If I hear one more.....

My problem with them is not so much with the job they do as the Inspectors themselves.

I do think though, and I know several RSPCA Inspectors personally, (I do hope that I am mistakenly tarring all with one brush unfairly) that they need public relation lessons because, without exception, every single Inspector I know, or have met, have proven themselves to be jumped up, self righteous, patronising little hitlers.

If they improved their attitude then I might change mine towards them, they never have, and never will receive a penny of mine, regardless of where I live. I support my local welfare association - I foster horses.
 
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My personal experience of them has been pretty decent, and I openly admit I have donated to them for many years, just a small direct debit, but they do also help plenty of animals despite their downfalls. Some people's experiences are quite shocking though I have to admit :eek:
 
I do have some knowledge of the RSPCA. I worked for them for 15 years in one of their control centres.
There are excellent Inspectors and very bad Inspectors. I have had one Inspector refuse to go out to an injured fox because she was in the middle of dying her hair (and this was at the weekend when she was the only Inspector on standby). Another Inspector when called out to an RTA cat on a Sunday said "Well what am I going to do with it IF I do go". Other Inspectors will go way above the call of duty-working endless hours, helping other Inspectors out, always polite and pleasant and most of all remembering why they do their job.
I agree far too much money is wasted a the top. I just couldn't believe how money was frittered away on totally unnecessary things-that is why I refuse to donate and always tell other people not to donate.
By the way, I was made redundant at the last big shake up about 5 years ago!
 
I have only contacted them once, regarding someone beating their horse with a broom handle across the back. They told me they couldn't do anything if I didn't know where they lived, the livery yard address wasn't good enough.
 
I think you work for them to have access to those stats !
Our family had a long tradition of supporting the RSPCA. My grandma gave them literally thousands of pounds through her lifetime and left them an enormous legacy when she died.
We carried on donating until the year of Foot and Mouth, when daily news items on local tv showed lambs in fields drowing in liquid mud with Inspectors standing by.
Yes there was a restriction on moving them but anyone with half a brain would have got a farm vehicle with a long loader and dropped pallets then bales of straw to make islands for the sheep to climb onto and survive.
From that day on I have not donated a penny and never will , preferring to give to local animal charities.
Yes I agree they do sterling work for rescued pets but until they stop wasting money fighting things like fox hunting (and no I don't hunt) and start beeing seen to not stand by as in the scenario I described they lose my support... Sorry but I was disgusted at the time and I can't forgive them.
 
I dislike the job they do, won't go into the ins and outs.

I've had too many bad experiences with them and that has made me lose my support, I also don't seem to be the only person here who has had bad experiences.
 
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Kokopelli said:
I've had too many bad experiences with them and that has made me lose my support, I also don't seem to be the only person here who has had bad experiences.
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Agree. I no longer donate to them after the tragic consequences of their failure to visit a horse dying in a field. If it was just one unfortunate incident, I could forgive them, but sadly, it hasn't been.
 
I always think that I feel the same way about our government as i do about the RSPCA, I know we need them, sometimes they do great things, but more often than not I dont agree with the way they do things...

I've only ever called them twice - gypsy pony teathered with terrible scarring on it neck that looked like burns - had a call back from an inspector very promptly and was very satisfied by the response - and saw the pony receiving treatment on future journeys past its teathering spot, to the point I still see the pony now, still scarred, but completely healed!.

2nd time I was trying to find out where I stood with my loan mare - I had been made aware her 'owner' (although i use the term loosly) had been involved with them, and rumour had it she was banned from keeping horses (dont ask, its a very long, very boring story) - So I called them up to find out where i stood if she turned up demanding I gave Connie back...I was left a very rude, very short voicemail from an inspector saying 'we dont deal with ownership disputes,' no contact name or number left... Now there is no dispute over ownership - her owner 'Owns' her, and i Loan her - I just wanted to make sure I didnt need to make the RSPCA aware there is another horse out there she owns (it turns out she wasnt banned, but did sign a load of ponies over to the RSPCA - to avoid getting in to more trouble i believe - although this is still not confirmed)
 
I'm afraid I've only had negative experiences with the RSPCA.

I attempted to get them out on four different occasions for a horse which was basically starving in a field near us. After a couple of months I finally called Redwings who came out the following day and took the horse away. It was pts the following day due to total neglect and starvation. This horse suffered for two months because the RSPCA didn't respond to my calls.
 
I can't comment on the RSPCA as I have had no dealings with them being in Scotland but I will comment on the SSPCA as they get "bashed" by people on forums too.

I think it is important for everyone to remember that they are a charity with limited resources. one person can only be at one place at one time. Calls come into the call centres and they have to be prioritised, what may be a priority to you - may not be a priotity in the grand scheme of things, if you get what I mean.

The vast majority of SSPCA inspectors work alone, a single patrolled unit, is it fair to ask them to attend a location, up a darkened track miles and miles form civilisation in the middle of the night? would you do it? or wait till first daylight/or can get a colleague (from another patrol area) to come with you.

The SSPCA unlike the RSPCA - have to report directly to the government re where funds are going/what they are doing etc, a little known fact. the RSPCA don't.

The SSPCA try not to seize animals, as a lot of the time, the situation has not arrisen due to cruelty but due to not being educated properly, if they can work with the owners to educate them to prevent it from happening again, and have the animal monitored and looked after without the stress of moving, then sometimes (not always) is the best solution.

People have to remember that the SSPCA and the RSPCA, can't just turn up and take an animal. they have to obtain a court warrant from a sheriff or judge. To obtain the warrant, they have to prove, beyond reasonable doubt to the law men that it is in the animals best interest to be seized and that it has been neglected/cruely treated. These Lawmen are not the easiest to convince on a matter, how many times have we sat and listened to the news only to here the shockingly lenient sentances they are giving to murders and rapists, it's the same men (and women) that are making the final decision to sieze these animals.

I have called them on numerous occassions, and have always been pleased (in the end) with there level of response. Sometimes I have asked for an explanation as to why they can't/won't attend straight away, and have always been pleased with the response I have received to these questions. I also have never met one with a bad attitude although I have met a couple who's people skills could do with a bit of work but there care/welfare of the animal in question made up for that.

I am shocked of some of the reports on here regarding the poor attitude of some of the inspectors, and if I was in your shoes, I'd be reporting them and asking for an explanation, (in writing).

I will continue to phone the SSPCA when I drive past fields and see horses grazing on ragwort (my main reason for calling them) or if I see ANY animal in a state of distress or neglect. I am very lucky that I have now gotten to know the SSPCA big boss covering my area very well.

I can only comment on my dealings with the SSPCA and what I have found out about the organisation.
 
They do some good things and some bad - unfortunatley they have become to embroiled in political issues like the hunting ban and have lost a lot of public support as a result - epecially when those people they vilify are often those who do have the welfare of animals in mind.

I have had good and bad dealings with the RSPCA - the whole Carrot & Spud saga being one of them (look on the search function for those who don't know the story). In short when a very public fuss kicked off with the help of this forum and the BHS they finally came to remove Carrot & Spud to a place of safety as they are the ONLY rescue that has the authoriy to remove animals (with Police back up if necessary) and the ability to prosecute. However, does this mean we should overlook the fact that they had recieved numerous phone calls about them for the previous 6 months and had attended the field on several occaisions and had still done nothing about it?:confused: Those horses would have been found dead in the field had they been left there:o

So despite their (reluctant) help at the end I will not give them a penny of my money - there are more effective animal charity and rescues - including the WHW, the BHS and Bransby - to which I will donate:)
 
I'm afraid I'm another who has little time for the rspca, the squandered money over the years infuriates me, inspectors who stand by and allow cruelty at sales, and when a deer was stuck in a reservoir they waited until it could all be caught on camera before 'helping'. A young pony stuck in a river for a whole 24 hours that they wouldn't come out to, ponies left neglected and starving, condescending attitudes from phone operatives and more....
I've also seen some pretty botched jobs of animal handling that have caused further stress and the destruction of dogs with bolt guns was unnecessary imo. When we adopted a cat from there it took nearly a month for a home check, all the time the cat was taking up a space that another could have had and costing money.

I'd rather donate to charities that I see doing positive things for animal welfare, if it is true that the rspca is trying to change and improve then I'd be behind them all the way, but have yet to be convinced.
 
The job they do with small animals is generally good, however the horse side of things gets a bit more complicated, including a recent case involving an equestrian author, which looks more than a bit like harrasment. I have also had good and bad inspector experiences.
However, my biggest gripe is that as a charity they should not, and should never have been funding political parties, which makes my blood boil, especially as I suspect if you did a poll on how all of their supporters voted for it probably wouldn't match up with who they were funding.
Hopefully this new guy will sort it out, as many years ago I kept my pony on a yard which used to take overflow rescue cases, and there are a lot of animals that need help.
 
I think, in the scheme of things, they do what they can in most cases. They must have thousands of calls a day, and I doubt they have enough inspectors to cover every call. I imagine lots of their calls are malicious calls too, jusdging by the amount of people here who post saying they've had the RSPCA sent round for no apparent reason. That must be a huge waste of their time and resources.

BUT they will happily send out two young students to walk the streets at minimum wage to knock on doors and beg for donations.

I'd be more inclined to donate if they spent the money on employing more inspectors and thus helping more animals.
 
Slinkyunicorn said:
They do some good things and some bad - unfortunatley they have become to embroiled in political issues like the hunting ban and have lost a lot of public support as a result - epecially when those people they vilify are often those who do have the welfare of animals in mind.

I have had good and bad dealings with the RSPCA - the whole Carrot & Spud saga being one of them (look on the search function for those who don't know the story). In short when a very public fuss kicked off with the help of this forum and the BHS they finally came to remove Carrot & Spud to a place of safety as they are the ONLY rescue that has the authoriy to remove animals (with Police back up if necessary) and the ability to prosecute. However, does this mean we should overlook the fact that they had recieved numerous phone calls about them for the previous 6 months and had attended the field on several occaisions and had still done nothing about it?:confused: Those horses would have been found dead in the field had they been left there:o

So despite their (reluctant) help at the end I will not give them a penny of my money - there are more effective animal charity and rescues - including the WHW, the BHS and Bransby - to which I will donate:)
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I think your facts about the carrot and spud situation are a little vague, from the reports I read on here at the time it came out that, yes the rspca attended prior to the horses being removed But they didn't do nothing, they called out a vet who would not support the need for the removal of the animals, without that the rspca cannot by law remove the animals. And with regard to the rspca being the only charity who 'can' remove animals? and have the ability to prosecute??? Only the police can remove animals.... and anyone can take a private prosecution which is what the rspca take. The only reason why the rspca are the ONLY organisation/charity to take prosecutions is down to the expense and training needed to do them.....
 
I reported what was basically a horse carcass, still living, covered in skin to the RSPCA that I saw in a field off the motorway. They asked me what the horses general demeanour was - I said - it looked miserable and had no grass or water. They told me they wouldn't respond to a horse looking miserable and the owner probably knew and would be there soon to feed and water it, then they gave me a big telling off, as if I was the perpetrator of the poor things distress!
 
competitiondiva said:
I think your facts about the carrot and spud situation are a little vague, from the reports I read on here at the time it came out that, yes the rspca attended prior to the horses being removed But they didn't do nothing, they called out a vet who would not support the need for the removal of the animals, without that the rspca cannot by law remove the animals. And with regard to the rspca being the only charity who 'can' remove animals? and have the ability to prosecute??? Only the police can remove animals.... and anyone can take a private prosecution which is what the rspca take. The only reason why the rspca are the ONLY organisation/charity to take prosecutions is down to the expense and training needed to do them.....
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Well as I was one of the people who were there all day let me fill in some of the details for you then.

In the previous 6 months they had been called out to the horses on numerous occaisions - they took the owners word for it that a vet had attended and there was nothing to worry about as they were 'just old horses'. The surrounding offices and neighbours who had repeatedly reported the horses said the RSPCA had appeared on a couple of occasions looked at the horses and done nothing. There was clearly a progressive detioration in both horses over this time (condition scores of 0 and 1) and at no time did they try and find a vet to attend. On the day of the removal the vets the owners 'used' were contacted by some one on this forum who also used them (they are a HUGE Equine practise in this area) and the vet who had attended them previously laughed at her and told her they were just old horses - at no time did the RSPCA get a vet out. The vet who finally attended was at the request of the BHS once they had got involved, and was from another practise who immediatley signed them for removal as he was appalled at their conditon - in fact he thought they may not be fit enough to travel and may have to be PTS in the field. The RSPCA were called in by the Police and the BHS in order for the removal to take place because as Bransby and The BHS explained only the RSPCA have the resource to prosecute - and they needed to serve an intention of prosectution for removal to take place. Even though they were contacted first thing that morning at the same time as WHW and Bransby they only arrived when the BHS and Police were involved.

Part of the problem it would appear is 'data protection' becasue these horses had been repeatedly reported to the RSPCA, WHW and Bransby on numerous occasions apparently the hands of WHW and Bransby were tied as the first calls were to the RSPCA and there is no sharing of information between the charities to ensure action is taken.

Does that make it clearer for you?:confused: The RSPCA attended under duress and at the request of the Police and the BHS - at no time did they get any independent vetinary advice despite the obvious condition of the horses and repeated concerns of the public and other charities/rescues.
 
Thank you for clearing that up, and I apologise if my comments caused offence, I was just pointing out facts, (or supposed facts) that were quoted on this forum as the story unveiled on here...

Which in turn supports my arguement that unless you have been directly involved you cannot take what you read on a forum to always be the complete story............

Well done for any involvement you had with carrot and spud.

Yes WHW and BHS pass prosecutions to the RSPCA as they do not have the resourses to pay/put together a prosecution.
 
Slinkyunicorn said:
Well as I was one of the people who were there all day let me fill in some of the details for you then.

In the previous 6 months they had been called out to the horses on numerous occaisions - they took the owners word for it that a vet had attended and there was nothing to worry about as they were 'just old horses'. The surrounding offices and neighbours who had repeatedly reported the horses said the RSPCA had appeared on a couple of occasions looked at the horses and done nothing. There was clearly a progressive detioration in both horses over this time (condition scores of 0 and 1) and at no time did they try and find a vet to attend. On the day of the removal the vets the owners 'used' were contacted by some one on this forum who also used them (they are a HUGE Equine practise in this area) and the vet who had attended them previously laughed at her and told her they were just old horses - at no time did the RSPCA get a vet out. The vet who finally attended was at the request of the BHS once they had got involved, and was from another practise who immediatley signed them for removal as he was appalled at their conditon - in fact he thought they may not be fit enough to travel and may have to be PTS in the field. The RSPCA were called in by the Police and the BHS in order for the removal to take place because as Bransby and The BHS explained only the RSPCA have the resource to prosecute - and they needed to serve an intention of prosectution for removal to take place. Even though they were contacted first thing that morning at the same time as WHW and Bransby they only arrived when the BHS and Police were involved.

Part of the problem it would appear is 'data protection' becasue these horses had been repeatedly reported to the RSPCA, WHW and Bransby on numerous occasions apparently the hands of WHW and Bransby were tied as the first calls were to the RSPCA and there is no sharing of information between the charities to ensure action is taken.

Does that make it clearer for you?:confused: The RSPCA attended under duress and at the request of the Police and the BHS - at no time did they get any independent vetinary advice despite the obvious condition of the horses and repeated concerns of the public and other charities/rescues.
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That's not strictly correct. The rspca had to involve a vet, it was the vet from oakham who laughed and said they were just old. The rspca then refused to get a second opinion. So the fault lay with the vet first and foremost. I believe the vet in question still works there and never did explain his reasons for leaving two horses to die in pain.
 
lucky-lady said:
That's not strictly correct. The rspca had to involve a vet, it was the vet from oakham who laughed and said they were just old. The rspca then refused to get a second opinion. So the fault lay with the vet first and foremost. I believe the vet in question still works there and never did explain his reasons for leaving two horses to die in pain.
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Were you there on the day?:confused:

The vet does still work there - the partners were totally unconcerned by his actions or lack of it - but then it wasn't a lorryful of eventers so they wouldn't be interested.......

The vet was down to the BHS NOT the RSPCA - they were refusing to have any involvement at that time.
 
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Slinkyunicorn said:
Were you there on the day?:confused:

The vet does still work there - the partners were totally unconcerned by his actions or lack of it - but then it wasn't a lorryful of eventers so they wouldn't be interested.......

The vet was down to the BHS NOT the RSPCA - they were refusing to have any involvement at that time.
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If you look back on the original thread the rspca had attended, but the vet they'd called to check the horses had said they were 'just old, no teeth so that's why they're thin'. The RSPCA had then given up. Yes, the vet attended on the day for the BHS, but vet had attended two weeks previously (with the rspca).

I was there at the time, and was involved before the horses were removed, hence my registration to the forum, as I wanted to keep up to date with carrot and spud :)

Sorry, I didn't intend to pull apart your version, just wanted to clarify that it was even worse than you reported, because the rspca HAD attended, and had walked away.
 
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