RSPCA SAYS “Release animal onto the streets”
Sophie Corless, Regional Press Officer for RSPCA North, stated in a letter published in the Star Newspaper that the RSPCA’s helpline was “for anyone who wishes to report an incident of animal cruelty, neglect or abandonment”.
A Fylde animal lover was told by the same RSPCA emergency helpline to release a lost pet dog into the street
Since the call was not about “cruelty, neglect or abandonment” as specified by Ms. Corless, it is unclear whether this was a “mistake”, as the RSPCA claim, or a strict application of policy. The RSPCA’s spokeswoman went on to say:
“Being a charity, the issue is if we step in then we can start being used to plug the gap. If a dog is injured, then we will help, but strays are the responsibility of the local authority.”
Anne Kasica of The SHG said:
“The SHG finds it strange that the RSPCA will not step in to help an animal in distress because it fears being used to ‘plug the gap’ and yet it insists on taking out highly expensive private prosecutions.
“Could it be that actually helping animals in distress will cost money but snatching helpless animals from their owners for often minor infringements and dragging their owners through the courts brings the kudos of massive publicity and donations?”
Catherine Whatmough, 43, rescued a collie as it darted among the cars in Freckleton Street, Lytham, on New Year’s Day.
The police station said they had “no facilities”.
Fylde Council’s dog warden service had no-one available.
The RSPCA helpline told her they “could not take the dog” and that she should “let it back out on to the street”.
The next day Catherine was able to get in touch with the owner who had reported the dog missing to the council.
Anne Kasica went on to say:
“If Catherine had released the dog back onto the street, and it had been hit by a car, we have no doubt that the RSPCA would have been only too happy to ‘plug the gap’ with a prosecution costing thousands of pounds.”
“Perhaps it’s lucky that this dog didn’t get to the RSPCA, unlike Jean Stack’s poor dog Whiskey who was killed by the RSPCA while his elderly owner was in hospital. The RSPCA kills far too many healthy dogs.”
Ernest Vine, also of the SHG, said:
“The kindness shown by Catherine and her father in saving this lost pet from injury is what true charity is about.”
“The RSPCA spends ten million pounds a year on private prosecutions and seven million more on public relations, yet when it comes to the simple charitable things like saving a much-loved pet from injury or worse, many of staff at RSPCA HQ don’t seem to care.”
Ends
Word Total: 458
Notes to Editors: –
References:
Shock after charity says ‘let stray animal go’ – Lytham Today
9 Jan 2009 … “Being a charity, the issue is if we step in then we can start being used to plug the gap. “If a dog is injured, then we will help but it is …
www.lythamstannesexpress.co.uk/lytham-news/Shock-after-charity-says-39let.4849045.jp – 29 minutes ago – Similar pages
RSPCA’s spokeswoman – Hotline is “for cases of animal cruelty”
The RSPCA has a dedicated 24-hour helpline for anyone who wishes to report an incident of animal cruelty, neglect or abandonment. …
www.thestar.co.uk/letters/RSPCA-hotline-for-cases-of.4838259.jp – 48k – Cached – Similar pages
Elderly Woman’s Pet Dog Destroyed Whilst She Was in Hospital
I am Robert Stack son of Jean Stack whose dog was slaughtered by the RSPCA. Whiskey was taken by Huyton Community Police officers on March 13 from my …
www.dogmagazine.net/archives/547/elderly-womans-pet-dog-destroyed-whilst-she-was-in-hospital/ – 70k – Cached – Similar pages
British Broadcasting Corporation Radio 4 – Transcript of “File on 4”
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat – View as HTML
23 Sep 2008 … SPEDDING:. I was just in the middle of feeding, the police and the. RSPCA all turned up, showed me the warrant and I just let them in and I …
news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/23_09_08_fo4_rspca.pdf – Similar pages
Frank Field MP hits out at RSPCA (From Wirral Globe)
Birkenhead MP Frank Field defended the reputation of Pat Seager on BBC Radio 4’s File on 4, accusing the charity of having an “unjust” policy on animal …
www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/3717221.Frank_Field_hits_out_at_RSPCA/ – 36k – Cached – Similar pages
For further comment please contact Anne Kasica on 01559 371031 or Ernest Vine on 01559 370566. Mobile 07719 367148. e-mail: [email protected]
The SHG was officially formed in June 1990 and has been helping people to defend themselves and their animals from the RSPCA ever since.
The national help line number is 0844 700 66 90
A copy of this and previous press releases from The SHG are online at
http://www.the-shg.org/SHGPressReleases.htm
Background information on the Self Help Group for Farmers Pet Owners and Other Experiencing Difficulties with the RSPCA can be found at http://www.the-shg.org
Details of further criticisms of the RSPCA can be found at the RSPCA-Animadversion website:
http://cheetah.webtribe.net/~animadversion
——————–
Marsh
http://cheetah.webtribe.net/~animadversion/
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