RSPCA local branch to close due to lack of funds.

[Luci07]

As reported in the Daily Telegraph. At its most simplistic, I just do not understand this. The branch is expected to raise donations locally and by itself. Where does the money given to the overall charity go then? We all know about the recent court expenditure against the Heythrop, which I feel is going to be incredibly costly for them in terms of public perception.. but seriously, if you donate to the RSPCA, where does the money go if not back into the local branches which ARE trying to do something?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/pol...6k-prosecuting-David-Camerons-local-hunt.html

 

[joeanne]

That is because the RSPCA do not fund rescue centres. They are entirely self funded.
So what exactly DOES the money they collect go on.....oh yes......prosecuting hunts and old people....

 

[carthorse]

This is the same as RDA. I used to manage a centre and we had to raise every penny. I have no idea what some of these charities do with their money accept pay their office staff.

 

[Welly]

I never knew this. So what you are telling me is that if there is a person with a tin outside my supermarket the money goes to the local centre they are from. So where does the money from the very expensive advert that is on TV go!

 

[foolsgold]

The RSPCA does fund some shelters. If they are called "the whatever branch of the RSPCA" then they are self-funding branches, usually staffed by volunteers and sometimes without an actual centre as the animals are fostered out. If they are called "whatever animal centre" then it is funded by and under the control of the RSPCA. Animal centres are usually where the case animals are sent for the duration of the case/rehabilitation, and branches tend to deal with unwanted pets for rehoming. Branches get to use the name for fundraising but do not have to follow the same guidelines and policies that the centres do.

 

[competitiondiva]

Foolsgold has pretty much summed it up there. If you donate to the national RSPCA you help to find inspectors attending your calls about situations requiring intervention. It also pays for emergency veterinary care of stray animals, the boarding of case animals and veterinary care of these. Take for instance the pony found over Christmas called 'elf' in my other thread. The international work of the RSPCA, ie the work they did in Haiti in the earth quake. Educational issues, research, prosecutions, (and whether you agree with the heythropp prosecution, when the cps decline to take a case where the defendants were clearly guilty, thank God the rspca were prepared to pay for it! Or should the rich get away with what they want to do, despite what the law says?) The local branch tend to deal with ongoing care, boarding, vets bills of stray animals, refining of these animals, animals unwanted by the public, aid in paying vet bills for those who can't afford them etc

 

[competitiondiva]

Fund, not find!

 

[competitiondiva]

Re homing not refining! Dam this predictive text!

 

[Luci07]

I will not agree with the RSPCA funding the court cases. It is not a question of the rich getting away with it - they were prosecuting hunt staff who are certainly not earning a lot of money. Neither did the hunt have the funds to take on the RSPCA. But this is moving away from the main point. However you look at this, a branch which actually is doing what we all think the RSPCA is facing closure. Its high time the RSPCA became more transparent about where the money goes (public donations after all) and focuses on animal welfare. I have absolutely no time for wasting money the way they do when everyday I see yet more healthy young dogs being PTS. Why doesn't the RSPCA do more of what Battersea is trying to do and educate the public?

 

[happyhunter123]

I will not agree with the RSPCA funding the court cases. It is not a question of the rich getting away with it - they were prosecuting hunt staff who are certainly not earning a lot of money. Neither did the hunt have the funds to take on the RSPCA.

Whatever your view on hunting, it is undeniable that the RSPCA wasted money on this case-money that could have been used to protect places like this.
The LACS (perfectly experienced and occasionally successful) should have prosecuted the Heythrop, not the RSPCA. Massive waste of funds.

 

[Echo Bravo]

So know we know the RSPCA is a 2 tier system, the branches that are trying to do something and the top nobs are into what I call class warfare, what they never seem to realise that most people that go hunting are from all walks of life.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

Whatever your view on hunting, it is undeniable that the RSPCA wasted money on this case-money that could have been used to protect places like this.
The LACS (perfectly experienced and occasionally successful) should have prosecuted the Heythrop, not the RSPCA. Massive waste of funds.

If they didn't break the law nobody would have to "waste" money on prosecuting them.

 

[Echo Bravo]

And to spend peoples donations prosecuting a legal hunt is ok b*gger the poor animals that really need help. Good one Sussex!!!

 

[Alec Swan]

.......

The LACS (perfectly experienced and occasionally successful) should have prosecuted the Heythrop, not the RSPCA. Massive waste of funds.

Justifying a prosecution against the Heythrop, and considering the LACS owned Baronsdown Wood, debacle, may just have raised an eyebrow, or two! Even the lacs aren't that lax, surely!

Alec.

 

[Alec Swan]

That is because the RSPCA do not fund rescue centres. They are entirely self funded.
So what exactly DOES the money they collect go on.....oh yes......prosecuting hunts and old people....

Don't forget £6mil on a brand new centre, but that was only achieved with a serious set of cost cutting redundancies.

Alec.

 

[Echo Bravo]

Alec the sensible.

 

[competitiondiva]

Echo bravo, the point is the hunt were not 'a legal hunt' that is the point!!!! They were hunting illegally!!!!!!!!

 

[competitiondiva]

......

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Perhaps those that think the RSPCA shouldn't prosecute animal abusers think these horses should still be with Sally Rix ?http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/information/latest-news?view=show&content_id=5395

If the hunts and other abusers didn't break the law, perhaps the RSPCA could concentrate funds elsewhere. Or should they only prosecute working class people?

Of course, our dear friend Julian does have a bank account ready for your donations if you feel strongly about his victimisation and don't want him to have to lower the heating at his lovely Chipping Norton farmhouse.

 

[joeanne]

The RSPCA USED to promote better standards of care, and HELP those struggling with education and funding for vets etc.
Now these same people are prosecuted, and the animals removed at a far higher cost to both the RSPCA and the animals (who are removed, kenneled, PTS......).
Perhaps if they went back to "grass roots" I would have a bit more respect, but the whole time they are sitting in newly built and decorated offices and the animals they profess to help are sitting in leaking, shabby kennels, I shall leave my hard earnt money in the bank.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

The RSPCA USED to promote better standards of care, and HELP those struggling with education and funding for vets etc.
Now these same people are prosecuted, and the animals removed at a far higher cost to both the RSPCA and the animals (who are removed, kenneled, PTS......).
Perhaps if they went back to "grass roots" I would have a bit more respect, but the whole time they are sitting in newly built and decorated offices and the animals they profess to help are sitting in leaking, shabby kennels, I shall leave my hard earnt money in the bank.

I'm slightly surprised at your post, seeing your link for the Cairo farrier, I'd have thought you'd be full of support for the RSPCA's international work. Running, alonside other welfare charities, successful animal anti rabies, birth control and education programmes in Africa, Eastern Europe, Asia etc.
Not to mention the programmes to help prevent authorities poisoning and shooting stray dogs, or euthansia by car exhaust pipe.

But for those of those outraged by the RSPCA's successful prosecutions of lawbreakers, don't worry about all the work the RSPCA do that doesn't make the Daily Mail.

 

[Moomin1]

I'm slightly surprised at your post, seeing your link for the Cairo farrier, I'd have thought you'd be full of support for the RSPCA's international work. Running, alonside other welfare charities, successful animal anti rabies, birth control and education programmes in Africa, Eastern Europe, Asia etc.
Not to mention the programmes to help prevent authorities poisoning and shooting stray dogs, or euthansia by car exhaust pipe.

But for those of those outraged by the RSPCA's successful prosecutions of lawbreakers, don't worry about all the work the RSPCA do that doesn't make the Daily Mail.

Horserider, some people are just too blinkered and small minded to even use their brains and realise that the majority of the day to day prosecutions taking place will simply never reach the press because they either aren't controversial enough, or they aren't high profile.

It always makes me laugh the way anti-RSPCA vehemently argue that the RSPCA only take high profile cases! It doesn't for one second occur to them that those cases reach the papers because they ARE high profile!

 

[Welly]

If the police and CPS took the view not to prosecute I can only think they thought that they might not win the case, and with a finite amount of resources they decided not to prosecute. The RSPCA also have a finite amount of money and have to decide how to spend it. The amount of money spent on this one case would have gone a long way to keeping this place going. If they want my money they need to look at how they spend theirs! (or look at spending their money more wisely)

 

[competitiondiva]

I agree welly, so the result would be those who are guilty who can afford an expensive defensive solicitor etc get away with sticking two fingers up to the law and no one holds them accountable? I'm personally thankful someone was there to make sure that didn't happen. It's just a pity that someone ended up having to be a charity!! No not the way I would like donations spent, but then if the people who chose to abuse animals didn't. Then they wouldn't have to 'waste' their money bringing them to justice.

 

[Alec Swan]

I agree welly, so the result would be those who are guilty who can afford an expensive defensive solicitor etc get away with sticking two fingers up to the law and no one holds them accountable?

.......

The answer to your inaccurate statement is that Legal Aid is in place for those who can't afford their own defence.

The difference between reality and your thoughts is that those who can afford their own defence might also risk being responsible for the prosecution costs, so when the CPS decline to press ahead, the reality is that they have a week case.

The Law and the Courts deal with all in a level headed manner, and the reality is that those without the funds to pay for their own defence are more often the ones to raise two fingers.

Alec.

 

[Luci07]

I put my hands up and say I am hunt supporter but I am really incredibly uninterested in this endless debate at this time. The point is that I very very strongly disagree with how the RSPCA chooses to spend public donations, but maybe that is because I keep seeing the endless lists of dogs in pounds on the PTS list who need help. If the RSPCA wish to lobby and take a legal stance, how about focusing on the backstreet breeders who churn out poor quality animals, sell them cheaply and leave someone else (volunteers) to sort out their mess.. if they can.

And if the RSPCA felt that they completely correct in taking the stance about prosecutions.. who come this is not mentioned in all the advertising we see? All we see if the RSPCA rescuing a badly abused animal, not in court over fox hunting.

And for the RSPCA supporters on here.. there was a good question raised earlier, so if someone is jangling a tin for money.. is there an easy way to know where the money goes?

I want the RSPCA to go back to what it used to be, yes it didn't always get it right but it tried and was a voice for all animals. The bad press is growing (not just the Daily Mail) and unless someone radically overhauls perception, openness and activity, this will be a charity in pretty poor shape. In fact, if Preston is anything to go by, then it is already happening.

 

[competitiondiva]

Point taken I_shot_Santa but the case was not weak and they were found guilty..... So why did the cps leave a charity to pay for the prosecution? Wrong IMO...

 

[Simsar]

They were not ''found guilty'' they pleaded guilty because of the cost of defending themselves, and cost is something the RSPCA should have thought about when bringing the convictions, this is the exact reason that whenever I do give to charity I am selective and choose one which I KNOW where and what it will be spent on, or just donate my time!

 

[Alec Swan]

Simsar,

the worrying point is, that when the rspca sink themselves into debt, and when they issue pleas for further funds, from an adoring public, then the deeper the debt so the greater the response. Do we dive into a river and save a man who isn't drowning?

I'm sure that I'm not alone in assuring others that were the rspca to stick to their original tenet, then they would receive my total support. We need a Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, but in its current format, it's a joke, and a failure, and those who direct the necessary fund raising are those who steer the policy makers. The rspca has nothing to do with animal cruelty and everything to do with those who have their feet firmly implanted in a trough.

Alec.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

there are so many charities i wont send money to

RSPCA is one and Guide dogs for the blind is another.

In fact only a handful I will support.

The RSPCA have got a bad name for themselves now which is why a lot don't send money in to them.