RSPCA

[fabricarehorse]

How much use are the RSPCA in cases of equine neglect, we have a very old horse in the next but one field to our yard he is very lame in front we have reported this every year for the past eight years to the RSPCA they do nothing except tell us that we are wasting their time. We feed this horse every winter because the owners don't. No one ever comes near him to check that he is ok, this is neglect. The weather has been bitter for the past two weeks no one has come to feed the poor thing. We are not novice owners we own our own yard with competion horses and compete at county level, we know neglect when we see it. Has any one else found the RSPCA to be less than useless?

 

[Kaylum]

BHS Welfare are your best bet, when we had a field full of starving horses next door even the WHW said they were to far away but the BHS didn't turn away. they sorted out the situation.

 

[Chloe-V]

I might be wrong but I think the BHS can only advise the owners on what they should be doing.
I would use WHW personally ( had useless dealings with RSPCA in past).

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

BHS - they are also a welfare CHARITY and have the same powers as RSPCA and WHW

Call the helpline, number on this page: http://www.bhs.org.uk/Horse_Care/BHS_Welfare/Reporting_a_concern.aspx

Good luck

 

[rascal]

Rspca are worse than useless, there was one old horse near our house, lots of people reported him to them, nothing was done untill the horse went down and couldnt get up. He was very thin, not fed or rugged, he was an old tb and needed some extra tlc. They did take the owner to court, she got a ban but i know she still has a horse.
Another time we caught a mare on the road in a blizzard, we told them she had a young foal a few weeks old, and there was no food in the field, the foal was shivering, they said not to worry they would come that night, they diddnt, the foal died. If i had been told they were not going i would have found a rug and dried the foal off myself. The owners showed them a different mare and an older foal in a stable somewhere else.
Redwings or whw on the other hand are very good at giuving advice to owners.

 

[mulledwhine]

RSPCA, are a complete waste if time, I echo above, contact WHW

 

[starryeyed]

I've heard good things about WHW & the bhs, not so much about the RSPCA unfortunately!
Poor thing, hope you can get some help out to him, he's lucky to have someone like you looking out for him. Good luck, keep us updated

 

[Rose Folly]

Only experience I've had of RSPCA was with a heron, not a horse! Again, the chocolate teapot syndrome.

Heron (admittedly up to no good with next door neighbour's fishpond) got set on by her dogs, and badly injured but still almost impossible to handle. We suggested asking the farmer to shoot it, as no wildlife people were interested. Owner said no, would call RSPCA. They said don't shoot it, they would come. They did - 36 hours later. the bird was in great distress. They then faffed about for 2-3 hours before deciding - guess what - to put it down.

I think your best bet is the BHS, or WHW.

 

[Goldenstar]

I might be wrong but I think the BHS can only advise the owners on what they should be doing.
I would use WHW personally ( had useless dealings with RSPCA in past).

The RSPCA have no more or less rights than any other welfare charity they can't take a horse away from an owner they are not the police they have just been very good at selling themselves this is a double edged sword for them because people have a high expectation of what they can achieve.
The BHS welfare officers will often work very hard in a low profile way to make a difference to a horse in a poor situation .
WHW is another organisation I have a lot of time for.