I've been reported to the RSPCA - and they turned out!

MrsElle

MrsElle

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Another fine example of a member of the public reporting an 'abused' horse when they know nothing about equines!

The owner of my field had a letter shoved through his door today by an RSPCA inspector who had looked at my horses. Apparently two are in good health, the horses have a field shelter and water supplied. One is lame and underweight. No **** Sherlock! She is coming up for 29 years old so it would be surprising if she didn't have a bit of lameness and as many on here know, I have been struggling to get and keep weight on her. Vet has been, teeth are ok, she is wormed, she is just old.

Ah well, it gave the RSPCA something to do, unfortunately they were probably looking at my horses while a real emergency case needed help.

Grrrr! I will give them a ring tomorrow and let them know that the reason Ellie is lame and skinny is that she is old!

To be honest I have been waiting for this to happen for a while so it isn't a real surprise. I just wish people could be up front and speak with me directly and let me explain.
 
oh no how horrible - im so sorry this has happened to you - i sort of know how you feel - my daughters school told social services because she had a nasty bruise on her leg - noone asked anything of me or my daughter - we woke up one morning to find 2 social workers at our door - the bruise was done by the horse - total waste of time and money and i was sooooooooooooooo angry, as was my daughter - xxxx
 
Wow - are congratulations in order on their having made an effort?
Typical though, not there when they should be and sticking their noses in when they shouldn't.
Ah well MrsElle, looking on the bright side at least somebody cared even if they didn't make the effort to ask first.
 
There's a rescue case down the road from us on the way to the shops at a large farm, who own a couple of horses. Probably about 4 horses in total, 3 of which have been there for ages, are in perfect shape, a little round if anything. The 4th, is an absolute hatrack. However, they've only just got it and it is now out 24/7 in a lovely lush field that's not been grazed on in ages, field shelter, water supply, etc with another healthy horse as its companion. Having always been glancing at it when we drive by it everyday, the difference in just 2 weeks is tremendous! It was literally to the point of utter starvation at the start, but now, yes it is still skinny, but it's got a shine to his coat, putting on weight gradually and looking SO much happier thn the deaths door looking horse they picked up 2 weeks ago! Now at first glance, yes the horse is agonisingly skinny and not been fed. However, they have only just rescued it! The amount of RSPCA calls they'll have had reported it is unreal.

If people have an issue, then come forward first if it seems an ok environment to do so.
However, if in this case it's a lovely presented family farm, with grass up to itself eyeballs, looked after in every other way and all the other horses are up to shape and worth £££...then people do really just need to use their common sense and maybe think outside the initial cr of 'Neglect!! Animal Cruelty!!'

At least people have the animals interest at heart I suppose. If everything's ok, then no-one has any real worry. However, you never once get an apology from them and it can do business and reputation down being seen having a report on your horses too I'd guess! [Never happened to me personally, just my thinkings :)]

Life's too short to stress about little things, give your neddies their feed for the night, give them a cuddle and just chiiiiill. They know you love them :)
 
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Ignition said:
Age shouldn't be an excuse for having an underweight, lame horse IMO. Sounds like they had reason to be there..
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Hmmmm, perhaps you know who reported me ;)

She is a little stiff due to arthritis so not lame (excuse my terminoligy) and she has no muscle due to being retired which makes her look worse. I am going to go down in a minute and take a photo for you :)
 
Having been a welfare officer for an animal charity (not the RSPCA!) I do agree that it is good that someone cared. Unless your horses are kept somewhere really private it was probably a passer by that didn't know you or how to contact you band was just concerned. Often members of the public with no equine knowledge call in as they would have no idea how to tell if a horse was old or not, but maybe have had small pets and can tell if an animal looks lame or underweight

I also know that it is a really horrible shock when it happens to a caring owner that does her absolute best for her animals. At least now though they have been and they won't trouble you again. I know it no consolation but during my time as a welfare officer I managed to save some really terribly abused animals due to concerned people phoneing in, even though there were as lot more hoax and calls about healthy animals/animals receiving treatment.
 
Irish_only, the RSPCA can only go on what callers tell them until they see the horse, someone describing a horse as 'starving' or 'emaciated' would sound like an emergency, don't you think? So having a pop about the RSPCA not going to emergencies is pointless, it is the callers that have sent the inspectors off running around after animals that are actually ok.
 
Spudlet said:
Irish_only, the RSPCA can only go on what callers tell them until they see the horse, someone describing a horse as 'starving' or 'emaciated' would sound like an emergency, don't you think? So having a pop about the RSPCA not going to emergencies is pointless, it is the callers that have sent the inspectors off running around after animals that are actually ok.
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Very well said.
Sorry you have had a bad experiance OP,but give it a few days and it will be something to giggle about.
Sure it is annoying to have you time wasted and it's hurtfull to feel like your ability to care for your horses is being questioned-but it is much better that the powers that be DO act on calls from the public then ignore them untill there is another Spindles Farm on their hands....


Also,it really is not a crime to be non horsey or to be lacking in knowledge of an animal you are not involved with.
No really-it's true.
 
I don't think you have to be an expert or have any knowledge in horses or any other animal for that matter to be concerned for their welfare, I think the person acted very responsibly, and the RSPCA refreshingly acted as they should, I think the person went down the correct avenue, if they approached you or anyone else they may have gotten a poor or abusive response, so better they go down the correct procedure.
If my horse/animal was recieving the best care and had vet recored then I have nothing to worry about, im assuming they have checked and questioned you and are satisfied?

C&P from soap box
 
Have had a run in with the RSPCA myself this week. The yard im on has an ongoing feud with the next door neighbours who constantly ring either the council or the RSPCA for one reason or another.

We brought a horse over from Ireland 2 weeks ago and silly boy managed to overreach whilst in the field, was box rested but started destroying his stable and going mad so it was decided he was going to hurt himself or someone else even more and at 18h wasnt worth the risk. So he has been getting turned out with my youngster(who I have made a thread about being a bit skinny)

RSPCA turned up to look at a 'crippled grey horse' and '3 very underweight horses'!!!

YM took him round the whole yard and he didnt turn anything up, left very happy! Said yes the grey is still a bit lame but obviously being treated and yes the youngster who was with him is a bit underweight but obviously a baby.

Field in question is in front of neighbours house, 3 guesses who rang them :mad:
Sorry to ramble on
 
Spudlet - Irish_only, the RSPCA can only go on what callers tell them until they see the horse, someone describing a horse as 'starving' or 'emaciated' would sound like an emergency, don't you think? So having a pop about the RSPCA not going to emergencies is pointless, it is the callers that have sent the inspectors off running around after animals that are actually ok.

I'm sorry yu don't like what I said but can only speak from experience so here goes:-

Cat disappears - same day find out that he was hit by a car which broke his leg, otherwise ok, local resident phoned RSPCA and they picked him up. I phoned RSPCA (within 24hrs of cat being picked up) and they had no record of incident. I then phoned Leicester HO who told me they do not record cat incidents!! Went to local RSPCA kennels - no cat. Lots and lots of phone calls over 7 days, round and round in circles - no joy. Then hey presto phone call from RSPCA - "can their inspector come and see me tomorrow?" He came apologise that they had PUT MY CAT DOWN 5 DAYS AFTER I HAD 1ST CALLED THEM.

2ND INCIDENT - Early April, sleet and snow, new born foal stood with it's mum, knees knocking, cold wet and miserable, no shelter available. Found the owner and offered some stabling for it until weather either cleared up or foal was a bit stronger and able to cope (very tactfully). He told me to mind my own. SO, I called the RSPCA and explained the situation, not because I would want to report anyone, but because I thought it neglectful and cruel to have a newborn out in this weather. It took them three days to ring me back and find out exactly where the mare and foal were. Had the weather worsened - would the foal have survived?

I wouldn't give the RSPCA my last bucket of S**t
 
We had someone call them about a horse being 'tied to a tree all day' on our yard. Lol - it was my girlie, who has a paddock in the woods due to being so laminitic she can't have grass at all. She was standing still all day eating her pile of hay! Officer who came out said he couldn't have made a better set-up for a laminitic than our little paddock - was funny!
 
That is a horrendous story about your cat Irish :( As with anything in life there are people bad at their job and people good at it. It sounds like in your area the admin in the RSPCA is horrendous, maybe not so much the officers themselves.

I am not so much a fan of the RSPCA to be honest. There are some fab officers but I think often their hands are very bound by rules and regulations so they are not seen to be doing a good job. And it is a horrendous, thankless job 90% of the time. Badly paid, getting constant abuse (verbal and physical) not to mention the heartbreak of dealing with abused animals. I would never do a similar job again.
 
As I said, I don't really have a problem with the RSPCA attending, they are only responding to a call out, but I just wish the informant had come to speak with me first. I am putting a pic on another thread just so people can see what she looks like.
 
I can understand how you feel Mrs Ellie but most people walking past your field wouldn't want a confrontation with you. They certainly wouldn't want to be running round the area knocking on doors asking 'do you own the horses in that field?' And if the person did know you then they almost certainly know you DO look after your horses and therefore if they reported you there may have been a bit of spite involved.

I think it was almost certainly a passer by and if it was me I would have done the same if I was concerned. I wouldn't handle it myself. After all you could assault them or pull a gun on them or anything (and yes it does happen!)

If you are worried about this sort of thing happening again put a waterproof note on the field gate saying your mare is healthy, well looked after and is being treated by the vet.
 
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