Shocked at RSPCA site - Waiting for a call from RSPCA

[Janeyk]

.....and my positive post too 

infact to add to my previous post only 1 RSPCA I know of was negative.

[maryas]

And don't forget my darling Bonnie Sam 

Mary

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

As with all things in life there are good and bad it's nice that Heath380 and Shirley have highlighted in their posts the good side of things 

[heath380]

It always saddens me when the RSPCA get a slating.....as you know from Mikey's wheelchair fund...not all branches are the same and I have to say (from my experience) I think its the minority NOT the majority.

Just to make it clear if its not a big RSPCA animal centre then all the others will be a local run branch....which is just like ourselves...fully run by volunteers. I think we are lucky as our branch has been run by 2 dedicated ladies for the last 40 years and they do have very high standards and always put the animlals needs first...and I think Mikey is testimoney to that!lol We would also NOT put any animal to sleep unless it was advised by the vet that it really was in the best interest of the animal because it was suffering. Arthur (an old cat in his teens that I am also fostering) was literally at deaths door when he was found and bought in by an inspector (when the main Barnes Hill centre (this areas borders with ours) is full the inspectors sometimes beg us to take an animal because otherwise they just have nowhere else for them to go)...we paid for Arthur to be kept at the vets and treated for literally about 2-3 months....but he is now fighting fit and looking for a new home....we also successfuly rehomed an FIV boy via catchat recently.....so please please please don't tar us all with the same brush....most of the branches do their absolute best and run like any other independant charity, and do a great job under the every increasingly difficult circumstances.

 I suspect the one you visited was a branch from what you have said and I do think you should actually speak to the the main RSPCA about it...as I'm sure they would not be happy either about the state of the pens and the condition of the building these poor cats were being kept in...I certainly wouldn't be either! No matter how short of funds they may be there's no excuse for not keeping the pens clean is there?

Just to mention the 'Tesco's' thing. We have 'Tesco's week which is the one week of the year we are allowed to go and shake our tins outside a tescos in our area. We do it and its one of the best fundraising events we do. It is generally the fosterers who have to volunteer to go and spend the time collecting but every penny we collect does go to the local branch....so please don't think in this instance it goes to the main RSPCA - it doesn't. If it happens again (well next year now!) please just ask if it going to your local branch as I think you'll find the answer is yes....and if so stick a few pennies in because we do desperately need them (and we all work hard to collect them :-) )

[Shirley]

When i found a terribly thin and weak cat last week, i took him to my own vet who couldn't treat him because i hadn't got a log number from the RSPCA, yet he'd had a list only a few days before regarding the do's and dont's of a stray cat and it said he can't even look at one without a log number! (He scanned him and checked what sex he was)
Anyway, i took him home with me for the night and a lovely lady Inspector picked him up the next day.  He'd scattered litter literally ALL OVER the bedroom carpet, could hardly walk and was just skin and bone. I asked the Inspector if he would be pts straightaway, 'Oh no, the vet will check him over and see what's wrong' He was taken to the RSPCA hospital in Barnes Hill, Birmingham and the following day, was reunited with his owner. (He went missing again 2 days later, and he has liver cancer, but that's another story-grrr!)

I was convinced, cos of the condition of him, he would've been pts-in this case it would've saved him suffering now-but he wasn't, so i think it is down to the individual branches, who unfortunately get tarred with the same brush as the HQ.

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

That's the thing, I would have thought the RSPCA, who have no problems showing neglectful and careless owners on their TV programs, would want all the animals they seize to be put in at least fairly decent accommodation. They make such a big show of being so much better than the clueless owners... well I'm sorry but the state of that 'rescue' was a much worse fate then being left to roam the streets. I'm sure, like has been said, it varies from branch to branch, but if they want to put their name to a shelter then the RSPCA needs to all adhere to at least minimum hygeine and cleanliness standards. Cat faeces being left in the open (where the cats, both FiV and uninfected were roaming) is completely unacceptable imo.

This really makes me question the RSPCA freedom food label too.

Isabella in answer to your quetion ... YES the RSPCA do put cats and dogs to sleep (lots of them).  In some cases cats that are picked up off the street as "strays" are actually euthanased in the back of the RSPCA van.  Also cats with FiV are often PTS so I'm surprised that they were mixing FIV+ and FIV- animals together.

Of course NOT all RSPCA branches are bad but sadly it is the majority of them.  They are one of the largest charities in this country and recieve HUGE amounts of public donations every year and yet they do not have the best reputation amongst animal lovers.  Most of the stuff you will have heard about them is sadly NOT urban myth or hearsay it is very often true.  If you do a search on this forum for RSPCA you will find lots of examples of why we don't think very highly of them.

 

[maryas]

That's great - hope they get the place cleaned up soon.

Mary

[isabella]

Thanks everyone!

[hOrZa]

.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Well done Isabella 

[isabella]

If I went to a rescue and found standards to be as bad as you say I would have to do something about it. There are bad rescues that do need weeding out, there are also some well meaning ones who dont have enough help or knowlege to maintain standards, these rescues can be helped. It may mean a bit of a journey for you to go back and take pictures and then report it but surely you care enough to do this. You never know you may go back another day and everything is exactly as it should be.

Can I ask how you know that cats both Fiv+ and Fiv- were roaming together? I am just trying to get a proper picture of what is going on, because this sounds to be a very serious matter which needs addressing.

My opinions are currently neutral.

Hey Teresa,

I have written a letter to the cattery with my concerns. You're right, I couldn't stand by and just leave it. I am also in talks with the RSPCA who have said that the site is actually a kennel/cattery for boarding. they really only give the place cats when there's a shortage in other catteries. Obviously as they're not getting paid for boarding they must put them in more basica pens. I mentioned that it was terrible and they've promised to look into it. I'm awaiting a call this week. I detailed my concerns and they said they'll be sending an inspector around.

Basically, what happened was there were FiV and Fiv- cats in the same hut but in seperate pens. When we looked at each cat, they were let out of heir indivitual pen and left to roam the walkways and cages. With teh faeces being out in the open, the cats sniffed around, obviously smelling the other cats. they were also able to get their paws into the cages of the other cats, thus increasing the chanes of infection.

As long as they get back to me with what they plan to do I think it will be ok, I must say they were very heplful. Until then I'm not going to name and shame, I want to at least give them a chance to sort it all out. I'm planning on a surprise viti within the next week or so to make sure they're aware and hopefully to take photos.

Thanks for all your advice.

[Janeyk]

Here I go again sticking up for the RSPCA - NOT ALL OF THEM ARE THE SAME.

I got Bonnie from the RSPCA in Halifax and that place is spotless and the staff are great and they do not put any animals to sleep - when Smudge was missing I was called there to look at a cat that had been found - it wasn't my Smudge - it was a black cat that was blind and I asked what would happen to it and was told it would be rehomed and looked after and not put to sleep as none of them are.

They also have a fantastic scheme going for rehoming and the elderly - see attached leaflet. That's my Bonnie on the pink sheepskin rug on the leaflet.

Mary and a very thankful Bonnie who was looked after in the RSPCA for 9 months.

Yes I too have been there Mary and agree with you, I have also been to the Leeds one and that too is a lovely place with super volunteers, I have also spoken on the phone to another branch of RSPCA and their policies were totally different. 

I have to say though if I went to any rescue or fosterer for that matter, as I have and the standards were not fit then I would (and have although not RSPCA) had to report the issue.

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

Can you PM me where this was please

[Teresa Pawcats]

well I'm sorry but the state of that 'rescue' was a much worse fate then being left to roam the streets. I'm sure, like has been said, it varies from branch to branch, but if they want to put their name to a shelter then the RSPCA needs to all adhere to at least minimum hygeine and cleanliness standards. Cat faeces being left in the open (where the cats, both FiV and uninfected were roaming) is completely unacceptable imo.

This really makes me question the RSPCA freedom food label too.

If I went to a rescue and found standards to be as bad as you say I would have to do something about it. There are bad rescues that do need weeding out, there are also some well meaning ones who dont have enough help or knowlege to maintain standards, these rescues can be helped. It may mean a bit of a journey for you to go back and take pictures and then report it but surely you care enough to do this. You never know you may go back another day and everything is exactly as it should be.

Can I ask how you know that cats both Fiv+ and Fiv- were roaming together? I am just trying to get a proper picture of what is going on, because this sounds to be a very serious matter which needs addressing.

My opinions are currently neutral.

[Millys Mum]

RSPCA will have funded adoption centres and also branches who take the name and a small amount of money but are generally on their own. I should imagine this is a branch setup, im not justifying it by any means but just wanted to explain how it works

[isabella]

That's the thing, I would have thought the RSPCA, who have no problems showing neglectful and careless owners on their TV programs, would want all the animals they seize to be put in at least fairly decent accommodation. They make such a big show of being so much better than the clueless owners... well I'm sorry but the state of that 'rescue' was a much worse fate then being left to roam the streets. I'm sure, like has been said, it varies from branch to branch, but if they want to put their name to a shelter then the RSPCA needs to all adhere to at least minimum hygeine and cleanliness standards. Cat faeces being left in the open (where the cats, both FiV and uninfected were roaming) is completely unacceptable imo.

This really makes me question the RSPCA freedom food label too.

[maryas]

Here I go again sticking up for the RSPCA - NOT ALL OF THEM ARE THE SAME.

I got Bonnie from the RSPCA in Halifax and that place is spotless and the staff are great and they do not put any animals to sleep - when Smudge was missing I was called there to look at a cat that had been found - it wasn't my Smudge - it was a black cat that was blind and I asked what would happen to it and was told it would be rehomed and looked after and not put to sleep as none of them are.

They also have a fantastic scheme going for rehoming and the elderly - see attached leaflet. That's my Bonnie on the pink sheepskin rug on the leaflet.

Mary and a very thankful Bonnie who was looked after in the RSPCA for 9 months.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

They were just arriving when I was at Tescoes yesterday at 1630!

I was wishing they ahd arrived sooner and waggled a can to me cos I would have wanted to know exactly where the money was going.

The trouble is it seems their rescues go from the sublime to the horrendous like where you went , to all the wonderful people who have helped Mikey.

[bunglycat]

The RSPCA were outside my local tesco's on wednesday, the woman rattled her tub at me and said please give to the RSPCA, I said no, I support my local animal charities. Nearly added 'that dont PTS any old or non cute animals' but managed to keep my mouth shut 

I am afraid i would have said that to her and not kept quiet.

[isabella]

Teresa, I didn't think to at the time. As soon as I got home and let it sink it I thought I should have. We don't live near it unfortunetly, were just passing by to see a few cats that were listed on the website. I was so shocked and felt so ill from the smell we just left.

I honestly thought the RSPCA were reputable. Angel, are you serious? They put cats to sleep? I thought it was just an 'urban legend'

[angel-77]

The RSPCA were outside my local tesco's on wednesday, the woman rattled her tub at me and said please give to the RSPCA, I said no, I support my local animal charities. Nearly added 'that dont PTS any old or non cute animals' but managed to keep my mouth shut 

[Teresa Pawcats]

 Did you take pics ? Did you question them about the conditions ?

[isabella]

I've just been to an RSPCA site (unsure if I can name it, please let me know if I can) and I was shocked at everything I saw! I expect catteries and boarding kennels to be in rural areas and with lots of land, but this place was something else.

Basically, it looks like a scrap yard! There were lots of people around, so it must be a popular place, however I was genuinely shocked about the condition of the cats section. To get to the pens (which is a small shed towards the rear of the property) you have to walk through a garden, a stable full of horse excrement and metal just laying everwhere, then there are the pens. The smell was terrible, far far worse than any other catteries I've been to, and there was boxes and a potato sack full of used and dirty litter just in the middle of the walkway. The cat we were looking at looked healthy aside from a discharge running from her eye, and her pen had actually slightly collapsed, the ceiling had fallen in. The other cats all had very long claws. Like I say, the cats themselves looked fine but I expected more from the RSPCA tbh.

I just felt for all the cats in there (there were five in total) that had to stay in that place. There was hardly any identification on the pens, in fact most cages had no information about them.

I'm just really, really shocked as it's an RSPCA based shelter!