I guess Iam writing out of anger and frustration really. Yesterday, Sunday, a young lab pup got his head stuck in railings, despite several calls to the rspca it took a non dogowner over an hour of hacksawing, whilst the distraut owner held him, before miraculously he simply seemed to slip his out and bounce around as if nothing had happened. The weather was foul and not a sign of the RSPCA.
Just where does all the money go to which we pay these charities? surely they canafford some more emergancy ambulences and people. Has anyone had similar experiences?
Phew, I feel a bit better letting off steam and letting people know.
Thanks.

You could always do a search here on the Forum for RSPCA and see what comes up ;) :D

Local branches tend to be concerned with rehoming rather than rescuing etc ( dont suppose that makes them any money )
Also when I went to the RSPCA Homecheckers course last week , I found out that each branch has slightly different policies - although they tend to be quite similar they are sometimes slightly different . So although one particular branch may not have helped , another might have ( although I doubt it )

We found a 'nest' of wild kittens in our garden and the RSPCA didn't want to know, not only about the kittens but they had no concern for the obviously un-neutered mother either.  They were so unhelpful I vowed never to support their work again and was furious that Animal Hospital and such programmes were an unfair representation of the work they do.

It took a neighbour to make me aware of the Cats Protection League and they were wonderful.  Together we rehomed the kittens, caught the mother, had her speyed, then released her again as she was quite wild.  They were also prepared to provide food for her.  Several weeks later my office had a large bird caught in the chimney, they woudn't come out for that either.

The service from the two organisations couldn't have been more different.  It always left me thinking that if I had a problem with a dog, I wouldn't know where to turn.

Jacky

I am not surprised they did nothing, the chief exec is on around £90kpa and they have around £180 million in reserves, they don't pay and accumulate like that if they spend to much on animal welfare.

Don't forget what the RSPCA is:  The Royal Society for the PREVENTION of Cruelty to Animals - not an animal rescue.  Their role, by definition of their name is very, very limited and if the adverts they have been putting in weekend magazines recently are anything to go by, even that role is impossible for them.

So, by their own definition they are a redundant society and IMO should make way for those groups that are willing to do rescue work and help injured and trapped animals.  They apparently have millions of pounds in reserves which could be well used by breed rescues and societies such as the PDSA and Blue Cross

Who is the patron - I wonder if she is aware of just how much contempt many pet owners have for this society that only on tv gives the impression that it will help any and every animal

"Who is the patron"

The Queen. But they tried to sack her.

Two years ago I found a kitten in our garden. It could never have climbed the wall as it was far too young so I assume somebody had put it here deliberatly.

I called the RSPCA for advice and they were completely uninterested, the said I should just shove it back over the wall.

Their advertising campaigns make me sick.

I have to agree, i also dont think that the rspca live up to their name. I remember when i was about 8 or 9 the man who lived next door to us at the time had 3 dogs and he used to beat them. My sister and i would sit at our bedroom window looking into his garden and watch him kick them, hit them with things and throw stone at them, are where skinny and always limping. Anyway after about a week we begged and begged our dad to go and beat the name up but he wouldnt but he did phone the rspca and told them what had been happening and just didnt want to know and as i ponited out in one of the other posts things havent changed i reported someone for cruelty a few months back and was told that it would be sorted and as of yet it hasnt been...also in the recent case i know of at least 4 other people who have also phoned them.

Debbie

What I cannot get to the bottom of is how are charities, so called, allowed to just save money and gain such imense interest like that, I do remember some kind of news talk in the 80's about charities haveing to be more buisness like but this multi million in the bank and people out on cold winter streets collecting a few pounds is just not on, especialy if they cannot help people in emergency distress.
I read somewhere on the net that they spend a fairly small amount of money on hundreds of cruelty prosecutions which have no hope of succes simply to make it look as if they have immense activity going on when it's put down on paper.

Unlike some other animal charities they are a well known name and therefore probably dont need widespread campaigns because to Joe Public, if they are asked to name an animal charity, the one that automatically springs to mind is the RSPCA
Whereas  some of the smaller charities dont have the funds to advertise and therefore dont get the attention that they desperately need.
I spoke to a lady yesterday after seeing a tiny ad in the local paper and I didnt even know her charity existed until then. She was lovely and they have a no destruction policy even though they are tiny . Its those sorts of people I applaud and i am more likely to help out if needed :)

Hi lel, yes RSPCA is a household name alright especialy with that TV programm but looking around the net it seems small charities although they don't pay chief execs put a lot down as admin costs and pay themselves that way instead of a direct salary.
I know it's away from animal charities but I buy and never read Big Issue, I have spoken to several of the sellers over the years and they are actualy sold that paper by the homeless type charity which set it up, if the homeless individual buys and do not sell them that week they will probably loose money because they are not allowed any refunds for unsold papers, which are out of date each week, only the charity which sells to them makes it, nope, charities big or small are on the make except perhaps a tiny few.

"Local branches tend to be concerned with rehoming rather than rescuing etc ( dont suppose that makes them any money )
Also when I went to the RSPCA Homecheckers course last week , I found out that each branch has slightly different policies - although they tend to be quite similar they are sometimes slightly different . So although one particular branch may not have helped , another might have ( although I doubt it )  "

Talk about a sweeping judgement! I hope those who work at the RSPCA shelters, feeding, walking, cleaning and caring for the dogs that our society dumps dont read this and see this as how you judge them and this site. Remember, the pedigree breeding industry contributes to the numbers of dogs in rescue too :(

To all those who are quick to judge the RSPCA - I wonder how much rescue and rehoming work you do personally? No theyre not perfect, yes they make mistakes, yes I have grave doubts about those in the offices, but are we really fit to judge unless we do the same job better ourselves? I'd love to see some of the positive stories of the RSPCA (unfortunately those like the above statement attract more conversation than good news stories - everyone prefers a whinge).
Personally I have had both good and bad experiences with the RSPCA, but I'm mature enough to know that you dont judge a whole organisation from the actions of a few.
Disappointed
Kathy

What I have a problem understanding is that the RSPCA has God knows how many millions of pounds and yet the local RSPCA animal shelter is closing down kennel blocks and making staff redundant through lack of funds.
Sally

Hi Kathy

I would love to be able to say something positive about the RSPCA but from my experiences, and those of people I know who have gone to them for help, I am unable to do so.

The individual people who work with the animals they have in kennels are probably very dedicated but, have you ever contacted them asking for help, or visited a puppy farm and tried to get them to do something about it - these are where frustrations with them arise as I have never known them do anything.  Perhaps it is the people they have on their switchboards, I don't know, but there is something wrong somewhere when they allow themselves to get the sort of reputation they are gaining.

I completely agree - the people that we have to deal with in the initial stages (ie call centre) leave a lot to be expected in some cases. However, I have had very good experiences with them as well as a couple of bad ones, and a huge amount of good experiences with their inspectors and the people who work their backsides off to keep the rescues going. I just thought it was unfair of lel to say that these people who work hard to save animals are only rehoming for the money. It's a sweeping statement and its just not true. The changes need to come in the bureaucratical side - the powers that be and the call centres especially. But these people dont have day to day contact with cruelty cases and rehab/rehoming cases. The people that do should be heralded as angels. It's just unfair to lump them in with the people who disappoint us. :(
I have yet to visit a puppy farm, I'm actually in the process of getting more involved. I'd like to say I'm looking forward to seeing one, but I know that's not true! And yes, I have contacted them for help. In a couple of cases, the call centre staff were unhelpful, but I soon learned to get around this, and have had nothing but good experiences since! :)

<<<the pedigree breeding industry contributes to the numbers of dogs in rescue too >>>
I agree with this too and never said anything to the contrary

Its not the people who are actively involved with looking after the animals that I make my "sweeping judgement" against - its the big wigs who reap in thousands of pounds that ISNT spent on animal welfare - its spent on new headquarters and fat salaries and they are the ones responsible for the policies!!

"Local branches tend to be concerned with rehoming rather than rescuing etc ( dont suppose that makes them any money )
Also when I went to the RSPCA Homecheckers course last week , I found out that each branch has slightly different policies - although they tend to be quite similar they are sometimes slightly different . So although one particular branch may not have helped , another might have ( although I doubt it )"

"Its not the people who are actively involved with looking after the animals that I make my "sweeping judgement" against - its the big wigs who reap in thousands of pounds that ISNT spent on animal welfare - its spent on new headquarters and fat salaries and they are the ones responsible for the policies!! "

In which case it might have been worth putting that, as your original post looked like an attack on the local centres and their staff to me :( I dont think anyone will argue with you on the headquarters side of things.
We all know change comes from within, so I suggest that those who really want to make a change/contribution ask their local rehoming centre how they can help :)

Re reading this I dont think I am personally attacking those people who work there

<<each branch has slightly different policies>>>

Policies are what each branch works too - its not Joe Bloggs working at the counter that makes the rules

I dont mean to be rude, it's just that I know people who work at RSPCA shelters that would be pretty distressed to see your sarcastic and illformed views that were posted in the brackets, and who would take that as an attack on all staff.

Do you volunteer at your local branch? :)

I dont think my views are illformed
Not when I asked them for help with regard to a cat that had been quite savagely attacked by a dog . The cat was badly hurt but would not allow anyone to approach it and the RSPCA refused to come out . In the morning the cat was dead .
So forgive me if I disagree with you - Their policies are not made by the hands on volunteers and workers and workers there can only follow policies so I can see nowhere that I attacked people working at the shelters .

And yes I do volunteer at my local branch - not because I want to become embroiled in their politics and beaurocracy but because of the animals kept there .

I think you've missed the point. Noone is disputing about the call centre (which no doubt was who you contacted about the cat?). It was your statement about local branches that was way off :) I think it's wonderful that you volunteer at your local branch (which branch is it?), so surely you'd understand that when comments saying that all the local branches want is to rehome for the money and that you doubt they'd help (that is what you said in your original post) are made, it's reflecting badly on those who do the hard work, and yourself :)

Out of interest are there any statistics that show the ratio between rescuing and rehoming ?

a few years ago i found a goose on a local wildlife pond with fishing line wrapped so tightly around its legs that it had become imbedded - must have been there a long time - it also had it round it's neck and into it's beak. i called the rspca and they said to catch it myself and cut the wire, and that they wouldn't come to help ! what the hell did they expect me to do ? run after it, swim across the pond with a knife between my teeth and grab hold of the willing bird all by myself ??

i can only assume the bird died, as it was unable to eat because of the line in it's mouth, either that or it's legs would have fallen off. i doubt the rspca care whatever the outcome was.

sarah
x
grrrrrrrrrrrrr....

The RSPCA  said it 'was a special case' when they were strongly critised  for not taking out prosecutions against individuals for the unlawful killing of millions of animals during the foot and mouth outbreak. They backed away from this completely yet it was the worst senario that the UK has ever seen of mass cruelty of animals. Both farm animals and domesticated farm animals, family pets. I will never forget or forgive the RSPCA for staying quite and inactive over this.

Incidently, not so long ago they had £175,000,000 (175,million pounds in the bank and in assets) So much they could do with this, yet they do so little in real terms. I have no critism for the local RSPCA branches (who have to financially contribute to the national RSPCA out of their funds) but I have very little time for the organisation itself.  Spends far too much on advertising and the 'big boys' salaries. 

Well said Pat!!

liberty

That's how I feel too - just a shame that because they carry the name, the branches get the bad rep too :( Well said :D

Another concern I have is that Defra is to update and introduce an Animal Welfare Bill, with I understand give far more power to the RSPCA. This I understand will allow the RSPCA to be able to intervene in situations where they suspect cruelty is likely to take place.  I am concerned that some individuals of the RSPCA could take this role too far and 'police' situations with a too heavy hand just to get a prosecution, promotion, publicity and extra money in the coffers.  Whereas their role as RSPCA Inspectors should be 'prevention to cruelty'. 

Personally, I would like to see the RSPCA spend far more money on spaying and neutering and backing permanent identification for all dogs by the breeder before sale and backing campaigns to prevent the sale of puppies from third parties. This I feel would drastically reduce the numbers of puppies bred, the numbers of unwanted puppies and dogs in rescue  and sadly often needlessly destroyed.

Instead, of tackling these issues they pursue other issues with massive gusto such as foxhunting with high advertising cost incurred, this is an issue that will depend upon not their influence and decision but the Governments.

Whereas neutering and spaying is something they can be far more active in, it is positive and gets results - reduced litters - less unwanted dogs - less destroyed.

The RSPCAs logic does not make sense to me, they play no part in the stray dog population, they do not keep unwanted dogs for any length of time, due to no kennel space - do you remember their own awful ad some years ago with the pile of dead dogs? Yet, they do not play a very active role in reducing the number of puppies born. This would be prevention in the true sense of the word, it is cruel to produce litters of puppies, whether by puppy farmers, back street breeders, commercial breeders if they cannot be assured that homes can be found for them before they are born. What is a puppies future born into a litter when a breeder has not a clue as to where that puppies permanant home will be 8 weeks later?  There has to be a curtailment of the over production of litters of puppies, exspecially when so many bred in inadequate conditions resulting in puppies born defective, sick and some die shortly after birth. What about the breeding bitches often forced and held in a mating, the stud dogs that are over used to. For goodness sake this nonesense of breeding for the sake of it has got to stop and the RSPCA could play an active role in this too, instead of pursueing goals that very costly and have no satisfactory outcome.

By the way, I do not believe in fox hunting but I do not like the alternatives either shooting and poison, I do feel concern for the dogs and horses should it be halted, I only hope they will see drag hunting as an alternative thus saving the lives of the animals.

Sorry, on my soapbox again and gone off at a tangent!!!        

          

<<I guess Iam writing out of anger and frustration really. Yesterday, Sunday, a young lab pup got his head stuck in railings, despite several calls to the rspca it took a non dogowner over an hour of hacksawing, whilst the distraut owner held him, before miraculously he simply seemed to slip his out and bounce around as if nothing had happened. The weather was foul and not a sign of the RSPCA>>

I'm not sure why you called the RSPCA in these circumstances - the owner was there, the dog was not abandoned, it had got its head stuck in railings - what were the RSPCA supposed to do??  The organisation to call was the fire service - they have equipment for cutting railings.

I have had two experiences with animal charities.
the first was many years ago when i lived in the Isle of Man, and in my front yard was a seagull who seemed unable to move. I called the MSPCA (the manx equivalent to RSPCA) and they said put a blanket over it and it will calm down, and then they came to get it about 20 mins later.
The second was last summer, I had left my car in the supermarket car park and i saw a dog in another car, 90 degree heat, no shade etc. I called the RSPCA straightaway, went into the store and within a few minutes there was an announcement over the tannoy asking for the owner of the dog/car to come to customer services.
So there you go, some good things too...

I have had a very bad experience with the RSPCA.  I was no longer able to keep my dog as I had returned to work.  She had a behavioural problem and could not control her bowels.  I phoned the RSPCA and they refused to take her as she was not an 'emergency case'.  I was fuming.  Despite all efforts to find a suitable home we could not and had to have her put to sleep.  She was only 5 years old and the most loveable creature you could hope to meet.  The vet's even tried to find her suitable home but the difficulty they had was as soon as they mentioned this problem with her bowels no one would take her.  They suggested to have put to sleep and we thought this best as she was on her own all day and we had been trying for 3 months to find a home.

For a different view of the RSPCA:
http://www.webtribe.net/~animadversion/

Camn you point me to the place on DEFRA were they are recomending the RSPCA has someform of legal rights, thanks.
No the fire brigade in the London area no longer come out to cut metal fences trapping a dog, they used todo butnot anymore, they also used to come out if you locked yourself out and open the door, by force if neccesary but they no longer do that either.
Why should they? if the RSPCA is clutching £178Million surely they should be equiped for any potential risk and if they do not have pety cash for such an emergancy then they must think more of beaurocracy than animals, not good faith IMO.

RE: Naomis dog who was pts : I wouldnt say this was the RSPCA's fault, in their eyes she had a home and there were far more desperate dogs in need of the kennel space.  The RSPCA have assisted me twice in re-homing friends dogs, two were over the age of 10 and were re-homed within a week as my friend could no longer keep them, they never went into kennels, straight to their new home, therefore they did not become stressed.  The other was a 11 year old Rottie who had been left in the house after his drug dealing owners had been arrested, a friend of mine was going in and feeding the dog, they were going to have it put down.  The RSPCA re-homed this dog within a week too, Rottie rescue wouldnt touch it as they had enough younger dogs in kennels who they could not home, they advised me to get him pts.  It seems that all people remember is the bad things the RSPCA do, remember they do alot of good too and its not always their fault if people dont get prosecuted alot of it is out of their control

JMHO

Claire :)

Haveing looked around the net this past week or so it is not just the RSPCA but just about every charity seems to have some kind of money thing first dogs last, there must be more complaints about them than any single thing on the net.
Many say that PETA is funding terrorist networks but even without that the president is nothing more than a rich extremist.

I'm not the only one who was unable to get the RSPCA out in our local area.  A woman I worked with had spotted 2 dogs wandering the street's half starved but they told her that if she was that concerned why didn't she take them in.  She already had two dogs of her own and couldn't.   

Surely they should be looking at a prevention rather than the cure of all the stray animals about and taking in dogs where the owner's are realising that they can no longer look after their dogs and are showing enough love for their pet to want them to be re-homed before it does become a more desperate case. Was I to leave my Lara outside with no food or water or bedding for days before the RSPCA would come and get her and risk getting prosecuted for cruelty?  I think not!

I do see where you're comming from blondebird88 and I am glad they were able to help you but in my expreiance they have not helped. It is so infuriating to see them pay hundred's even thousand's of pounds on an animal to get it back into a fit enough state for it to be re-homed which could take months when there was a healthy dog there waiting to be loved till the end of her natural life only for her to be put down because she was not a case desperate enough.

My friend is on benefits and there for intitled to use the rspca surgery near our home. She was shoked to see that they are offering free cats neutering/castration and it was for all cats not just the cats of people on bebefits.
If they can do it free for cats why not aswell for dogs, it would stop a lot of unwanted pregnancys esp for people that just cant afford to get their dogs done.

Debbie

Its likely to be because the NCDL (sorry Dogs Trust - must get used to that) do the voucher scheme for neutering dogs, and there are far more stray and unwanted cats than dogs (not for one minute belittling the amount of stray and unwanted dogs)? Also cat neutering is much cheaper! *lol*
Good experience with the RSPCA over the last few days regarding a pet shop selling pups in poor nick. They were out within half an hour of reporting it, and we're nowhere near a city! Have had excellent feedback, and even spent nearly half an hour talking (she was on her mobile too) about how much we hate pet shops that sell animals and puppy farms/BYBs, etc. She was amazingly helpful :D WELL DONE RSPCA!

A former colleague of mine wanted a rescue dog or pup from the RSPCA.  One branch refused her on the grounds that the dog would be left on its own for 2 hours a day, 3 days a week.  She approached another branch and they did the homecheck etc, and then didn't get back to her for several weeks, but which time she had given up on having a rescue, assuming they had rejected her, and got a pup from a breeder.  (In the end, it turns out, they would have given her a dog).  It's just a shame that a dog could have been given a second chance (and she is an experienced dog-owner who has lots to offer a dog) in this case but didn't.  I wonder if this kind of thing is a one-off, or whether it happens often.