RSPCA shoots 11 HEALTHY horses but claimed keep fees for months

[hackneylass2]

'I know the case you mean, but it still doesn't mean he is evil or whatever. The girl who was LOANING that horse was the one to blame ultimately. I'm pretty sure most slaughtermen have other sources of income. One local yard owner to me used to shoot his own and butcher them in a stable on the livery yard!! Also alot of what we know about that and this case was what was reported in the press, who don't let the truth get in the way of a good story. I reckon about 25% of what they report is fact and the rest is the reporter's own opinion and 2+2 assumptions.'


Fatpiggy,
To add to the let's say 'strangeness' of this case, it has also been alleged that the slaughterman involved, who now has a yard that takes in rescue cases, has, on more than one occasion, told clients that their horses 'want' to be shot. Apparently, this individual did this in his capacity as a Reiki Master and animal communicator. To me, there is a weird conflict of interests/ possible serious mental issue going on there. These links peturb me if they are indeed true, as leopards don't change their spots and money has to be involved somewhere.

As an aside, the yard owner you knew who shot and butchered his own (equines?) on his livery yard also seems to me to be very weird...I would remove my horse immediately from such an environment, and I'm sure all the other forum members would agree with me on this! What some people find permissible is beyond me sometimes.

 

[madlady]

Posted this evening on the Arab Horse Society FB page.

I have this morning had a rewarding meeting with the Head of Public Affairs and Staff Officer, Inspectorate Department at the RSPCA head office. We had a good meeting and now have set up a communication system which I'm sure will be of benefit both to the Arab Horse Society and the RSPCA. The RSPCA are going to do their utmost to identify the horses which were only known by stable names and not registered names. Please be patient as this will take sometime, but I am confident that this will come to a satisfactory conclusion.

I hope the satisfactory conclusion is a full investigation of the RSPCA, full statements to the public (including apologies), compensation to the owners (where the horses were only on loan) and some major changes so that the RSPCA no longer have anything to do with equine welfare.

 

[ycbm]

Posted this evening on the Arab Horse Society FB page.

I have this morning had a rewarding meeting with the Head of Public Affairs and Staff Officer, Inspectorate Department at the RSPCA head office. We had a good meeting and now have set up a communication system which I'm sure will be of benefit both to the Arab Horse Society and the RSPCA. The RSPCA are going to do their utmost to identify the horses which were only known by stable names and not registered names. Please be patient as this will take sometime, but I am confident that this will come to a satisfactory conclusion.

What mealy mouthed tosh.

A channel of communication is a smartphone with email, voice and text. They've always had that but it needs someone on the other end to listen.

A satisfactory conclusion? How? Are we going to call Jonathon Strange and Mr Norrell to resurrect the dead horses?

 

[Alec Swan]

I hope the satisfactory conclusion is a full investigation of the RSPCA, full statements to the public (including apologies), compensation to the owners (where the horses were only on loan) and some major changes so that the RSPCA no longer have anything to do with equine welfare.

That would be the ideal but we won't hold our collective breath! With the authority invested in the AHS, so the rspca have been forced to respond. What of the individuals who have been treated so shamefully and with no thought to Justice, in any form?

Alec.

 

[madlady]

That would be the ideal but we won't hold our collective breath! With the authority invested in the AHS, so the rspca have been forced to respond. What of the individuals who have been treated so shamefully and with no thought to Justice, in any form?

Alec.

Quite. And what a surprise I've had no response from the RSPCA to my own enquiry.

 

[ester]

has horse and hound actually picked this up at all?

 

[EstherYoung]

I believe they're putting something together, Ester. If anyone has any information that may help with an article I'm sure they'd be glad to have it.

 

[DD]

yes they are going to publish an article next weeks magazine I believe.

 

[ester]

Ah, I was just surprised not to get anything on their 'news' email today, given that the story broke 4 days ago.

 

[EstherYoung]

I think they've had a lot of people to talk to..... Plus they'll need to make sure what they publish won't get them into hot water legally.

 

[Alec Swan]

I believe they're putting something together, Ester. If anyone has any information that may help with an article I'm sure they'd be glad to have it.

The salient points which underline right and wrong are here on this very thread. Will the H&H take a clear and unequivocal stance? I very much doubt it. Taking a line which leaves no room for doubt will imply criticism and will mean that a boat or two will be rocked.

When Government acts, as they will be bound to do in the future, I wonder what the response from those who've been reluctant to speak up now, will be.

Alec.

 

[ester]

No, I guess I was expecting a report of the court case and perhaps a comment or 'alleged' misconduct reported elsewhere but being investigate further sort of thing rather than no mention at all- they have included another neglect case from Monday.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

From what I've read, the RSPCA will have their say in the H&H article. They will no doubt just repeat their line that the horses all belonged to the Peels, that the horses had no hope of being rehomed and that due to the equine crisis, healthy horses are having to be PTS.

If they actually tackle issues such as why the horses were not even correctly identified with the registered names, why they assumed that they knew the true ownership without correctly identifying each horse, why one mare broke her leg in RSPCA care, why they decided that they were 'unhomable', why they didn't accept the AHS' offer of help rehoming them etc... I'll be really quite taken aback.

ETA - not forgetting the 'admin error' of course.

Ester, is that the case where the woman was 'banned for life after foal dies'. It does make you wonder if the RSPCA could have made a much stronger case against the Peels too, as there was far more neglect and more dead animals there than just a single foal.

 

[ester]

If they do I hope H+H corrects it!

 

[Tiddlypom]

For general info re the RSPCA and equines (not specific to the Peel horses).

This 'infographic' re equines appears on the main RSPCA website.

http://www.rspca.org.uk/webContent/staticImages/HomesForHorses.jpg

To summarise, in 2014 the RSPCA received 82,886 calls about horses, of which 75,610 were reported as neglected and 1,425 were reported as abandoned. There were 367 convictions related to horses. 4,500 horses are 'at risk'.

Additionally, it takes an equine an average of 211 days from arrival to being ready to rehome, and then a further 282 days to actually being rehomed.

There are three RSPCA equine centres in England, in Surrey, Co.Durham and Shropshire. Only 24% of equines are being cared for at these centres, the remaining 76% are in 'private boarding'.

I fostered a gyspy cob filly from RSPCA Gonsal Farm in Shropshire, from 2012 to 2013. I was favourably impressed with the whole set up, and would readily foster from them again. However, the centre can only take in 50 equines. There are many good 'foot soldiers' doing a great job in these centres. I have no idea, though, who assesses which equines will be taken on for eventual rehoming and which will be pts.

 

[Alec Swan]

If we have a horse with rain-scald, do we treat the one and obvious pustular nodule, or do we treat the condition in its entirety? The case which is under discussion is a nodule. The condition is the rspca, and it's a condition which won't clear itself up, that will only happen by direct action, rather as it does with rain-scald.

Alec.

 

[Sadika]

Just how many RSPCA Inspectators are knowledgeable about horses??? I believe the number qualified in equine matters is quite a small percentage of the total???

 

[Alec Swan]

Just how many RSPCA Inspectators are knowledgeable about horses??? I believe the number qualified in equine matters is quite a small percentage of the total???

Those inspectors who lack the required knowledge, and they are in the majority, have access to those who should be able to speak with experience. The front line representatives are not in them selves to blame. The blame lays with the senior management and the council of the rspca.

Alec.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

From what I've read, the RSPCA will have their say in the H&H article. They will no doubt just repeat their line that the horses all belonged to the Peels, that the horses had no hope of being rehomed and that due to the equine crisis, healthy horses are having to be PTS.
.

I've no doubt they will bleat on about over breeding and people contributing towards over breeding (indirectly people who loan out horses for breeding loans) when actually, what we were talking about here were useful horses. They'll be no mention yet again, of the types that are churning out coloured cobs because it's nothing will stop that anyway or those of course, choosing to try and breed the likes of Exmoor/Clydesdale crosses.

 

[christine0810]

Just how many RSPCA Inspectators are knowledgeable about horses??? I believe the number qualified in equine matters is quite a small percentage of the total???

Out of the some 1500 Inspectors countrywide only 10 yes that's right 10 of those Inspectors have any in depth equine knowledge that is the figure I got quoted!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

It is of course true that there is an equine crisis and yes, healthy horses will be PTS. I don't want anyone to think that I'm in denial or against that. But as you point out MOC, these were wanted and useful horses and not the same as yet another coloured cob with dodgy conformation.

I do wonder if the AHS has carefully landed the RSPCA in it with their statement about the RSPCA helping to identify the horses now. Surely that means that the RSPCA must have decided that they were 'unhomable' without identifying what they actually had? It also shows that they hadn't checked the ownership. It's all a bit late really to co-operate with the AHS now, but just maybe the RSPCA will learn that if they have something purebred in, or a high quality cross, that they should make efforts to work with the relevant breed society?

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Just how many RSPCA Inspectators are knowledgeable about horses??? I believe the number qualified in equine matters is quite a small percentage of the total???

Not many

Where I am (a prolific horse area, inc lots of traveller sites too) there are 4 officers, only 1 had a pretty good equine knowledge, 2 have such scanty knowledge that they are positively dangerous on call-outs, the 4th is around PC C test level & thats being polite. Bedside manner of the latter 3 is pretty non-existent too, more sergeant major-i-know-everything so do as I tell you, rather than trying to work out a solutin to alleviate more prblems

The nearest local WHW officer is a very well meaning lady, but very taken up with her penchant for leaving notes about ragwort and feather mites rather than body scoring, skin conditions, lice etc.

I spend a lot of my time in total disbelief, usually calling the decent rspca offer for assistance and trying to keep the others at bay, or from causing more distress

 

[Meowy Catkin]

So is it possible that the RSPCA thought 'OMG arabs and arab crosses, we can't cope with them' and had them shot for that reason?

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

To add, if its pointed out that a pick-up or call out may be a registered pony with a breed society, they are just not interested in following it up.
1st hand experience of this, despite chips or brands etc, its SO annoying when I KNOW the breed societies concerned would bend over backwards to assist, contacting breeders etc or people willing to have them, but thats not what RSPCA like at all.
IMHO, they prefer to just use the stable name, palm off animal as a foster or re-home it and its out of the system; another animal which is lost from studbooks etc and untraceable (except by chip) in the future as they usually get re-passported if they are not PTS.
Either that or its not 'in the best interests' to let breed society know, as case is 'pending'. By the time its come to court, they wont bother to contact breed society as 'equine now well settled' where it is, makes my blood boil

 

[Alec Swan]

So is it possible that the RSPCA thought 'OMG arabs and arab crosses, we can't cope with them' and had them shot for that reason?

No. It isn't that simple. Horses frighten the life out of 90% of rspca inspectors. The fact is that the 'rspca' didn't 'think', it really is that simple, and the reason is that for too long they've had such a sense of omnipotence and whilst being in receipt of graciously bestowed royal patronage, so they've become ever more convinced of their own 'self'.

With genuine respect Faracat, you continue to focus it seems to me, upon what's immediately in front of you, and I suspect that you may be failing to see the larger picture. The horses under discussion are already dead, and the question must be; 'Are we to be placated by the response 'Lessons have to be learned'?'

The rspca with their own colossal sense of self worth will only learn one thing from this appalling episode, and that will be how to better manage criticism. Currently they ignore it, but for how much longer? Do you know? Because I don't.

Alec.

 

[Pigeon]

I know this sounds heartless, but I always wonder why desirable horses like these (that may actually be useful) are put down, and yet the RSPCA retains literally hundreds of unbroken ponies.

These ponies aren't sought after because they are so small they can only be ridden by children, but due to lack of handling or mistreatment aren't quiet enough for kids. They are also not the easiest companions to ridden horses, as they require very restricted grazing and consistent exercise to prevent laminitis.

I know that is a cold approach, but with limited space and funds, surely horses that can be rehomed quickly need to be prioritised, so that another can fill their space. Is it just that under 13hhs are more likely to be abandoned/neglected? Or are these just easier to handle? It sounds like a lot of the people dealing with equine rescue within the RSPCA may be knowledgeable about animals in general, but not experienced horsemen. In which case anything above 13hh probably IS difficult to handle... And I'm sorry but how the hell did they manage to break that poor mare's leg in transit? I don't believe that they even realise the depth of knowledge needed to handle equines safely. Like Fuzzy said, they are C-test level, and they think that this is enough. They need staff that are experienced and fearless when handling difficult horses. You can find them for minimum wage on most eventing yards....

I have sympathy for the society in that they are fighting an uphill battle, but making stupid decisions like these (the destruction of animals without their owners knowledge, not to mention the shifty expenses claim) will turn the public against them, which will not help their cause.

 

[ester]

If they didn't have the passports matched up... so didn't know their true names, presumably they didn't know true ages either? I know that some were older but a couple weren't.

 

[Sadika]

If they didn't have the passports matched up... so didn't know their true names, presumably they didn't know true ages either? I know that some were older but a couple weren't.

The Peels had a web site ... it would not have been rocket science to identify quite a lot from there ... because RP posted regularly on forums many people knew their horses ... there are tons of people who could have helped if they had known ... the likes of Taz, Harley etc ... and the stable names were known such as Cresh - that's easy to match upto Last Crescendo ... and blow me he's an Arab stallion ... oh and methinks he will be known to ... the ARAB HORSE SOCIETY ... let's give them a ring??? BINGO! Simples???!!! So what went so wrong?????

 

[ester]

I know for most of them it wasn't rocket science at all, for the others check markings and they'd know? We weren't talking a hundred horses!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

To add, if its pointed out that a pick-up or call out may be a registered pony with a breed society, they are just not interested in following it up.
1st hand experience of this, despite chips or brands etc, its SO annoying when I KNOW the breed societies concerned would bend over backwards to assist, contacting breeders etc or people willing to have them, but thats not what RSPCA like at all.
IMHO, they prefer to just use the stable name, palm off animal as a foster or re-home it and its out of the system; another animal which is lost from studbooks etc and untraceable (except by chip) in the future as they usually get re-passported if they are not PTS.
Either that or its not 'in the best interests' to let breed society know, as case is 'pending'. By the time its come to court, they wont bother to contact breed society as 'equine now well settled' where it is, makes my blood boil

this is disgusting, absolutely shocking imo and a completely bullheaded approach to a world they obviously know nothing about and seemingly prejudiced against. tbh before when I read complaints about the RSPCA I took it with a large pinch of salt but this has me very concerned.