This might sound picky but something is driving me nuts at the moment.  I frequently get a bus with a route that takes me past a charity shop and headquarters for a very well known cat charity (don't want to mention any names in case I get into trouble!)  On the wall outside the shop is a huge banner which reads, "Neutering STOPS  feline AIDS."

As I'm sure you're all well aware, this is absolute nonsense.  I've heard some rubbish in my time (the owner who insisted her pup's gastritis was caused by his microchip is particularly memorable) but this sign has really riled me.  There's a difference between an owner who's been misinformed, especially as 99% of the time the mistake causes no harm, and a national organisation telling the public something which they must know is incorrect.  I can guess the arguments behind this claim.  A neutered cat is probably less likely to stray and get into fights than an entire tom, and obviously neutered cats won't be mating so the virus won't be contracted that way.  I haven't seen any figures and very probably the incidence of FIV is much lower in the neutered population than the unneutered but nonetheless I feel this information is misleading, irresponsible and unfair to the people who want to do some good and adopt a stray.  Imagine if a car company claimed "Wearing a seatbelt WILL save your life."  Fair enough, it would be silly not to wear a seatbelt and if you're involved in a crash a belt will certainly increase your chances of escaping injury, but it doesn't remove the risk entirely!

Anyway, I suppose it's not really that important in the general scheme of things but I just wanted to have a moan!  My worry is that one day I'll be in a really bad mood and go into the charity to complain.  I'll probably go in with that intention only to be so intimidated by the scary ladies who work there that I end up adopting six cats instead! :-)

Unfortunately there's people out there who still think it benefits a female cat to have one litter not realising the implications so maybe CP have to use something shock worthy to 'scare' people into neutering.    Ok, those who are more educated on these facts might get riled but there's those who do still think all those old wives tales are true and the CP does have the yearly problem of rehoming unwanted kittens & cats that wouldn't here if more people neutered.

And it isn't the fault of the people working in the shop either - probably all volunteers - they will be told what their advertising literature should be.   Same when I worked at Shelter, we had to promote various campaigns sent to us from Head Office.

Hi Christine

You've got a point about the possible benefits of shock tactic, I hadn't thought of it that way.  However, this is the main branch for the South East we're talking about, not a charity shop staffed by sweet old ladies.  A head office for a high profile charity shouldn't have staff who often believe some of those old wife's tales themselves and can often do more harm than good.  I know that the people who work for charities are mostly volunteers and I do respect them for giving up their time but they can be so infuriating to deal with.  One woman in particular seems to go out of her way to make me feel I've "sold out" by working in private practice and never misses an opportunity to make snide remarks about how high our bills are, although we charge charities only enough to cover costs.

Recently we performed a cat spay which suffered post op complications, partly due to bad luck, partly because the owners removed the buster collar though I'd expressedly told them to leave it on, and partly because they didn't bother to come back for their post op check.  The cat's fine now but we had to knock her out again and debride the wound, etc.  I called the charity and said that while the staff were giving their time for free, we'd have to charge them for the drugs used.  This lady said, and I quote directly "Well it's your fault this has happened, I don't see why we should pay for anything.  You don't care about the animals at all, just making money."  I was so cross and pointed out that the owners had chosen to ignore my instructions then had left the wound to fester for a week before it occurred to them it might be a good idea to come in, and that there is always a risk with any op as the consent form clearly states.  The charity grudgingly agreed to foot the bill then the lady said "And I want you to give her a shot of Rimadyl and some antibiotics.  Oh and make sure you send her home with a collar."  It was on the tip of my tongue to say that we have done this a few times before, pretty much know what we're doing, and I really don't appreciate being issued instructions by someone who has no idea what they're talking about, though I managed to keep quiet.:rolleyes:  Honestly, all this hassle's really not worth the twenty quid!  If they're that unhappy there are plenty of other vets in London!

I can understand that rescue centres are stretched but I've seen plenty of dogs rehomed with totally unsuitable owners, and sadly they're generally taken back when the owners realise they can't cope.  I've also had a real run of cats lately whose new owners have simply been given incorrect information, and I suspect the centres are so desperate to find the cats a home they don't mind telling a few lies.  Sometimes it's just that the owners have been told they have a female when in fact they have a male or vice versa though I've seen quite a few new owners who've been assured they've adopted a 1 year old.  They come in to the surgery and are really upset when we tell them their new pet is actually nearer 10 or 12!  I can't believe these are genuine mistakes; it's not that difficult to sex a cat and not many one year olds have terrible dental disease.  It's just not fair on the owners; I think the charities bank on the probability that by the time these facts are discovered, the owners will have got attached and will keep the animal anyway (which to be fair is what usually happens.)

One charity (not the same one) persists in telling anyone who's found injured wildlife to take it straight to their local vet.  I don't really mind with pigeons or mice, but a vet friend of mine called the other week and said that someone had turned up at his surgery in the middle of a busy evening consult with a full grown fox!  They'd managed to get it into a kennel but noone could get it back out!  That's getting a bit ridiculous!  At least we've never had that particular problem!

Hi M-C,

It's amazing what people - even those in the 'affluent South' think!!!!  Believe me!

Even up here I've spoken to many, what I would term well-educated people, who believe the old wives tales about their animals and seem to look at me as some Draconian spinster who would wipe out future species by mass neutering!  

And it's VERY annoying when they refer to FIV as "feline aids" as it isn't !!!

GM

(laughing) I must confess I've used that term on a couple of occasions, just to try to make myself understood.  It's amazing how many people quite happily let their FIV +ve cat roam the streets!  To add to my shame I have occasionally referred to a bitch's season as a "period", not argued when owners insist their bitch is menopausal, and accepted it when owners attribute human emotions to their pet.  Sometimes it's just not worth arguing!

What the charities don't seem to realise is that we have to pick up the pieces when things go wrong.  It's quite a different argument when someone buys a puppy which isn't suitable, but what the h*ll is a charity doing, placing a large, boisterous, untrained dog with someone who has barely enough time or money to look after their six kids, let alone a dog, which might well have had a bad start and will need a lot of work.  There doesn't seem to be much advice beforehand or support afterwards - do the new owners realise that a course of antibiotics alone will be in the region of £100?

Often we don't charge for consults and advise the owners to take their pet to the RSPCA hospital; frequently they're horrified to learn where it is and that they're going to have to sit and wait to be seen.  It's literally a ten minute drive, and as for the waiting, well they are getting the service of highly qualified vets and nurses for free - what did they expect?

Sorry to moan, I've been up every two hours this weekend with a kitten who's in hospital.  I doubt we'll ever see any payment but I suppose the main thing is I think he'll pull through.

This is what I was told FIV was (got 3 moggies)