When its horse related welfare issue why not use a horse charity?

[indie999]

As title suggests. I am very confused why the horse charities dont get picked on for dealing with horse welfare and the RSPCA get it in the neck but they try to do ALL animals!

But hey I am not actually knocking any of them as I think they are all great. Just curious and not understanding it all?

 

[PandorasJar]

I only call bhs and whw for horse incidents. However rspca are very public with helping all animals. Someone non-horsey is unlikely to know about whw.
Imo the rspca should take responsibility for communicating with horse charities and not take it all on when they don't have the knowledge.

I'd far rather someone knowing horses turned up if there was an issue otherwise it's the blind leading the blind.

I have called once to a horse but whw bhs and police were all called in conjunction.

 

[Star_Chaser]

most of the horse rescues or in fact any rescue do exactly that they rescue, rehabilitate and rehome or pts when necessary. The RSPCA are campaigners and prosecutors as well as offering the service that the others do, its too much of a blurred line and they often given their public profile get it wrong. Hats off to them when they get it right but sadly that is rarely what is publicised.

 

[Spring Feather]

OP I have no idea. Why on earth anyone horsey would even consider calling the RSPCA for a horse related incident is quite beyond me. The RSPCA are more like GPs, WHW or BHS are more like specialists. I think anyone who calls the RSPCA for horse related problems (apart from obvious neglect and serious welfare concerns) must be totally non-horsey. I see the RSPCA as more of a pet welfare society (dogs, cats et al) and it also bugs the life out of me when I see on here the amount of dufus people who are so quick to blame the RSPCA for not dealing with a situation where the RSPCA really have no jurisdiction anyway.

 

[Moomin1]

I only call bhs and whw for horse incidents. However rspca are very public with helping all animals. Someone non-horsey is unlikely to know about whw.
Imo the rspca should take responsibility for communicating with horse charities and not take it all on when they don't have the knowledge.

I'd far rather someone knowing horses turned up if there was an issue otherwise it's the blind leading the blind.

I have called once to a horse but whw bhs and police were all called in conjunction.

Given that the RSPCA are a charity, not a government body, or the police, how about the public take the responsibility to communicate with the horse charities to prevent the need for the RSPCA to take on so much, given the fact that they are the only charity who work 24/7, every day of the year, dealing with all animals, not just horses.

 

[lastchancer]

Given that the RSPCA are a charity, not a government body, or the police, how about the public take the responsibility to communicate with the horse charities to prevent the need for the RSPCA to take on so much, given the fact that they are the only charity who work 24/7, every day of the year, dealing with all animals, not just horses.

Um isn't that just what the OP said....

I have a better idea, how about a splinter group of die hard RSPCA employees/supporters organize vigilantism in their own towns, hey they could even join forces with the hunt sabs/anti's

They could be called the R(eal)RSPCA.

I'm Joking.

 

[JillA]

One reason is that none of the horse charities have any powers under the Animal Welfare Act. The Act as I read it says that animals can be removed by an Inspector or a constable by which I undertand it to mean RSPCA or Police. Happy to be corrected though?
If WHW field officers see a horse in need of taking to a place of safety they generally call in an RSPCA inspector, who get a vet to make the decision - I imagine HAPPA and Blue Cross etc do the same.
Short of removing, all that can be done is advise owners, and most owners won't take any notice of a well meaning representative of a small horse charity. I run a small sanctuary and have had lots of approaches recently from members of the public concerned about horses and ponies in this weather. I give them WHW's number.
BTW - I thought BHS welfare officers just passed info on and didn't visit in person?

 

[luckyoldme]

I did nt realise till i got my own horse that the RSPCA were nt the place to go with horse issues..most people seeing a neglected horse would automaticly think the RSPCA would be the first port of call.

 

[camilla4]

One reason is that none of the horse charities have any powers under the Animal Welfare Act. The Act as I read it says that animals can be removed by an Inspector or a constable by which I undertand it to mean RSPCA or Police. Happy to be corrected though?
If WHW field officers see a horse in need of taking to a place of safety they generally call in an RSPCA inspector, who get a vet to make the decision - I imagine HAPPA and Blue Cross etc do the same.
Short of removing, all that can be done is advise owners, and most owners won't take any notice of a well meaning representative of a small horse charity. I run a small sanctuary and have had lots of approaches recently from members of the public concerned about horses and ponies in this weather. I give them WHW's number.
BTW - I thought BHS welfare officers just passed info on and didn't visit in person?

The RSPCA have no more powers than any other charity or individual.

 

[JillA]

The RSPCA have no more powers than any other charity or individual.

That used to be the case under the old Act which didn't specify who could take out a prosecution. What is the scource for that under the new Act? Where do you get that from, Camilla4? (I am not challenging, I am interested)

 

[camilla4]

That used to be the case under the old Act which didn't specify who could take out a prosecution. What is the evidence for that under the new Act? Where do you get that from, Camilla4? (I am not querying, I am interested)

Anyone can bring a private prosecution; that has always been the case. The RSPCA, being a large, well funded charity, are simply able to afford to do so where others, including individuals, cannot!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

BTW - I thought BHS welfare officers just passed info on and didn't visit in person?

Sorry not correct.
They (BHS Welfare) are trained field officers just like WHW & RSPCA & often (usually) have more equine knowledge than RSPCA inspectors. The BHS, WHW have the same powers as the RSPCA as all charities do.
They do go out to all calls as requested by BHS Welfare dept and also via local network.
Often working with owner, also able to give advice if required if someone calls with management problems.
Also quite a number of the BHS Welfare Inspectors have undertaken training to be 'Friends at the end'

 

[MillyMoomie]

JillA I understand your confusion, the Animal Welfare Act 2006 does indeed state "Inspector". Plus i believe the RSPCA were very influential and involved in the writing of act which was long over due, the only previous welfare laws being the 1911 protection of animals act which was outdated.However in this context Inspector means an animal welfare inspector APPOINTED under the act and employed by the council, therefore there is meant to be a clear seperation between the welfare officer and stray dogs, which is under a dog warden also under the council.The officers have powers under the animal welfare act. Of course the police do also but often have no idea. Unfortunately not too many animal welfare officers exist and in my experience the ones that do work very closely with the RSPCA. RSPCA Inspectors have been charged with a duty to investigate but have no powers at all. Everything is done via the police and vets have the final say. People are often mistaken in thinking the RSPCA has just "taken" an animal, because they can't, mostly the animal has to have been deemed to be 'suffering' or 'likely to suffer' by a vet and then the police will use the relevant powers. The RSPCA will then take responsibility.
An interesting point that I don't realise some people know is just how closely all the charities work together. Particularly WHW and RSPCA.
I hope this explanation isn't too confusing, happy to be corrected if anyone spots a mistake! The Animal Welfare act is very interesting and worth a read to understand how things work.

 

[JillA]

Thanks MillyMoomie that is really helpful

 

[Rose Folly]

I think the only circumstances in which I would ring the RSPCA about a horse is in an 'event' - horse stuck in ditch for example, but then I would also be ringing the police/fire brigade or asking RSPCA to so do as they would have more clout with those services than me as an individual.

But for a 'grey' area, like suspected/actual neglect I would go straight to BHS or WHW or, in our area, Horseworld. As someone said earlier, its the equivalent of GPs versus specialists. You can't knock the RSPCA too much for lack of knowledge when they may be dealing with a tortoise one morning and a Shire horse that afternoon! Same goes for vets, incidentally!!

 

[MerrySherryRider]

OP, I really don't know either. Although the RSPCA do have specialists in equine related matters, there are not enough to give 24 hr coverage nationally. Given the scale of horse related neglect and abandonment, I do think that councils should follow the lead of a small few and appoint their own officers. They are responsible for abandoned animals, employ dog wardens and yet expect a charity to sort the equine problem.
Similarly, The CPS seem to have handed responsibility for bringing the majority of abuse cases to the RSPCA.
It would be great if the RSPCA wasn't used as a free service by the state to do the job they should be doing. The scale of what they are tackling is massive, so as things stand at the moment, I would hope that people with some equine knowledge would use the WHW or BHS as a first port of call. These organisations and other horse charities work closely with the RSPCA in many cases anyway.

 

[Goldenstar]

JillA I understand your confusion, the Animal Welfare Act 2006 does indeed state "Inspector". Plus i believe the RSPCA were very influential and involved in the writing of act which was long over due, the only previous welfare laws being the 1911 protection of animals act which was outdated.However in this context Inspector means an animal welfare inspector APPOINTED under the act and employed by the council, therefore there is meant to be a clear seperation between the welfare officer and stray dogs, which is under a dog warden also under the council.The officers have powers under the animal welfare act. Of course the police do also but often have no idea. Unfortunately not too many animal welfare officers exist and in my experience the ones that do work very closely with the RSPCA. RSPCA Inspectors have been charged with a duty to investigate but have no powers at all. Everything is done via the police and vets have the final say. People are often mistaken in thinking the RSPCA has just "taken" an animal, because they can't, mostly the animal has to have been deemed to be 'suffering' or 'likely to suffer' by a vet and then the police will use the relevant powers. The RSPCA will then take responsibility.
An interesting point that I don't realise some people know is just how closely all the charities work together. Particularly WHW and RSPCA.
I hope this explanation isn't too confusing, happy to be corrected if anyone spots a mistake! The Animal Welfare act is very interesting and worth a read to understand how things work.

The RSPCA where consulted when the welfare act was being discussed as where the BHS WHW and all the other large horse welfare charities .
The RSPCA does not and can not write laws that's the job of the government it did lobby while the new law was being draughted and it was consulted as was the BHS and WHW and others.
I will say it again the RSPCA is simply a charity that chooses to spent its money doing private prosecutions it has no more rights than any other charity or member of the public.