Frustrated with Bigger Charity and Uncaring Online Ad Site

[madasacatter]

I guess that is why most of us on here are concerned mainly with our own smaller charities, but we are all asked by larger charities to help them out.

The Animal Welfare Act has clearly been breached by them advertising animals at just 6 weeks for sale on that particular day (not to be sold at a later date) so that in itself is an offence.

In fact one of their telephone operators that answered a previous complaint about a similar issue told me as much last week.

[ronandcats]

Well said Jezebel I could not agre more.

[jezebel]

I kind of see their point - like the police, they can't do anything until a crime has been committed. But how is this is supposed to 'prevent' cruelty?

This is another reason I like to donate to smaller, local charities and rescues than the big names.

[ronandcats]

its like banging your head on the wall talking  to the RSPCA, all they seem to do is ask for Donations, a lady came to us for a cat last week when I said we do home visits she handed me her letter saying she had had one from the RSPCA, but they only had six cats so thats why she had come to us, funny as they are always sending people to us with unwanted cats saying that they are full, it would be better if people made Donations to help the smaller Charity's who work harder and take in more cats and are struggling to pay vet bills.

[Mark]

A couple of years ago I saw lots of online ads for a charity that claimed to be called 'cats paradise' - they claimed to take in ALL kittens and pregnant cats  - I googled them and nothing came up at all. I rang the RSPCA and they told me that there was nothing illegal in that and that it wasn't against the law to take in kittens and sell them on. I told them that it sounded really dodgy and anything could be happening to them. I was told that the info would be passed on to the inspector but it was unlikely anything would happen as there was no evidence of cruelty 

[madasacatter]

Yet again another litter of kittens for sale on the ***tree Birmingham site yesterday.  So having registered with the reporting email section of a large national animal charity, I was hoping something would be done, especially as it is in breach of the Animal Welfare Act!  But silly me had got my hopes up, and the cannot be bothered to look up the link I have them and make 'phone call.  Here is their reply to me:-

The RSPCA believes ‘distance selling’ or the acquiring of animals through the exclusive use of the internet, by mail-order or over the telephone does not provide adequate assurance for the welfare of the animals traded, if the animal is obtained without being previously seen by the buyer.  As such, the Society expends very significant effort in trying to educate the general public about responsible pet ownership and supplies providers of websites, such as Gumtree, with our policy whenever possible. 

However, there is currently no legislation preventing pet owners from advertising their pets in this way and, as such, there is little that the ***** can do to stop this.  We do hope, however, that this issue will be addressed under the secondary legislation of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

With regard to the advertising of kittens at 6 weeks old, the RSPCA would not recommend removing a kitten from its mother until the kitten is 8 weeks old, at the very earliest.  As such, the advert that you have seen is of concern to us.  However, we have not been able to view the specific advert that you are referring to and, in any event, without knowing the address details for this person, an officer would be unable to look into the matter further.

If you have the address details for this individual and can provide us with further information, please contact our 24-hour cruelty and advice line on 0300 1234 999.  Our call centre staff will take all of the relevant information from you and will refer the same to an officer for appropriate action.  Please note that, as a charity with limited means, we are reliant upon the information given to us by the general public and are incredibly grateful for the public's support.

We thank you for taking the time to contact us and for your obvious concern for animal welfare.

Kind regards
HQ Advice Team


We small charities support them again and again, and they just cannot cope with these extra jobs that do not have a camera or a decent court case in the offing it seems to me!

Grrrrrr!