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RSPCA get their claws into you.
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Mustabuster
09-12-2016
Originally Posted by Mr Dos:
“Didn't think they had any powers.

All the stories of 'RSPCA raided a puppy farm' or 'RSPCA prosecuted someone' are just baloney. It's the police who carry out raids, sometimes with an RSPCA person there as an adviser. The CPS press charges where necessary. If they don't think there's a case, the RSPCA can take out a private prosecution - just like any member of the public can. Donations that should be spent on rescue dogs are wasted on top-flight lawyers.

They are just charity workers dressed up in military-style uniforms. The lowest rank is inspector, which speaks volumes.

About as much power as the TV licence man . . .”

Maybe that's why some people think they're some sort of emergency service.
Monkey_Moo
09-12-2016
Originally Posted by MarellaK:
“Do they? I've had a bad experience with them last year. I'm a nurse who was informed by a patient who had been admitted as an emergency 3 days earlier, during the hottest week of summer, that her dog was home alone and she had nobody to call in, not a neighbour or friend (she had some mental health issues alongside her physical ailment). The dog had been in the flat for 3 days with no food or water during an incredibly hot spell. I called the RSPCA who were extremely unhelpful and unconcerned, they said the dog was not neglected so they could not get involved. I then contacted social services who put me through to several other unhelpful and uninterested people. In the end, myself and a nursing colleague agreed to drive to the patient's house to at least feed and water the dog who, it transpired, had been locked into a bedroom by the paramedics who were not aware there was nobody due in to care for the dog. Luckily, that room was relatively sheltered from the sun but the dog was hungry and dehydrated as well as incredibly anxious. I then felt obliged to call in each evening after work even though it was a long way from where I live and I was not insured to visit a patient's home (even though I had her key with her permission). I felt the RSPCA could at least have given me constructive advice - they kept repeating it was the responsibility of social services even though social services only responded to my call after a further 3 days - rather late with the patient due home the following day. I am not sure how long the dog would have survived locked in one room with no food or water if I had not taken it on myself to intervene.

I do appreciate the rescue work the RSPCA do. I visited a local RSPCA rehoming centre a few years ago after my old cat died with the intention of choosing a cat to adopt. The cats were well cared for. However, I was shortly scheduled for a holiday abroad so I wanted to reserve the cat of my choice and pick her up on my return. This was not possible, I had to take her immediately which I refused to do since I had another cat at home and felt it was not conducive to the integration process to introduce a new cat and then put both back in the RSPCA boarding cattery (this was their suggestion at quite a cost) until my return. I opted for Cats Protection which were much more flexible and accommodating - I ended up taking 2 of their cats.

I agree with all those posters who are fed up with being asked to commit to monthly direct debits. I frequently get accosted by the RSPCA or other charities who refuse my proffered donation - all they want is my direct debit details. I have had bad experiences when I have signed up (not with the RSPCA) because I get inundated with requests to increase my monthly sum and deluged with heartrending sob stories. I have now cancelled all my charity direct debits because I was so fed up with being asked for more and more (I have 3 of my own cats to feed, insure etc, plus my pond fish - my spare money should be spent on them).”

In that case they could have possibly directed you to the police. The RSPCA have no power of entry like the police do, or power to seize the dog. Unfortunately though, the level of suffering required to give the police a lawful power of entry/take an animal in a private dwelling is very high. 3 days (while obviously unacceptable and distressing) likely is not going to be enough. It's not the fault of the police or RSPCA, it's the law.
RobinOfLoxley
09-12-2016
Originally Posted by MarellaK:
“Do they? I've had a bad experience with them last year. I'm a nurse who was informed by a patient who had been admitted as an emergency 3 days earlier, during the hottest week of summer, that her dog was home alone and she had nobody to call in, not a neighbour or friend (she had some mental health issues alongside her physical ailment). The dog had been in the flat for 3 days with no food or water during an incredibly hot spell. I called the RSPCA who were extremely unhelpful and unconcerned, they said the dog was not neglected so they could not get involved. I then contacted social services who put me through to several other unhelpful and uninterested people. In the end, myself and a nursing colleague agreed to drive to the patient's house to at least feed and water the dog who, it transpired, had been locked into a bedroom by the paramedics who were not aware there was nobody due in to care for the dog. Luckily, that room was relatively sheltered from the sun but the dog was hungry and dehydrated as well as incredibly anxious. I then felt obliged to call in each evening after work even though it was a long way from where I live and I was not insured to visit a patient's home (even though I had her key with her permission). I felt the RSPCA could at least have given me constructive advice - they kept repeating it was the responsibility of social services even though social services only responded to my call after a further 3 days - rather late with the patient due home the following day. I am not sure how long the dog would have survived locked in one room with no food or water if I had not taken it on myself to intervene.

I do appreciate the rescue work the RSPCA do. I visited a local RSPCA rehoming centre a few years ago after my old cat died with the intention of choosing a cat to adopt. The cats were well cared for. However, I was shortly scheduled for a holiday abroad so I wanted to reserve the cat of my choice and pick her up on my return. This was not possible, I had to take her immediately which I refused to do since I had another cat at home and felt it was not conducive to the integration process to introduce a new cat and then put both back in the RSPCA boarding cattery (this was their suggestion at quite a cost) until my return. I opted for Cats Protection which were much more flexible and accommodating - I ended up taking 2 of their cats.

I agree with all those posters who are fed up with being asked to commit to monthly direct debits. I frequently get accosted by the RSPCA or other charities who refuse my proffered donation - all they want is my direct debit details. I have had bad experiences when I have signed up (not with the RSPCA) because I get inundated with requests to increase my monthly sum and deluged with heartrending sob stories. I have now cancelled all my charity direct debits because I was so fed up with being asked for more and more (I have 3 of my own cats to feed, insure etc, plus my pond fish - my spare money should be spent on them).”

We go through our lives getting little or no thanks, although often we don't expect them all the time.

You have proved you are a Super Humane Person and also Provided Exceptional Customer Service, Above and Beyond the Call of Duty.

Please accept my Thanks, as a fellow human, and consider this post as a Mention in Dispatches
MarellaK
09-12-2016
Originally Posted by Monkey_Moo:
“In that case they could have possibly directed you to the police. The RSPCA have no power of entry like the police do, or power to seize the dog. Unfortunately though, the level of suffering required to give the police a lawful power of entry/take an animal in a private dwelling is very high. 3 days (while obviously unacceptable and distressing) likely is not going to be enough. It's not the fault of the police or RSPCA, it's the law.”

In the case I cited, the RSPCA did not need to force entry. The patient was more than willing to give them her key and to pay for the dog to be taken to a temporary shelter until she was out of hospital. The RSPCA lady I spoke to just said that it was the responsibility of social services. Having failed to get an adequate response from that quarter (my message was to 'eventually' be passed onto an appropriate person in social services who got back to me 3 days later ) I tried the RSPCA again, reiterating the fact that the dog was in potential peril but the inspector stated that they would not get involved because this was not a case of deliberate neglect. I found her to be very uncaring.

The patient was in hospital for almost a week in total so I don't believe the dog would have survived for that long in one room during that period of very hot weather.

Contacting the police never occurred to me but I may use that option should a similar situation reoccur. Where would the police take the dog? I presume they would assist with the patient's wishes in taking it to the local dog warden to provide temporary shelter (obviously at a cost which the patient was more than happy to pay).

The RSPCA could have given me that advice, particularly when I told them that I was not getting anywhere with social services. They just seemed to accept that the dog might die (believe me, myself and my colleague entered the flat with some trepidation on the first visit - it was a baking hot day and we were fearful of what we might find. Poor little dog, thank goodness the room he was in was cool enough.)
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