted.

In respect of the stray dog, the RSPCA is aware of the confusion surrounding this issue and sympathises with people who are often unsure where to turn to if they see a dog either wandering or tied up alone.

Under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, which came into force in autumn 2007, stray dogs are the responsibility of the local authority and as such the local dog warden.

We can only deal with a stray dog in an absolute emergency, for example if the dog is in imminent danger of death or severe suffering and the local authority is unable to attend.

As a charity entirely dependant on donations there is always a limited number of resources but we do the very best we can with them.

Our aim is always to promote kindness and prevent suffering to all animals as efficiently and effectively as possible.



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  • Last Updated: 10 November 2009 12:19 PM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Halifax
 
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Peter Avinou,

02/11/2009 08:41:39
The RSPCA is not the Halo'ed organisation they would have us believe.
They harrass, they respond to vindictive false calls, and without any prior knowledge, dive in like Sharks in a feeding frenzy.
They ignore calls for help for injured creatures, very often all they will say "is let nature take it's course".
They are a wealthy organisation continually appealing for more and more, to the detriment of kinder, more accessible and better run Animal Charities.
A local solicitor says her involvement in harassment cases has quadrupled in the past 24 months.
Are they an Animal Help charity, or are they, as they wrongly believe, a Police Force.
If they call on you without a Police attendence send them away until they do return with a Police Officer.
Read the internet sites to find better animal Charities to support, and how to deal with them should they call - there are quite a number.
Local RSPCAs are not funded by their mighty HO centre.
Local branches probably do their best on what they can get - but what happens to the millions HO rake in?
Plush offices, highly paid executives - the usual story.
Their demands would take care of a lot of animals we report as needing help.
They should also re-think this funding strategy and animals would benefit.


2

Mick Clarke,

02/11/2009 09:03:51
Aprt from all the above, the letter is clearly signed by Lynn Robinson, but the RSPCA Press Officer refers to her as a Ms Smith!

Doesn't instill much confidence, does it?
3

H.X.Dave,

halifax 02/11/2009 09:19:32
2# Mick - exactly what i was thinking.
4

RFH,

02/11/2009 09:43:33
#2 and 3,
Me too!
5

RFH,

02/11/2009 10:00:49
On the other hand, many people within the RSPCA are frustrated by the restrictions placed on them by the various laws governing the care of animals, particularly the ones that define abandonment.
Yes, the national organisation appears to have plenty of funds – I'm always suspicious of charities who can afford to advertise on national television – but, as Peter says, the local branches have to be self-financing and they struggle to cope with the demand for their services.
To Lynne and the unnamed gentleman, well done for not leaving these animals to their fate. Many people would have simply walked by, so I applaud you both for doing the right thing. In the eyes of the RSPCA however, because you took them in, they were no longer in danger and therefore not an emergency. It’s Sod’s Law, but please don’t let that deter you from helping another abandoned animal.
6

Itcouldbeworse,

02/11/2009 10:28:21
Calderdale are responsible for collecting stray dogs in Calderdale so why didn't she just ring the council rather than go running to the Courier? This I think says a lot about the letter writer.
Personally I think the RSCPA do a great job with the limited resources that they have.
7

Peter Avinou,

02/11/2009 13:23:07
#6
You miss the point?
They haven't limited resources. They are a wealthy organisation. They just leave local branches to beg for themselves. The consequences must be obvious?
8

jigsaw,

Halifax 03/11/2009 10:18:34
RSPCA are an utter waste of space.
A couple of years ago I reported a guy who kept three medium sized dogs in the back of a tiny Peugeot 106 all day - in the full sunshine - without even a window being opened. Their response? "Well its better than being left alone at home". A couple of weeks later one of them died in the car on a particularly hot day.

Yet when we wanted a companion guinea pig for ours (and the Halifax branch had advertised for homes), we had to undergo a lengthy Q & A session on the telephone and (despite having kept guinea pigs, rats, mice, hamsters, tropical fish, cats, dogs,ponies and horses) had to agree to "accept guidance" and have a home visit to assess our suitability. Hello, Pets at Home!

As per comments above, they will never get a penny out of me, I am more than happy to donate to animal charities but will make sure my money goes towards the welfare of the animals not supporting a bureaucratic bunch of parasites.
9

Peter Avinou,

03/11/2009 15:03:04
#9 Jigsaw
Strong words but regretably true. I volunteer for advice giving sessions every Sunday. Your story is the most frequent we hear. Kittens, etc sold for punitive sums, when in the main these are dumped, or strays looking to be rehomed.
Questionaires that indicate that you are really not to be trusted with anything.
Strange thing is that our principle taught RSPCA officers for donkeys years in exotic and all pets husbandary, and yet they had a go at him on a false malicious call they had received from some crank.
Proven so too after a lot of hassle.
He now refuses to help them in any way.
Things could be better handled, and the recent legislation hasn't really helped.
Such a lot of willing people to help them and they are deterred in these petty ways.

10

Safewings,

Northants 03/11/2009 16:15:41
Perhaps the rspca respondent could explain as to why the rspca does not use some of its` £100 m plus to counter the negative side of abandoned animals and in so doing see an end to acts like the 60,000+ animals they killed in 2008.
For many the catalyst for ill feeling towards the rspca has come from the 10 GSD dogs they killed with a bolt gun and the unnecessary death of a Golden Eagle whilst entrusted into one of the rspca`s rescues.
The rspca have lost their way and nothing suprises me now regarding their obvious contempt for all too many animals
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