RSPCA accused of uncharitable behaviour

Re: RSPCA accused of uncharitable behaviour

Mark Hedberg — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 14:36:04 GMT

Very true! People don't seem to mind what happens as long as they get cheap food - once it's a cute and fluffy animal, however, the emotions take over.

Re: RSPCA accused of uncharitable behaviour

Louise B — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 12:23:21 GMT

[quote user="emmadilemma"]

Fair enough i should have said stun then instead of kill. My point was that there is a bad case of double standards from the public when they slate the RSPCA for using the same method that they deem as acceptable for putting a meal on their table.

[/quote]

Agreed! I am systematically five starring your posts at the moment Emmadimma

Re: RSPCA accused of uncharitable behaviour

emmadilemma — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 12:18:58 GMT

Re: RSPCA accused of uncharitable behaviour

Gillian Mostyn — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 11:56:31 GMT

[quote user="emmadilemma"]Just in response to the captive bolt guns bit i really don`t get why this caused such controversy with the public! Apparently it`s acceptable and `humane` to kill thousands of horses, cows, sheep etc on a daily basis using bolt guns so why is it suddenly so cruel to kill dogs this way??[/quote]

I haven't read the article but just FYI, captive bolt guns used in abattoirs are not designed to kill. The bolt only goes into the frontal cortex and the force of it doing so stuns the brain and causes the animal to become unconscious. (Same as a hefty punch!) Occasionally an animal may die (and I suspect a dog would do so) but death is certainly not guaranteed and, generally, it either needs to have its neck cut to allow exsanguination or have a rod passed into the hind brain to mush the tissue and cause death (pithing.)

Re: RSPCA accused of uncharitable behaviour

Sal the 1st — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 20:55:39 GMT

[quote user="Princess Ophelia Hermione MacBeth"]

[quote user="emmadilemma"]

Just in response to the captive bolt guns bit i really don`t get why this caused such controversy with the public! Apparently it`s acceptable and `humane` to kill thousands of horses, cows, sheep etc on a daily basis using bolt guns so why is it suddenly so cruel to kill dogs this way??

[/quote]

Agreed. I had my pony euthanased recently and I elected for the bullet (not captive bolt but similar) rather than euthatal as I wanted her handled as little as possible (very nervous of people) and her end to be as quick as possible. Her end was, in my opinion, much more welfare friendly for her than euthatal would have been but much more revolting and disturbing for me as an owner as she bled so badly post death. Therein, I think, the real problem lies in terms of its acceptability in the eyes of the public. Used correctly, the captive bolt is very welfare friendly.

[/quote]

I dont disagree with the use of a captive bolt - I have had animals of my own dispatched this way when the time has come but my problem with the story was that these dogs were too aggressive to restrain, so if they weren't adequately restrained how could you safely and effectively use a captive bolt?

Re: RSPCA accused of uncharitable behaviour

Louise B — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 20:43:10 GMT

[quote user="emmadilemma"]

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Re: RSPCA accused of uncharitable behaviour

Sal the 1st — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 20:32:39 GMT

[quote user="Vicki Cannings"]

As wrong as some things about the RSPCA are, and believe me working for them I know full well whats wrong with them, I would still say be careful in believing what you read. I am leaving for another job, mostly for things I don't agree with but these stories above are massively exagerrated and the full story is never explored.

As for the German Shepherds, they were horrily aggressive and RSPCA aren't allowed to use any sort of tranquiliser. Since working at RSPCA I have seen many dogs that scare the life out of me, and whilst nursing in private practice I saw nothing that touched on the aggressive nature of these dogs. There was no way of safely restraining these dogs without someone getting hurt. The risk to human life was to great. What do you suggest then? I would like to see the people who complain try to get near to these dogs let alone restrain them.

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I know there are some really nasty dogs out there - I have come across quite a few over the years but I really dont get why a vet wasnt involved who could have used a tranquiliser, and how you can use a captive bolt without restraining an animal to make sure the bolt is discharged cleanly and effectively? There were 8 inspectors involved in this case, maybe a vet should have been involved as well.

I know the media creates a story in order to sell the most copies but the media only become involved as a result usually of somebody complaining and wanting to put across their version of events and there seem to be an awful lot of complaints at the moment and the interview that Arlo mentioned at the beginning of this thread the CEO didnt exactly come across well

Re: RSPCA accused of uncharitable behaviour

emmadilemma — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 15:44:46 GMT

Re: RSPCA accused of uncharitable behaviour

vickicannings — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 12:01:19 GMT

The Telegraph has been sued over this story above as they published false facts, as do many of the papers jumping on the RSPCA bandwagon at the moment.

If you start believing everything you read then you are no better than the people that write the propaganda in the first place and I don't think it solves the real problems going on.

There is so much negativity stirred up by papers that people have no idea what to believe, which then means the real problems get missed.

I am by no means pro all of RSPCA chocies but I don't agree with people agreeing with stories when they aren't fully aware of the facts. It would be interesting to see how the same people reacted when their practice or even themselves were targeted by a newspaper. Until we start focusing on problems we know exist and believing the facts we can't even begin to get the problem sorted.

Before becoming a vet nurse I studied media and worked for a while at a paper and I know how aware they are of falsifying facts and creating propaganda. It is what they are trained to do and I still can't believe people believe everything they read.

Re: RSPCA accused of uncharitable behaviour

Sal the 1st — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 11:43:18 GMT

http://www.farmersguardian.com/home/livestock/rspca-says-it-was-right-to-shoot-sheep-at-ramsgate/50008.article

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/6115690/RSPCA-puts-down-10-German-Shepherds-with-bolt-gun.html

these two I think were absolutely appalling

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/fury-as-rspca-sells-land-in-alderley-687444

this one - massive home goal, might have got them a bit of cash in the short term but has lost them a whole lot of support in the long term.

There is an awful lot wrong with the RSPCA at the moment and until they recognise it and start looking at how they can improve things then people will turn their backs on them.