Can Anyone Help? Appauled by the RSPCA

Mynyddcymro

Mynyddcymro

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I am so disgusted with the RSPCA and some of humankind it's unreal. I have given up expecting anything from the RSPCA and cannot contact World Horse Welfare until tomorrow due to bank holidays etc.
On 2nd January I found out about a pony found dead in the old field I used to rent for my own ponies. The mare - a Section A pony (who also had a 6month old foal) was believed to have died on Christmas Eve, yet nothing was done until New Years Day. It turns out that whilst my YO was out riding she was approached by a woman who lives in one of the flats backing onto the field who asked if she could help because there had been a dead pony in the field for a week and had contacted the RSPCA several times with no-one coming out and didn't know what else to do. YO then went to see where the pony was and found the mare in a skeletal state with her foal still nudging her body. YO called RSPCA and demanded they come out that day, offering to take the foal back to our yard. When the Inspector turned up he flippantly said 'well if you take the foal then that's one less thing for me to deal with'.
It also turns out the people who own the field (Not the slightest bit horsey) had known the mare had been dead for a week, and would have clearly seen her getting thinner and thinner (i've seen the mare and I didn't think a pony could become so thin).
The RSPCA then allowed the owner of the ponies to take the foal away later that afternoon without any questioning, leaving two other Section A's in with the dead mare.
What 'ANIMAL LOVING' charity would allow someone who had let an animal starve to death carry on 'caring' for the ponies?
We don't know where the foal is now and the field owners will refuse to give us a contact number so we can simply find out if it's okay.
So right now we're at a dead end and it's really upsetting.
I'll be contacting WHW tomorrow to see if they can help or give advice regarding the other two ponies and see if they can check up on the foal, but right now we're blaming ourselves for not checking the ponies ourselves (they're a few fields away) especially when it was so cold but we didn't have a clue no-one was caring for them!
Any advice anyone? Just wanted to vent my frustration!
 
Can I just get something straight??? The foal that has been taken away was in good health (except having a dead mother)??? The other ponies which remain are in good health/body condition?

If this i correct the RSPCA would have no legal right to with-hold the owners from taking the foal? I would assume an investigation will go on from the condition of the dead pony if it was emaciated, but only a judge AFTER a verdict has been reached can remove healthy animals from an owners care.......

If I haven't got it straight then please do let me know......

I'm sure this will not be the end of it if there is evidence that the dead mare was neglected....
 
The foal was weak and thinner than i'd have been comfortable with, also depressed but no it wasn't in an awful state and the YO described the other two ponies as 'surviving'. The field owner told me a few months back when I last saw her in town that the ponies owners live around 15 miles away (No problem there until we had our bad weather) and has ponies where she lives as well as the other side of town - makes you wonder the state they're in. Field owner also told YO and RSPCA she hasn't been paying field livery and that drags up the question whether she can afford them?
YO has been in tears the past two mornings when mucking out, gave me the photos to email to WHW and I can see why!
 
I think from what you've said that the rspca may not have fallen short, they are bound by law to follow procedure.

What I would do is contact the rspca advise that you have these photo's as they are evidence, ask for the dealing officer to call you to discuss if an investigation is being pursued. If you are still not happy then call the WHW, if an investigation is being carried out the WHW won't interfere anyway. There could be alot of things happened and happening behind the scenes in this situation that you are not aware of. i.e did the owners turn up before police could arrive? If so an animal can only be seised by police NOT rspca, therefore this maybe being pursued. Alternatively the condition of the foal may not have been severe enough to seise. Just for information a vet will normally only support a case on a body condition score of 1. (which is pretty darn thin..... unfortunately)
 
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Thanks thats useful, you clearly know what you're on about. I know there is nothing we can do about the dead mare, however vile it is. I'll ask if YO can contact RSPCA (as she was the one dealing with them) YO mentioned police turning up but wasn't sure if that was an exaggeration or not, I know they have to be there to sieze an animal. Foal was picked up later in the afternoon from what I can gather. From the photos the foal isn't incredibly thin but thin considering it has a winter coat. Fingers crossed something is being done, thankyou for all the info!
 
i hate the RSPCA.

Someone found an abandoned cat (not horsey related but hey ;)) and im not exactly sure of the story, but the person who found the cat said they would rehome it and pay for all the vets fees to get it back to health, but the RSPCA insisted on putting it down im not sure whether they got the cat but for no reason RSPCA insisted on putting a healthy cat down.

They go on about how they care for animals when really they dont
 
Kirsty+Java said:
i hate the RSPCA.

and im not exactly sure of the story,
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so your judging something without knowing the facts... Is it possible that the cat had tested positive for feline aids??? I'm just saying people should know all the facts before judging... I'm not saying this charity is perfect but I get a little annoyed when people presume.
 
please dont hate me! i didnt mean it to sound like that !

its not just that there has been other things,

and i said im not exactly sure of the story, but i do know that the cat was in perfect health
 
Kirsty+Java said:
i hate the RSPCA.

Someone found an abandoned cat (not horsey related but hey ;)) and im not exactly sure of the story, but the person who found the cat said they would rehome it and pay for all the vets fees to get it back to health, but the RSPCA insisted on putting it down im not sure whether they got the cat but for no reason RSPCA insisted on putting a healthy cat down.

They go on about how they care for animals when really they dont
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That was me I think. I picked up a lovely British Blue just by the Medway Tunnel, he wasn't a young cat but was in good overall health and had a nasty bump on his head and was wandering about confused. (Had to pull over and run across 3 lanes of traffic to scoop him up!). I drove to my mum and dad's and rang a local vet from there, then took him in. They said that they worked closely with the RSPCA and would contact them. I then stated very clearly that I was happy for them to contact the RSPCA to see if he had been reported missing, but that I had picked him up and was taking full responsibility for him, including paying for his vets bills. I told them that I did not want him handed over to the RSPCA as I would do my best to find out if he had been lost or stolen, then would keep him myself. I left my phone number and asked them to ring me in the morning to let me know how he got on. When I left him he was a little bit quiet and confused, but cuddling up and purring and very friendly.
In the morning I didn't hear from the vet so I rang them late am. The receptionist told me that the RSPCA had told them to have him put to sleep that same evening, because he needed to have his head injury investigated further and they decided it wasn't economic to go ahead. Obviously I went ballistic, and asked why they had decided to speak to the RSPCA about the cost of his treatment when I had brought him in and clearly told them I would pay his bills. Eventually a vet came on and started to embroider the facts, saying that the cat had "deteriorated" after I'd dropped him off, so contradicting what the receptionist had looked up on the records. I had to just content myself with telling them again that they had no right in consulting the RSPCA about his treatment or having him put to sleep because they were not involved in him being brought in and I'd clearly stated that he wasn't to be passed to them. Too late for the poor cat though, RIP lovely boy.

I've said it before and no doubt will say it again. Ponies die annually every winter in a field near me, and it's been happening for at least 10 years. None of the welfare agencies consider they can do anything to stop this very large field being used to dump and breed meat ponies, leaving them to live or die as they can. So sadly I doubt that much will be done about the ponies this poster is talking about.
 
I've had several bad experiences first hand with the RSPCA, I actually feel sick when I see their advertising campaigns now.

I'd recommend WHW and the BHS welfare officers over them anytime.
 
I agree Touchstone, those are just two off my list of reasons why I don't support the RSPCA.
I wonder how much they spend on those bl**dy advertising campaigns?
 
Won't add to the good advice already given about the ponies left behind, but just as an aside, I noticed a couple of comments re donations to RSPCA, I personally don't for many reasons, however if you did wish to and were concerned as to where you money was going, you can donate directly to your local branch as then you can be sure that's where the money will be used. That does of course depend on the greatness of your local branch, mine are a bit pants, hence why I don't support them. Anyway, all local branches are self funding and get no financial support from central office/funding.
 
Sadly the RSPCA are a waste of space. They only seem to care when the TV cameras are with them. I recently reported two young dogs who were being kept in a brick shed that had no windows and no lighting.

The RSPCA inspector did, eventually, come out but reported back that as the dogs were fed and had water there was nothing he could do. So they continue to spend their miserable lives in pitch darkness. I see their bunker every day and I hear the howls of the dogs and it sickens me.
 
Jendie that must be awful for you is there no way in the night you could go and let them out and at least if they escape, they might not ever have to go back. I know the RSPCA said they the dogs had water and food, but I thought they were also supposed to advise on correct living conditions and do a follow up visit to check things have improved. They ARE a waste of space you only have to look at the "Carrot and Spud" scenario.
 
jendie said:
Sadly the RSPCA are a waste of space. They only seem to care when the TV cameras are with them. I recently reported two young dogs who were being kept in a brick shed that had no windows and no lighting.

The RSPCA inspector did, eventually, come out but reported back that as the dogs were fed and had water there was nothing he could do. So they continue to spend their miserable lives in pitch darkness. I see their bunker every day and I hear the howls of the dogs and it sickens me.
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In defense of the rspca here they did respond to your call, make an attendance and report back to you, the delay in attendance would be down to prioritisation. In relation to what you have described it certainly doesn't sound good at all, but I looked at the defra code of practise http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/cruelty/documents/cop-dogs.pdf which is what would be used in court to describe a suitable environment and it doesn't mention astoundingly access to daylight, so whilst the officer may have asked the owners to change the situation, it may not have been able to be enforced. BUT it does make mention to ventilation which will mainly be a summer issue, so if the situation hasn't changed come the warmer months, I would re-report it as insufficient ventilation if that is the case.

But sorry I don't believe you can hold the rspca responsible here.
 
RSPCA......only good for cats and dogs IMO.
They know a little bit about everything, but not a great deal about any one thing.
Horses should be left to organisations who deal with equines.
 
I've tried to get the dogs out myself but the door is firmly locked. The sad thing is that these two dogs came from a rescue and the owner has signed a document stating they will be returned to the rescue if she is no longer able to care for them. I've contacted the rescue to describe their living conditions and hope they will take action.
 
I can help!
I am a former rspca inspector who left this year as I myslef am appalled at the way in which i was ordered to work, I joined to help animals not become a cog ina very large wheel and alot of what the rspca does is WRONG! there was recently an incident locally of a exmoor pony being hit and killed on the road with a small few day old foal at foot, rspca would not attend as the foal was healthy and not in danger, and yet the caller insisted it was a tiny foal and that without its mother it would not survive, luckily for this foal the caller called a local rescue and fial was collected and is now a bonny healthy little chap.
The rspca yes are governed by rules and reg but they do not use common sense ! and the proble reason they did nothing was due to many reason none of which are excusable if you would like to know more contact me and i may be able to help bring this to the publics notice !
 
jendie said:
I've tried to get the dogs out myself but the door is firmly locked. The sad thing is that these two dogs came from a rescue and the owner has signed a document stating they will be returned to the rescue if she is no longer able to care for them. I've contacted the rescue to describe their living conditions and hope they will take action.
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How sad :( Surely defra need to include blooming daylight in their 'code of practice'! But Defra can be very blinkered IMO. How could any living being live a fullfilled life in a shed with no light. Beggars belief


I do however think the RSPCA do get a lot of stick, some warranted, sometimes not. I know of several animals they have helped.
 
Just read the dogs issue, and there is NO WAY an inspector should have left dogs in a shed in complete darkness, this forms a part of a section 9 offence, no provide a suitable enviroment, and also the animals must be protected from pain injury and suffering and i truly beleive being kept in darkness would classify as suffering !
the animal under section 9 must be able to express its normal behaviour and being kept in the dark is not normal
the least the inspector should have done is issue a warning notice which clearly states what is wrong with the way the animal is being kept, and how for the owner to correct this.It also gives a timescale in which the owner has to agree to correct things and if and when the inspector returns and the notice has not been adherred to then the animals can be removed and the person charged under a section 9 offence.
 
Sorry to hear about the pony, the RSPCA can be uselss.

My friend in cahoots with one of her friends stole a dog once :eek: They had reported it several times, a staffy puppy left in a garden all alone in all weathers, never walked etc. One night they dug a hole under the fence, and quietly removed the dog, who now has a happy, normal life with my friends' friend. The owners never seemed to wonder/bother where their dog had gone :(
 
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