Cheesed off with RSPCA

[Starsy]

This morning a friend and I phoned the ILPH (now WWH or something) about an emaciated mare we'd found with breathing difficulties, on a well-known heavy horse tourist attraction here. She and her companion, who had shocking feet, were in a field round the back (the healthy looking ones are on the roadside).

They couldn't come out, and it was urgent so we phoned the RSPCA - who did comes out a couple of hours later, got a vet, and the poor mare had to be PTS.

She was in the most dismal condition, a thoroughbred unrugged, out in the rain and a complete walking skeleton, who was struggling to breathe. If that is not neglect, then what is - but they are not going to 'do' anything to the know-it-all owner. His method of 'natural' horsekeeping (which he recently appeared on the TV to brag about) is to chuck everything out to either sink or swim (he also has an obese mare out the front). He really doesn't have a clue, but is a right know-all type.

How can he just get off scot-free?

I felt so sorry for the poor mare, who looked very hopeful that things were finally looking up, but was put down. I think that with proper care and food and medications (she could eat hard food as we gave her some) that she had some more years in her, despite being old.

I really think he should have been prosecuted for letting her get in that state and doing nothing about it. What do you have to do to get prosecuted in this country?

Sorry, had to vent, well done if you got to the end.

 

[teddyt]

How very awful for you and i appreciate your frustration. Its a shame that the rspca dont even see it fit to educate the owner, even if they wont prosecute

 

[gails]

Why if she could eat was she PTS. My old boy ( sorry to harp on, but it is still very raw), is extremely skinney coming back to me ( altough glad to report the weight slowly coming back on, although hate to say it out loud), if the RSPCA had been called out on one of the occasions he went down and could not get up I am sure they would have put him to sleep, however, fingers crossed, he is now getting well and truley back to his old stupporn self and even starting to pick fights with other horses, not nice but encouraging.

So this is what I have against the RSPCAthat they are all to quick to PTS and not give a fighting chance, that poor old girl may not have lived more than a few more hours, but she could have gone on to live months maybe years, and have felt loved and content RIP

 

[Starsy]

Thanks teddyt, it was awful, we felt so sorry for her. She was a sweet little thoroughbred mare, it is such a shame.

 

[ForeverBroke_]

Maybe they found something wrong with her organs due to her weight. Not sure, just a thought x

 

[somethingorother]

Shame she didn't get a chance to have a few days/weeks/months/years of someone trying to get her healthy and happy, and instead finished on her worst note

At least she is no longer suffering though, although from the sounds of it the 'owner' needs a good talking to at the very least. Maybe if you re-contacted to WHW and explained that you think he needs educating they will come out at a time more convenient for them?

 

[Starsy]

The 'owner' (on the phone, he had gone off on holiday) just wanted to get the knacker man.

Yes, we will at least try that, it is worth a go - seeing as he won't listen to anyone else.

 

[gails]

AHHHHHHHH, how lovely to have no feeling to your animals, saves a lot of heart ache, so what is the point in having them.

This makes me sooo mad

 

[Starsy]

Gails and Darcy, sorry didn't answer yours. The vet apparently said it was her breathing, and if he'd treated things would have been back to where she was in a few weeks??? Her breathing was very very laboured. I don't think she needed to die, but I'm not a vet. I think as long as they can eat, then they haven't given up, and she hadn't given up yet.

When the RSPCA rang me, they said that the vet had arrived so they had left (we are a bit out on a limb here - they had come from a couple of hours drive away) and said whatever the vet decided would be done, and they'd given advice on the dreadful feet of the other. I feel very sorry for her field companion too, he is on his own just now, poor lad.

It is so aggravating to see someone like this owner holding forth on countryfile, with a skeleton like her round the back as he's saying what a great horseman he is.

 

[Starsy]

Gails, that is the crazy thing - he reckons he is so devoted and looks after them so well!!!!!!

 

[Starsy]

He really is deluded.

 

[No1_in_particular]

I Breed horses - cobs to be specific - and have been demeted by the SSPCA all winter. Most of them live out on Good quality grass and have ad lib hay and have natural shelter. There are a few of them who require a little extra e.g. rugs, hard feed and i bring my youngsters in for winter. I have been dememted all winter by SSPCA by callers from uneducated people stating that they are not rugged up, not fed and not groomed - this isn't so bad because people sometimes don't know. I had one mare I bought 5 years ago knowing she was lame when ridden, due to an injury involving a cattle-grid, had her for 5 years and she was sound - never ridden- and the minute she went lame i had the SSPCA up to tell me that the horse was lame....... I had already contacted the vet that morning and had decided to put the horse to sleep but I was so disheartened by the horsey community in my area because they didn't have the heart to come to me directly but reported me to the SSPCA. It's not that when they want to borrow my trailer or ask for hay or a stable..... I always oblige.. I've had SSPCA officers in to tell me they have had reports and I show them around and by the time they leave they are confident that my horses are well cared for - until the new recruit arrives..... It' so disheartening.....

 

[Starsy]

It seems they are more interested in annoying the people who ARE looking after their horses!

 

[Donkeymad]

QR

The vet said the horse would not be well for long, the owner wanted it destroyed, what was the RSPCA supposed to do? Ignore them both? If the vet recommended PTS, the RSPCA would do so.(I am not an RSPCA supporter)

 

[the watcher]

[ QUOTE ]
QR

The vet said the horse would not be well for long, the owner wanted it destroyed, what was the RSPCA supposed to do? Ignore them both? If the vet recommended PTS, the RSPCA would do so.(I am not an RSPCA supporter)

[/ QUOTE ]

I am a bit ambivalent about the RSPCA too (like the inspectors, don't like the HQ politics) but agree that their hands were a bit tied on this case - and it is likely that the horse owner would have received a caution from the attending inspector - which is the first step in any single case.

 

[Nuttymanxmare]

Ive seen first hand how rubbish the RSPCA are

My mare was the lucky one and was only sold as the owners panicked when they were reported a second time (in the space of a few weeks)

 

[AmyMay]

Have you involved the council and trading standards???

 

[competitiondiva]

The RSPCA operate on veterinary advise, so if in this case the vet advised euthanasia AND the owner requested it what is the RSPCA supposed to do??

People think the RSPCA are quick to euthase but they operate on veterinary advise or behavioural grounds when these decisions are made, circumstances and finances will also have an influence to an extent.

N.B before people start talking about money!! The rspca is having to make serious cut backs currently with the credit crunch as most businesses and charities are, if they are to survive.

 

[YorksG]

QR
Does the OP know the whole history of this mare? Did the vet know the animal? Just because the mare ate hard feed which you gave her (why feed some one elses horse

, glad you haven't done that to mine!)does not mean that the animal would gain weight from eating hard feed. My 33 year old was fed twice a day on a mixture of weight promoting feeds, but barely kept sufficient condition on. Please do not make such sweeping assumptions based on no knowledge.

 

[Starsy]

I would have no desire to feed anyone else's horse that wasn't a bag of bones who only got fed once a day. I think she could have gone on for longer, if she had had an owner who was willing to put in the effort, and prepared to listen, but she didn't and I think the vet knew this.

Also, it wasn't the RSPCA's idea to PTS but the vet's. What I am angry about, is that this horse was not fed enough, left to get emaciated, unrugged in the pouring rain, no vet attention to the breathing difficulties, and was basically in a state poor enough to need to be PTS, and the RSPCA is not going to prosecute the owner. He should be prosecuted for neglect, not appearing on TV as a horse 'expert'.

So in the eyes of the RSPCA you can neglect a horse, but that's OK. I have also heard that they can't prosecute if a horse is starving, as long as there is food on the premises - how ridiculous is that?

What could the council and trading standards do?

 

[Cuffey]

[ QUOTE ]
He should be prosecuted for neglect, not appearing on TV as a horse 'expert'.

What could the council and trading standards do?

[/ QUOTE ]

I take it this tourist attraction was visited by Countryfile?

The Animal Health Officers attached to Trading Standards have more power than RSPCA and can enter property if they believe an animal is at risk.
You are describing ''unnecessary suffering' and I think have suggested another horse may be in trouble as well.
Do you have any evidence to back up your complaint--photos/other witnesses?
As above follow this through with WHW and speak to Animal Health at your Council on Monday
You may not get any satisfaction but it may be enough for this place to make sure it does not happen again--any bad publicity would not be good for business

The duty of care placed on the owner is based on the 5 freedoms
Freedom from hunger and thirst (lack of adequate food)
Freedom from discomfort (lack of shelter)
Freedom from pain injury and disease
Freedom to express normal behaviour
Freedom from fear and distress

It sounds like the owner fell short on at least two of those, three if the horse had not seen a vet for probable chest infection

 

[Starsy]

Photos, video of the breathing and witnesses. Thanks Cuffey, we will try to take it further. No-one should get away with allowing such dreadful suffering.

 

[competitiondiva]

There could be any number of reasons why a prosecution wasn't brought, the owner could have received a warning etc. By all means contact the council trading standards/animal health office but if the RSPCA didn't think there was enough evidence to get a successful private prosecution it is unlikely that the CPS will want to take it on. Good luck though.

 

[Scribbles]

The worst thing that could happen to these people is bad press - people who go to the SHF are animal lovers. Get the local papers involved, tell local tack shop owners, tell the local animal rights groups would be especially a good idea.

 

[Rollin]

I agree with Cuffey do please stay with it.

 

[0]

That's what I thought, if the RSPCA aren't prepared to go any further with it, then there is less chance anyone else would be interested, although it is very bad when a business that runs on horses and their care behaves so reprehensibly, and trading standards/the council might be interested on that stamp.

I should think that by the end of the weekend everyone round here will know about it, and getting a story in the press is a possiblity too.

 

[Starsy]

oops, forgot to log in before posting the above.

 

[Fairynuff]

[ QUOTE ]
I would have no desire to feed anyone else's horse that wasn't a bag of bones who only got fed once a day. I think she could have gone on for longer, if she had had an owner who was willing to put in the effort, and prepared to listen, but she didn't and I think the vet knew this.
It may well be that NO cruelty or neglect is/was involved. It may be that the owner of the mare kept her away from the road becuase he didnt want to find himself in the situation that you and your friend put him in.
Did you not stop to think that the mare was 'broken winded'-you did say that she had difficulty breathing. Many broken winded horses end up VERY THIN and it has nothing to do with being starved or neglected. The fact that she was put down was a blessing for her as she would never have recovered and all the hard feed in Englan would not have changed a thing for her. Horses dying of colic often eat-its called instinct-it does not mean that they are healthy enough to recover

. At the end of the day the mare is no longer suffering and that is good.What is not good is the fact that you can accuse the owner and moan about the vet/Whw and the RSPCA without knowing the facts. Why didnt you speak to the owner before going in with all guns blazing? There could have been a perfectly honest reason for her condition. Im sorry but please keep well away from my yard/land. Mairi.

PS, I hate 'know it alls' who know nothing-they are dangerous.

 

[Starsy]

We all know the owner, and did approach them first, he was on holiday, but we spoke to his relatives, and I cannot share their opinions with you as it is not my place to do so.

Perhaps you think we should have just left the mare in the field to die in the cold?

As you were not there, then you know less than I do. Call it neglect, call it ignorance, neglect is still neglect whether it is intentional or through lack of knowledge but the best of intentions. I am not moaning about the vets decision or the sad death of the mare, but the fact that the RSPCA can do nothing to punish the owner, who people have tried to tell, but is above it all.

I think your tone is unecessarily unpleasant, are you having a bad day? To say 'keep away from my land' seems rather dramatic. I have no wish to visit the 'bottom of your well' so please concern yourself no further.

 

[competitiondiva]

The problem with alot of cases is that an old animal can be suffering from any number of pre-existing conditions and being monitored by vets but to the outsider does not appear so. Such as an elderly cat lived as an outside cat all its life has a skin tumour on it's nose, visually the cat is in poor condition and looks hurrendous but it still has a quality of life whilst kept on pain killers and eating and active. I'm just saying that there maybe a reason for the mares health that results in it not forming a case. Things aren't always black and white but like I said if you want by all means try other avenues.