Why are the RSPCA being attacked for followíng up a complaint!

A

Allover

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 July 2010
Messages
2,155
Visit site
I am sorry i cant understand this, have just been reading a thread on here, and its not the first, and it seems people are thinking the RSPCA are a bunch of control freaks running round trying to pester innocent owners.

I know it is not nice to have someone come on your property and investigate your animal and your husbandry practices but i believe that if you have done nothing wrong then whats the problem.

Not all owners are good to their animals and there a very few people out there protecting their rights.

Would they not be the first people you would call if YOU saw a neglected\abused or injured animal.

I think we should be grateful that there is a service like this in our country that we dont have to pay for.
 
Last edited:
ditto above. they are useless, only out for the high publicity cases to get more money.

target defenceless owners and leave the scumbags who they know they dont have a hope of convicting (who actually have neglected horses) well alone.
 
Unfortunately on this forum (probably mainly due to the hunting issue) the vast majority of people hold bad views of the rspca and therefore they can do no right, they are damned if they do, damned if they don't.

For me, I'm glad they are there, cases such as the JG case would never have been brought by anyone else, no other organisation or charity would be prepared to plough the funds into taking such a case. I'm also glad they are there to follow up on these complaints whether they are founded or not, surely if they go and find no problem that is a better outcome for animal welfare than if they go and do find an issue.

People may also have possibly had a bad experience with an inspector, there are good ones and bad ones out there as there are good whw, bhs, police etc officers and bad ones, it doesn't mean that the organisation on a whole is bad!!!
 
Loads of people don't like the RSPCA on here. They tend not to understand the pressures of investigation and think all RSPCA officers should be experts on horses. Of course some are better than others, but all of the ones I have worked with have been excellent under extreme pressure. People forget they are not the police and are a charity that consantly has to review where they put there resources, including the very expensive and often unproductive business of prosecutions.
 
I didn't feel the thread below was cross with them for following up, more being reported for no reason in the 1st place....

But I do think they are useless. I reported a yard full of horses that were so thin you could see their vertebraes. Inspector called me back saying she didn't think they were thin!! hmm!!!!!!!! (The YO was an "interesting" individual. I think she was just scared of him) Best they stick to cats and dogs.
 
xloopylozzax said:
ditto above. they are useless, only out for the high publicity cases to get more money.

target defenceless owners and leave the scumbags who they know they dont have a hope of convicting (who actually have neglected horses) well alone.
Click to expand...

So what would you do if you saw an abused\neglected ot injured animal?

And i understand the hunting folk, i feel the same way about how they behaved when that "outrage" against hunting occured, but that does not mean that they dont do a good job in other areas.
 
People forget they are not ''police'' because RSPCA do everything they can to convince people that they have ''powers'' to investigate, which they don't.
Calling themselves inspectors and wearing uniforms etc creates an illusion.
 
galaxy23 said:
I didn't feel the thread below was cross with them for following up, more being reported for no reason in the 1st place....

But I do think they are useless. I reported a yard full of horses that were so thin you could see their vertebraes. Inspector called me back saying she didn't think they were thin!! hmm!!!!!!!! (The YO was an "interesting" individual. I think she was just scared of him) Best they stick to cats and dogs.
Click to expand...

From one experience, and could you not have taken the complaint further, if you keep badgering, as a previous post has mentioned, they are not always equine specialists
 
I for one am glad they follow up complaints although when i worked at dealer yard/ riding school previously someone complained saying there was a skinny foal and mare in a back field that had no shelter, feed etc. The rspca came out made us take all rugs off every horse and checked all fields (there was never any mare or foal on the yard) It was more their sh**ty attitude and feeling that they were looking down their noses at us afterwards that got my back up...''We will be monitering you.''

As i say though glad they do follow up reports of neglect..
 
Allover said:
From one experience, and could you not have taken the complaint further, if you keep badgering, as a previous post has mentioned, they are not always equine specialists
Click to expand...

My one personal experience yes. But I have contacts with others who've experienced the same thing. There was nothing more I could do. RSPCA wouldn't do more and once they have been involved WHW can't do anything.

I'd go to WHW in the future.
 
competitiondiva said:
Unfortunately on this forum (probably mainly due to the hunting issue) the vast majority of people hold bad views of the rspca and therefore they can do no right, they are damned if they do, damned if they don't.

For me, I'm glad they are there, cases such as the JG case would never have been brought by anyone else, no other organisation or charity would be prepared to plough the funds into taking such a case. I'm also glad they are there to follow up on these complaints whether they are founded or not, surely if they go and find no problem that is a better outcome for animal welfare than if they go and do find an issue.

People may also have possibly had a bad experience with an inspector, there are good ones and bad ones out there as there are good whw, bhs, police etc officers and bad ones, it doesn't mean that the organisation on a whole is bad!!!
Click to expand...

i think there useless for my own dealing with them both SSPCA and the RSPCA im not for or against hunting. Ive gone by my own experience with them both being accused of starving a pony who was on restricted grazing for laminitis and reporting a 24/7 tuned out horse who was in her 30's skin and bone turned out with no rug next to the north sea and again the horse "was fine" but collapsed shortly after?!
 
martlin said:
People forget they are not ''police'' because RSPCA do everything they can to convince people that they have ''powers'' to investigate, which they don't.
Calling themselves inspectors and wearing uniforms etc creates an illusion.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly. They also 'caution' people and interview them in circumstances which the police would never do. They actually have no right to do this but they do not make it clear to people that any conversation with them is on a completely voluntary basis. IMO if they are going to investigate complaints about horses they should have some knowledge of horses.
 
The Spindles Farm court docs make interesting reading - the violence and threats that inspectors and others faced can certainly give an inkling of why some may be a bit overly firm with people, after experiences like that. Not all are like that though. People are all different, and the inspectors are people too (though you would expect them all to be green fanged monsters from some of what people say about them!).
 
Allover said:
From one experience, and could you not have taken the complaint further, if you keep badgering, as a previous post has mentioned, they are not always equine specialists
Click to expand...

and I don't think you should have to be an "equine specialist" to be able to see if an animal is too thin. If they had seen a dog in that condition they would have said it was too thin!

And why at the end of the day are they sending inspectors out to assess horses if, as you are supposing, they don't have enough knowledge of horses to do their job.
 
Last people I would ever call, IMO all the dealings I have had/family have had have always ended badly.
1.Aunts dog got out when back gate was left open by delivery agent. He was found and taken to an RSPCA shelter and pts by an officer on the basis of her opinion. Was officer a vet? NO. Where they called? NO. Did Taff get his 7 days to be claimed? NO Ok so Taff was old, but he was healthy, bright and still fully functioning i.e not hobbling around.
2.Mum found a fox cub in the garden who had obviously been poisoned. He was foaming, fitting and plain to see he was dying. RSPCA were called. Their response? Oh its a wild animal we won't be coming for him. We scooped him up and took him to a vet who pts free of charge and had his own horror tales.
3.I found a duckling wondering on the road OUTSIDE an RSPCA centre. I scooped him up and took him in to them and they said put him back, he'll find his mum. It was a dual carriage way and he couldn't get up the kerb. I took him to a wonderful chap and he is still going strong now.
4.B.O.B and Manka two stray cats who appear at my door for food. Ask the RSPCA if they could help and maybe rehome them. Was told that Manka would be pts as he was old and well....manky and B.O.B didn't have the right temperment. Both still sleep in my shed in winter.
The only time I have had a positive response from the RSPCA id when they have pushed a collecting tin in my face outside Tesco!
 
I can honestly say I have had nothing other than a positive experience when dealing with the RSPCA, they have come out to me around 4 times to pick up stray cats and kittens I have found in my old neighbourhood. I appreciate not everyone has positive things to say about them and I don't like the fact they hold their 'dinner meets' or whatever in the Hilton or where ever they hold them. I know it's blooming expensive!

But they do some good and I would rather they were around than not. Fighting animal abusive is a never ending battle and I for one am glad they are around.
 
The RSPCA done a good job when I reported a yard off horses cornered off in awful conditions and most with very bad injuries. They came out stright away and most were pts, a couple could be saved. I even got a call after to tell me the outcome and they took the guy to court and he was banned from keeping horses. To many people knock them when they have had little dealings with them or going by what others say.
 
I understand people not appreciating being looked down at, but some people are just like that and it takes all sorts to do all jobs.
I had a run in with a Special C*ntstable a while ago, lady thought she was god, doesnt mean i wouldnt call the police if my car was nicked and be grateful of the service!
 
Quote......'RSPCA are a bunch of control freaks'

In my mind, yes this some's them up!!

Maybe if they are so good at picking up stray animals..........thats what they should do and leave 'proper' organisations with 'trained' staff to investigate complaints.


Sorry rant finished................
 
My only experiences of the SSPCA were when I found an injured seagull in my back garden - it couldnt fly, and the local kids came to my door all asking me to help him. I called the SSPCA and they came out it under 20 mins, placed the seagull in a box and told me they would take it away and pts as there was nothing they could do. As he was leaving my back garden 4 little faces all looked up at him and asked if the seagull would be ok - he just told them he was going to take the seagull and fix him right up and let him go in to the wild again - he was really considerate of the kids' feelings. I also found an injured dog in my front garden, I didnt know him and he had no collar on - RSPCA took him away and called me a week later to let me know he was fine and had been reunited with his owners - they wanted to pass on their thanks to me for calling them when I found their dog.

I see the van all the time out and about in my area - I have never met an unpleasant employee and the same RSPCA man has ran the local cat and dog home as long as i can remember and he is a sweetheart who I have adopted 2 cats from.

Im not saying they are perfect, just that they are not always evil personified :)
 
WoopsiiD said:
Last people I would ever call, IMO all the dealings I have had/family have had have always ended badly.
1.Aunts dog got out when back gate was left open by delivery agent. He was found and taken to an RSPCA shelter and pts by an officer on the basis of her opinion. Was officer a vet? NO. Where they called? NO. Did Taff get his 7 days to be claimed? NO Ok so Taff was old, but he was healthy, bright and still fully functioning i.e not hobbling around.
2.Mum found a fox cub in the garden who had obviously been poisoned. He was foaming, fitting and plain to see he was dying. RSPCA were called. Their response? Oh its a wild animal we won't be coming for him. We scooped him up and took him to a vet who pts free of charge and had his own horror tales.
3.I found a duckling wondering on the road OUTSIDE an RSPCA centre. I scooped him up and took him in to them and they said put him back, he'll find his mum. It was a dual carriage way and he couldn't get up the kerb. I took him to a wonderful chap and he is still going strong now.
4.B.O.B and Manka two stray cats who appear at my door for food. Ask the RSPCA if they could help and maybe rehome them. Was told that Manka would be pts as he was old and well....manky and B.O.B didn't have the right temperment. Both still sleep in my shed in winter.
The only time I have had a positive response from the RSPCA id when they have pushed a collecting tin in my face outside Tesco!
Click to expand...


Ok
1, thats bad

2, strange, i found a badly injured Munk Jac (spl) they were out within 30mins on a sunday morning and dealt with it well

3, not a lot to say to that one,

4, Manka cos he is Manky? he he he he. Hope they have many a good winter in your shed!!:) But i suppose we must think that there are many healthy friendly cats out there and is it fair that these two spend the rest of their lives in a cage hoping to be rehomed?
 
im sure there were reports of JG being reported several times before the massive rescue effort ensued (and publicity).

you could argue they should have done something sooner. whats that saying, no point locking the stable door when the horse has bolted...
 
galaxy23 said:
and I don't think you should have to be an "equine specialist" to be able to see if an animal is too thin. If they had seen a dog in that condition they would have said it was too thin!

And why at the end of the day are they sending inspectors out to assess horses if, as you are supposing, they don't have enough knowledge of horses to do their job.
Click to expand...

Because unfortunately we dont live in a perfect world
 
xloopylozzax said:
im sure there were reports of JG being reported several times before the massive rescue effort ensued (and publicity).

you could argue they should have done something sooner. whats that saying, no point locking the stable door when the horse has bolted...
Click to expand...

You could, but then again as someone else has posted, they really dont have that many rights when it comes to entering properties and interviewing people.
 
Allover said:
Ok
1, thats bad

2, strange, i found a badly injured Munk Jac (spl) they were out within 30mins on a sunday morning and dealt with it well

3, not a lot to say to that one,

4, Manka cos he is Manky? he he he he. Hope they have many a good winter in your shed!!:) But i suppose we must think that there are many healthy friendly cats out there and is it fair that these two spend the rest of their lives in a cage hoping to be rehomed?
Click to expand...

I'm sorry but on the 1, I can't believe the dog was put down for no reason. Don't believe we have full back ground on that one. And put down knowing it could be lost/claimed back and without seeing vet???? Sorry hard to believe.
 
I don't think it's fair TBH too many things go unnoticed in this world involving animals so obviously if you do see something or think something you should phone the RSPCA even if it is nothing. Animals can't speak for themselves, we speak for them. Fair enough it can upset some owners but if no one called the RSPCA nothing would be done to help the animals that are actually in need. RSPCA does a fantastic job with their animals and it's obviously only when something doesn't go to plan that they are slated and it's all over the news. I mean, There are thousands of animals each year that are saved by these organizations, but how often do we hear about that ? Everyone makes mistakes and to me, we only hear the bad bits. I think they are right to follow up on each report..
 
Pearlsasinger said:
My thoughts exactly. They also 'caution' people and interview them in circumstances which the police would never do. They actually have no right to do this but they do not make it clear to people that any conversation with them is on a completely voluntary basis. IMO if they are going to investigate complaints about horses they should have some knowledge of horses.
Click to expand...

I know, they never tell you that not only do you not have to talk to them but you don't have to let them see your animals or let them onto/into your property without a warrant? :eek::rolleyes:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top