I think it is important to keep in mind the difference between the RSPCA "branches" and the National Charity itself.

The RSPCA website makes the status of the branches very clear:

"Branches are separately registered charities operating subject to RSPCA and Branch rules"

Therefore, when a branch sets local rules, or breaches the rules of the RSPCA, the charity as a whole CANNOT be held accountable.

I used to be a Dog Warden for the local authority. Up until a year before I left, they had a contract with the local RSPCA to take the strays I impounded for their seven days and to rehome them after that. Every few weeks I would have to file the forms received back from them, detailing what treatment/vaccs etc had been given to these dogs and what their fate had been, I began to notice a pattern. Anything like a terrier or lurcher was being PTS and also black and brindle crossbreeds! I was amazed at what had been put down as a lot of these dogs had been ok to handle when I had caught them etc. After a while, our contract with them was cancelled and we used a private rescue instead. The difference was amazing! Very few dogs put down and certainly no discrimination where breed/type or colour was concerned. They REALLY did care for our dogs and my dealings with them were always friendly and in the dogs interest.

I tried to give you some reputation for this but unfortunately I must have given you some before and it wouldn't let me.

My god how true you statements and experience are. I cannot believe anyone on this forum who suggests they have had positive responses for this disgraceful organisation. I know of branches that automatically put down any black dog in some cases without even scanning them.Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr


I am a professional in the dog industry I deal with this day in day out I could give you cases in the last week where the RSPCA have refused to help within my own practise. Yet there are still people that suggest they are a caring sharing organisation.

If you really believe that then talk to the Vets the Vet nurses the trainers and behaviourists, talk to the real Rescue societies the ones that work on a shoestring. And find out what the real people who really work in the world of dogs think, not the people that live in some sort of Brigadoon time warp existence when the RSPCA was really an "Animal Welfare Society" instead of the political arm of LACS and PETA who couldn't understand animal welfare if you smacked them in the face with it. Don't take my word for it phone the people I have suggested.


Stan

What about the case of the sheltie breeders. Rspca went in castrated the top stud dog in the breed and ignored the request of friends to re home the dogs taking it upon themselves to rehome.

Thanks Stan. Not got a clue about this reputation stuff but will go an read about it after I have sent this.

All the dealings I have had with RSPCA Inspectors have been positive but I know that when we worked together on one particularly harrowing case, I could see how frustrated he was at the fact that those sat in Head Office were laws unto themselves and the decisions they made were puzzling to say the least. For instance, Head Offices decision to give a couple a 'written caution' instead of taking court action after I had to pick up their dog, almost devoid of hair and actually rotting to death, from the back garden it had crawled into while straying on a red hot day. It's left eye had fallen out some time ago, maggotty flesh dropping out... I am sure I do not need to go on with the details. I rushed it to the vet and had it put to sleep asap and then called the RSPCA in. There was also an emaciated cat laid on their driveway when I called to see the owners for a statement myself, that was so lethargic, it did not even get up whan I nudged it. The woman claimed that her daughter should have been taking care of the dog, bathing its eye (did she mean the empty socket?)etc. The child was 12 if she was that! No cat was in evidence when the inspector called. It took nearly a year for Head Office to reach a decision on this. They accepted the woman and her partners excuse that the child should have been looking after it and that it would have upset the children if they had had the dog pts themselves. When the inspector told me this, he could not meet my gaze. He just sighed and said, "I know. I know." That case gave me Post Traumatic Stress with flashbacks and the smell of that poor dog haunting me. It haunted me for many months after. He deals with things like that all the time but he does care. It is time that those in HO got back in touch with the real world.

As for the local branch kennel manager, don't get me started!

But there are a lot of good foot soldiers for the RSPCA who have not seen this side. So maybe they can be forgiven for thinking we are too cynical? There are good works being done by the RSPCA. But they need a damn good shake up and I am afraid that the way things are going, we really need them to be Animal Police like they have in the USA. All in all, there is definite need and room for improvement in their organisation.

Hi Cazzh

You are right some of inspectors are caring, but despitethat there hands are tied by political idiots at H/O lead by the likes of Ballard a failed MP.

Who has recently taken onto the board four of her cronies also MPs who know nothing about animals, welfare or charities. I will say it again this organisation is turning into the political arm of LACS and PETA and is infiltrated by members of ALF, urban terrorists who think it is OK in one word to hurt people in the name of animal welfare, and in the next instance throw sharpened stakes at horses and strew the ground with glass in front of hounds.

If they don't like hunting thats OK, but don't blame the animals for god sake.

I had to treat a lurcher that was traumatised after being impaled on a metal spike. ALF had pinned ome of their cards on the spike which they had hidden in a hedgerow with two cats eyes prised out of the road tied to it to look like animals eyes, so as to lure the unsuspecting lurcher onto the spike. The dog almost died.

Stan

I worked for the rspca, and i wouldnt give them a penny. At least the smaller rescues do it because they care about animals, the rspca lost its vision a long time ago ...

re: flogging second hand animals.

The rspca i am sure are not perfect. But to be fair I think that thier advertisments in papers can be justified... they are looking for loving homes... a lot of people do use ad trader etc... the cats are sold but that has to cover the costs of boarding, vacination and neutering/speying... which we all know is expensive; and wouldn't they get slated if they gave the cats/kittens for free?! They do well to find homes, they also offer chipping for dogs and cats at lower cost than vets... to anyone!

As for taking on un wanted litters... those kittens will be vacinated neutered or speyed before being re-homed; as well as the mother being speyed to prevent further un-wanted litters ensuring even less strays.

When my cat went missing they were very helpful.