Interesting view of RSPCA

Puzzles

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 November 2006
Messages
480
Location
Bedfordshire & Birmingham
Visit site
How can a charity be focused on animal welfare and not, by principle, be focused on animal rights? I know they are different but the two go pretty much together as far as I'm concerned! I'm glad we have the RSPCA because even if they help 1 animal then it's worth it. I'm not aware of every spec of agro that they are involved in and I am careful about what I believe because there are so many out there out to discredit and ruin the reputation of the RSPCA.
 

YorksG

Over the hill and far awa
Joined
14 September 2006
Messages
16,142
Location
West Yorkshire
Visit site
Animal rights philosphy is that no animals should be eaten (fine if you are a vegan) put to work (no ridden, driven horses, no assistance animals) That they should not be kept as companion animals, no caged birds etc etc. Do you believe that equates with welfare?
 

MerrySherryRider

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 September 2004
Messages
9,439
Visit site
Animal rights philosphy is that no animals should be eaten (fine if you are a vegan) put to work (no ridden, driven horses, no assistance animals) That they should not be kept as companion animals, no caged birds etc etc. Do you believe that equates with welfare?

What has that got to do with the RSPCA ?

For those that claim the RSPCA should not bring about prosecutions against law breakers, -and they have a successful prosecution rate of somewhere around 95% (Can't remember the exact most recent figures)- perhaps you are not aware of how the RSPCA began, and why it enjoyed Royal support. The first animal welfare bill was passed in 1822 and was the foundation of the beginnings of the RSPCA

The first prosecution in 1838, for a donkey, beaten by its owner and when the magistrates didn't take it seriously, the donkey with its wounds was brought into court.
Remember the WW1 RSPCA officers who. along with serving on the front line, organised humane treatment and vet help for the horses of war. They also opened a dog shelter in France for soldiers dogs left behind when they returned to England.

As far as I can see, the work of the RSPCA began with the protection of animals by legislation in order to ensure the welfare of livestock, pit ponies, war horses and the type of abuse immortalised by Anna Sewell's Black Beauty.

Prosecuting law breakers has always been part of their work. I can't see its political because they do not target hunts any more than they target yobs who throw kittens off high rise balconies.

Perhaps it is the hunt supporters who are political in choosing what laws they obey and ignore, particularly when most of the UK population is in agreement with the current ban on hunting.

If you want to make life better for animals, mopping up the mess left by animal abusers is not enough. Legislation and the law are the way to protect deter further abuse. Why shouldn't animals have protection under the law ?
That is what animal rights is all about. Not balaclavas and dawn raids - just legal protection to end inhumane treatment.

We don't have pit ponies now, do we ?
 

bugsysmum

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 September 2006
Messages
116
Visit site
Hi all
I don't often post on here, but quite often read various threads with interest. I had an interesting situation this morning which has made me search to try and find out if there is a regional RSPCA complaints e-mail address that I can write to? Does anyone know of anything like this?
To cut quite a long story short(ish), the police arrived at my gate this morning, having been called by a motorist who told them he had just hit a loose horse on the road a short distance from my house, and there were several other loose horses on the road. The police had knocked on a neighbour's door to see if he had any missing, and they then came to me to see if the one left behind was mine or of I could help (the other horses had disappeared). So I had my first ever journey in a police car to try and help move this pony to my neighbour's field until the owner could be found, as the poor thing was standing on the verge and the police were concerned it would cause an accident or be hurt.
The police called the RSPCA, and were told that they wouldn't help or attend, despite the police telling them that the pony had been hit by a car!! We got a headcollar on her, and had a brief check for injuries, couldn't see any so then tried to lead her but she wouldn't move, so checked her legs more closely and realised she was not prepared to bear weight on a hind leg. The police had in the meantime got permission from their bosses to call a vet, and the police would pay the fees. The policeman told me that he knew the RSPCA was a lost cause as they had only once in his career attended after he had called them. He tried again and told them the pony couldn't move, at which point they decided they could help - and he actually swore in disbelief when he got off the phone!
Anyway, shortly afterwards, a young man turned up and said he believed the pony belonged to his dad, made a couple of phone calls to his family and arranged for his own transport to get the pony to a vet. At that point myself and my neighbour bowed out after giving the policeman our mobile numbers, and returned home as we had done all we could to help.
I have to say, I was left completely stunned by the refusal of the RSPCA to attend a pony which had been reported as hit by a car, as well as the police knowing this was likely to be the case! And it's not like it was going to be a hoax call as it was the police calling them!
So if anyone knows who I can write to at the RSPCA to make them aware of this, I would be grateful for contact details, as I would like to make them aware of what happened, and ask if this is usually how they deal with things. I'm in Cambridgeshire by the way.
Cookies and chocolate if you got this far...
 

YorksG

Over the hill and far awa
Joined
14 September 2006
Messages
16,142
Location
West Yorkshire
Visit site
What has that got to do with the RSPCA ?

The RSPCA now embraces Animal Rights, read their own literature. Donating money to political parties is not how most people expect their money to be used. Pit ponies were not stopped by the RSPCA, they became uneconomical, and there are very few miners around now either, don't think that was to do with human rights.
 

touchstone

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 April 2007
Messages
4,873
Visit site
What has that got to do with the RSPCA ?

For those that claim the RSPCA should not bring about prosecutions against law breakers, -and they have a successful prosecution rate of somewhere around 95% (Can't remember the exact most recent figures)- perhaps you are not aware of how the RSPCA began, and why it enjoyed Royal support. The first animal welfare bill was passed in 1822 and was the foundation of the beginnings of the RSPCA

The first prosecution in 1838, for a donkey, beaten by its owner and when the magistrates didn't take it seriously, the donkey with its wounds was brought into court.
Remember the WW1 RSPCA officers who. along with serving on the front line, organised humane treatment and vet help for the horses of war. They also opened a dog shelter in France for soldiers dogs left behind when they returned to England.

As far as I can see, the work of the RSPCA began with the protection of animals by legislation in order to ensure the welfare of livestock, pit ponies, war horses and the type of abuse immortalised by Anna Sewell's Black Beauty.

Prosecuting law breakers has always been part of their work. I can't see its political because they do not target hunts any more than they target yobs who throw kittens off high rise balconies.

Perhaps it is the hunt supporters who are political in choosing what laws they obey and ignore, particularly when most of the UK population is in agreement with the current ban on hunting.

If you want to make life better for animals, mopping up the mess left by animal abusers is not enough. Legislation and the law are the way to protect deter further abuse. Why shouldn't animals have protection under the law ?
That is what animal rights is all about. Not balaclavas and dawn raids - just legal protection to end inhumane treatment.

We don't have pit ponies now, do we ?


The founder also made this statement however:-





The words of RSPCA founder Richard Martin at its first meeting in 1842 "It would be ill judged for it to become known as a prosecuting society and the prime aim should be to alter the moral feelings of the country."

I don't think that anyone is saying that animals shouldn't have protection from the law, just that it is questionable whether the rspca need to look more closely at their policies and actions and how they 'help' animals.
 

competitiondiva

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 September 2008
Messages
3,832
Visit site
Bugsysmum, a 'stray' horse on the road side is the responsibility of the police, not a charity. It's a public safety issue. So it maybe he said to the call centre it's been hit by a car, asked if it was injured to which he possibly replied not, as you initially thought it wasn't injured. Then when you found the injury and he called them back, they said they would then help, as injured animals would come under their remit.
 

Sussexbythesea

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 July 2009
Messages
7,764
Visit site
The founder also made this statement however:-





The words of RSPCA founder Richard Martin at its first meeting in 1842 "It would be ill judged for it to become known as a prosecuting society and the prime aim should be to alter the moral feelings of the country."

I don't think that anyone is saying that animals shouldn't have protection from the law, just that it is questionable whether the rspca need to look more closely at their policies and actions and how they 'help' animals.

From a quick look at their extensive reports and published Accounts that are open to all. Frankly I don't see how they can be any clearer or more accountable on that front.

http://www.rspca.org.uk/ImageLocator/LocateAsset?asset=document&assetId=1232729605371&mode=prd

http://www.rspca.org.uk/ImageLocator/LocateAsset?asset=document&assetId=1232729540914&mode=prd

In 2011 the RSPCA received 1,314,795 calls, 159,759 Complaints about animal abuse. The gave out Welfare advice in 79,174 cases.

They took 2018 prosecutions - that is 1.2% of the number of complaints they received. They spent £4,698,137 on prosecution - that is an average of £2349. They received a total income of £116,200,000 - so they spent 4% of their income on prosecution.

Hardly a large proportion of what they do is it?

So really people are not looking at the facts but making assumptions on the few cases that are actually highlighted in the press.
 

competitiondiva

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 September 2008
Messages
3,832
Visit site
Well done sussexbythesea, glad to see someone talking sense. Also if people actually look up the history of the RSPCA, prosecuting is there from the start, as is lobbying for law changes to better animal welfare. Also look up the RSPCA act, think it's 1932???
 
Top