Someone called the RSPCA on me!!!

Kokopelli

Kokopelli

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I am so annoyed this person thinks my horse looks neglected and he has a cut on his nose which they think needs medical attention.

My horse isnot underweight we had the vet out the other day and he said he only looks thin because he is lacking muscle! The reason the vet was out was because of the cut on his nose as I thought it needed some attention, he gave us antibiotics for it and its clearing up nicely.

Apperently they are up to their knees in mud! What? There field is hardly muddy at all. There is also a "lack of food" for my horse, yes theres not a lot of grass in his field but he's being fed every morning and evening!!!

I am just pi$$ed off that the RSPCA are wasting there time seeing my "neglected horse" when there are actual horses out there who need there attention!!!

I have a feeling the person who did it was the man I told off last week for feeding him pears, I didn't even tell him off really I said "I would appreciate it if you didn't feed him as he is on a strict diet". This is probably where he got the idea that he is under fed from!!

Sorry I just had to vent my anger before I got and track down that idiot with a shovel!!! I just feel so bad that people think my horse is negelected when he looks as happy as larry! He has a brand new rug on aswell!

Has this ever happened to anyone before?
 
It happened to a friend many years back.
She bought a weanling from an auction on the Saturday and by Wednesday the RSPCA were demanding to see him.
Poor soul had been seperated far too early and was a state. Even in the few days that she had him he had improved. RSPCA madde her feel lilke a criminal with their 'We will be back, here's some advice' speech.
Sadly it happens all to often........someone makes a comment and everyone jumps on the band wagon without being in full posession of the facts.....
 
Kokopelli said:
I am just pi$$ed off that the RSPCA are wasting there time seeing my "neglected horse" when there are actual horses out there who need there attention!!!

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OK I realise you might be feeling a little peeved but I hope in your statement your not slating the rspca for actually attending??!!! Until they arrive to see your horse how are they to know if it's underweight or not??!!

On the plus side I take it there was no issue with the inspector so all ended well???
 
i have when i first got my rescue horse jack he was skin and bone so i turned him out with a nice outdoor rug in a lush field and he came in a night then a few times i came down and his rug had been taken of and then a few days after the rspca came and said someone had called your horse is thin and not been fed ect and the rug was to small for him (it wasnt !!!) but when i showed them the recite(sp) showing he was brought from beeston market only 2weeks ago they said he wasnt neglected i had to show them all his feed and things like that and i was going to be ''monitored'' i found out who had called them though and they got a ear full and were eventuly asked to leave.if you look at jack now people are shocked to hear hes 25 as he looks about 10 xxx
 
I am sure they make some checks when they are not needed (as in your case). However think of the situations when they discover neglect. Surely it is important for them to rule out neglect whenever there is a report.
 
It happened to me when I was a kid at home. Someone called to complain that our horses were out in all weather without any shelter so the Humane Society came out to investigate.

Of course, there were no grounds for the complaint - the horses had a shelter out in the filed but it wasn't visible from the road, they were fat and happy and healthy, etc.

We assumed it was someone who nothing at all about horses but at the time I was livid and insulted that someone would think that I would mistreat my horses.

However, my feelings have changed about it over time. There are just so many horses that ARE neglected and knowing that the HS checks up on even the stupidest of complaints makes me feel like they'll listen if someone has a real concern. It may have been your neighbor and if so, that's too bad, but at the same time you can easily show that your horse is not poorly cared for so it's a minimal headache.

At least that's my way of looking at it.
 
You should remember that the RSPCA have no statutory right of entry onto your property, you do no 'have to' show them anything. You can simply ask them to leave. If they feel that without entering your property they have sufficient grounds to remove an animal from your property, they can come back with a police escort and a vet to confirm their suspicions.
 
all replies are worth their writ on paper, i am just happy that 1 out of the 1000's that dont bother did bother (even though in this case it was unnecessary).
 
I guess that is a plus point thanks for showing me the bright side of this. I can assure all of you he is not neglected, if anything the shetlands across the road from him who are fatter then they are tall are more neglected!

I just wanna move my horse out of this field now as it's right by the pavement and put him out in one of the big fields actually inside the yard, the only thing is I don't want him kicked as atm he is out with one other to prevent injuries.

They said there is nothing wrong with him and told me to monitor his weight throughout the winter incase he loses condition I do anyway but atleast they made sure.

I was very glad Koko didn't try to kick him when he was inspecting him as he may have mistaken him for a vet :p
 
I know how you feel............I was part of 'Yard Politics' thus my horse on loan being reported.
Cost me about £300 in total travel, vets, blacksmith, livery

Nothing wrong with horse and I got a pathetic apology from the RSPCA as they advised they have to act on all reports.........doesn't mean they even see the animal, in fact I am lead to believe that in a lot of cases only if an owners does not respond to their 'treats' do they take further action - like actually visiting the animal.

Sorry to rant but they as an organisation they operate in a shocking manner...........they will never get another penny from me or respect, basically they are bullies!!
 
People have a go about the RSPCA coming out, but you can have no way of knowing what they were told or how honest a picture they got of the situation from the caller. For ex, I remember someone complaining that the RSPCA (actually might have been the SSPCA but since they seem to come in for a bashing too, I think the story still applies!) had come out because there was a big puddle in their field in a rainstorm... but for all they knew the caller had painted a dreadful picture of a flash flood with horses treading water!

They're not always perfect but they don't deserve all the stick they get. The inspectors I have encountered have been dedicated people with absolutely gigantic workloads who are just doing the best they can.
 
Some g*t called the USPCA (our version of RSPCA in NI) regarding my 13.2hh gypsy cob when I was 12.
The police came as well, my mum had friends over at the time and was absolutely mortified to have a bunch of idiots from the USPCA and a police car in the driveway.
From what I remember they said he was being treated cruelly and was being starved.
I walked across the field with one of the policemen to the pony, who was in a good paddock in the middle of summer, and remember the police man saying he didn't know much about horses but even he could see there was nothing wrong with him.
It still galls me to this day over 13yrs later that someone could be so spiteful as to call the USPCA and the police when there was clearly nothing wrong.
I still don't know who called them.

Anyhoo, don't get riled up too much, some people just love causing trouble and know what switch to flip where our horses are concerned.
 
The RSPCA get a huge amount of stick for not acting when people believe they should, and a huge amount for acting when people believe they shouldn't. If you know your horses are well cared for, don't worry! Any inspector worth his salt will know if a call is misguided, or not. Many calls are from genuine members of the public who don't know anything about horses and are concerned. Especially after all the publicity recently about horrific neglect cases such as Spindles Farm. Far better they should come and visit than not. I would suggest you , and anyone in a similar position, cooperate fully, explain your particular circumstances, and let them get on. If someone has reported you maliciously, the RSPCA don't know that, and the sooner they realise the horses are fine, they can get on with their jobs elsewhere. It is a bit like Social Services in that the general population all want them to look out for at risk children, and respond to information.........as long as it isn't MY well-cared for kids. Far better peeople feel able to report their concerns, and have the professionals judge, than have even one horse/child slip throught the net because the authorities are not made aware of concerns. I would have no problems in any welfare group turning up to check my horses, and would merely be apologetic that their time had been wasted on an unnecessary visit. I'd still be pleased that they were doing their job.
 
Reminds me of the time an RSPCA inspector called on me ! Horse was being left in stable without water ! Right, horse came in at 10 am. with bucket of water, usually went out at 4. Because a certain person saw empty bucket at about 2, reported me. However, instead of saying to me perhaps he needed 2 buckets(only had particular horse a week so didnt know he was a thirsty b****) they filled bucket up. Therefore when I got to yard horse had water so I was not aware that he had been a COUPLE of HOURS without !! I was absolutely furious and still am when I think about it
 
I sympathise with you. A few years ago i allowed a person to use the paddock that i have rented for 15 years to keep a pony (laminitic) in for a few months. Well a few weeks later our family started to recieve calls regarding the welfare of the pony from a lady who wouldnt leave her name. Explained that pony wasnt mine and informed lady that all was well but still she reported me to RSPCA. Note to me left on gate stating that they had attended so i phoned them explaining firstly that pony not mine and also that it was not neglected in any way. The operator said that she couldnt comment on the "case" and that if the inspector was concerned they would be back in touch. I again reiteriated that pony was not mine etc and asked that the information they had be updated - only to be told that my details would stay on their data base until expiry (whatever that meant!)
I never heard another thing, but it did cause me a great deal of anxiety.
 
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