I cant believe the conversation i just had on the
phone a young man from Preston needed urgent help
to rehome a Dalmation so rang RSPCA he was told to open the door and just let the dog Go !!! he rang up again this morning and was told the same
I dont understand it a few weeks ago another person took a dog to the local
Police staion he had found him in the road,they said they
had no kennels and to take the dog back to where he found him.Whats going On ?

Is this for real? I can't believe it, my God what the hell is happening with the RSPCA if this is true, heads should roll.

Mattie, please get the name, if you can, of the person at the RSPCA that the young man spoke to...or in the alternative, contact them yourselves and ask for 'assistance' and get the name if you get the same response. The headquarters should be contacted at the RSPCA and an official written complaint with request for explanation lodged. Has anyone thought to keep track of various RSPCA 'complaints' and logging them -- just out of curiousity.

Although this response is disgusting it could be reflecting the fact that kennels are chock a block full of dogs. My local charity picks up strays that are on death row in wales (i.e. have 7 days or less before being PTS) and all the last chance kennels there are full to overflowing. Not all Police stations have kennels and the police just dont seem to take an interest in things such as this anymore but they should have a local pound that takes in the dogs so they should give over the details of them.

Mattie, I don't know if you know but Blackpool RSPCA home at Division Lane is to close very soon indeed, if it has not already closed. This is bound to put very great pressure on RSPCA homes around, the nearest being Preston. This might have some bearing on their response.

Someone will no doubt correct me if I'm wrong but I have a feeling that the RSPCA and other homes are not bound to take in animals when they already have an owner and may well refuse to do so if they are full. However if a dog is found and owner is not identified then they (or the local authority) have to take them, so if your young man turned up at the RSPCA and said I've found this dog wandering the streets they would take the dog, whereas if he says it is his dog they can tell him it is his problem. Possibly the person answering the phone was trying to suggest that he should let the dog be found and taken in.

Joan
Take the rough with the smooth

Perhaps if they spent less on advertising and political campaigns they might be able to spend more money on the animals they care for?

Mattie,
please email me further details as I have a standing order donating to the RSPCA every month. I would gladly forward this on to them and ask for their response with also a cancelled standing order form. Sierra might need you to proof my letter for Libel :D
Seriously I cancelled my RSPCA credit card as I was unhappy however have not yet cancelled my monthly donation. Please let me have the details Mattie as I will write and demand an explanation as to why my money is not going where it was intended.

I'd be happy to help in any way I can, Lisa. Personally, I have a problem with the authority that they are given in light of their very staunch views on certain issues which obviously could bias them against large portions of the very public. I also believe that they should be more appropriately spending the money that they get in to keep facilities open and provide the services that for which they state they are entrusted with instead of campaigning for political issues.

I don't know if they, like the public nonprofit foundations in the States, are liable to having their books examined upon demand by a member of the public. If so, it might prove interesting to see exactly what the money goes for -- before the numbers are massaged to provide the 'statistics' that we all see.

Request a copy of the RSPCA's Annual Report and Accounts, as I have done for many years since first becoming actively involved in animal welfare. It makes for very interesting and thought provoking reading!!!

I absolutely agree with you Polly, they are not a charity I would ever subscribe to nationally, I very much dislike some of their actions although I do accept that some of the workers at ground level are excellent and very much care for the animals in their care.

Joan
Take the rough with the smooth

Have voiced my opinion on this organisation on this board, not long ago, and this does not alter my view. They have just spent goodness knows how much on a advert. that has been band from being shown on the TV. Something we should be gratefull for, I expect, but what a waste of the publics money. Most people give money thinking it will be used to help needy animials, it's not, a good proportion is used for lobbing. If they spent more on helping the individual to care for their pet, and the individual pet in need, and somewhat less in stiring up animial liberation, not that I object to people voicing their opinion but that is not what the RSPCA porports to be. Perhaps I'm wrong, may be the RSPCA is an Animal Liberation organisation, thats fine, but if so it should spend some of the money it receives to make it clear exactly what they stand for. I'm sure the PDSA or NCDL would make better use of the money and that is where mine goes.
Have no problem with individual officers, think they do their best with what they have available.

Sorry rambling on, I'll go and read the rest of the board. JH

Just to say that Polly's put it in a nutshell! And little old ladies will still unwittingly leave the RSPCA many thousands each year in their wills.

Jo and the Casblaidd Flatcoats

Hi I know this shelter is closing soon God help us.
We now have this dalmation in our care ( hes down as a spotted labrador LOL) but if we as a tiny society can pay boarding and keep going then surely a national charity can,I know these local shelters have to keep going themselves and even send money to the main office,some years ago we took in two labs whos owner had died they were fairly old they cost us over £600,in boarding,Vets fees etc... their owner had left her house and everything to RSPCA and they did nothing for the dogs! but something must be done to stop people being told to put the dogs on the street,because even if they were eventually taken in at this time of the year they would probably end up being destroyed.Having said that they are better to be detroyed than in a bad home and if no homes are available I suppose its the only answer,Im just annoyed.Wonder what the figure is on dogs which are destroyed at this time of the year.

Hi Mattie
There is a dalmation in the Missing dogs section - any chance it is the same one
details

Christine

hi this one has been signed in by his owner he isnt lost thanks for asking though

I don't know about where you live Mattie but around here, the Police do not take in stray dogs as it is actually the responsibility of the local Authorities. We are lucky, we have a very efficient *Dog Warden* who actually like dogs :D Leigh