to be blubbing over those donkey and general animal charity ads but the starving children ones...

[CaptainTripps]

and suchlike leave me cold.

I mean ffs what is wrong with me? It should be the other way around.

Have I got an human empathy chip missing? I feel really bad about this.

[Writerwannabe83]

Tell me about it, I have never found myself having to pre-apologise for things that may be misunderstood until I joined MN I think 99% of the posters have enough common sense in them though to understand the point someone is trying to make but you're right, there are always some who like to jump in

[BlingBang]

The children ones get to me - I'd pick a children's charity over an animal charity every time, in fact I refuse to give to animal charities. Saying that, I tend to avoid comic relief, children in need etc and often turn over the adverts for children's charities as they are just too upsetting, especially the abuse ones.

[Caitlin17]

I agree with Woowoo. I'd turn the question on its head? How can you not emphasise with any sentient being which is suffering deliberate torture.

Please also consider the SSPCA and RSPCA get no government funding despite the fact part of their work involves the detection , prosecution and hopefully prevention of serious crime.

[curlew]

The RSPCA has huge financial reserves......

[WooWooOwl]

So does the NSPCC

^Reserves
Total reserves decreased by £0.8 million to £71.5 million. We aim to retain sufficient free reserves in a range equivalent to approximately three to five months’ forward expenditure. These reserves are held in case of any sudden decline in income and to ensure that contractual commitments to staff, premises and funding partners
to provide services to children can be made with some confidence.
At 31 March 2011 Unrestricted Free Reserves were £47.5 million (2010 £46.2 million) and were equivalent to 3.7 months forward expenditure (2010 3.7 months^

[Caitlin17]

curlew And your point is? Would you prefer it wasn't funded?

Are you aware there is research clearly demonstrating the sort of person who can be casually cruel to an animal is very, very likely to be the sort of person who will be casually cruel to a child?

[Caitlin17]

Thank you Woo. Curlew is also ignoring the fact the SSPCA and RSPCA have responsibility for dealing with crimes which can be serious enough to merit jail sentences with no state funding.

[curlew]

I want them to use their cash reserves!

[Caitlin17]

curlew And you think they're not ? Suggest you read the annual reports of both and see exactly the horrors they are dealing with.

Woo has given you an explanation of why the NSPCC holds reserves. I don't know the figures for the RSPCA but the SSPCA has nothing like that amount of cash.

[Mirage]

I support charities for working animals,such as SPANA and PFK.They help both animals and their owners in poorer countries.At the end of the day,if their donkey/camel/oxen/horse can't work,the family starves.Win win as far as I'm concerned.However I would never donate to the RSPCA,they are worse than useless in my experience.

[Caitlin17]

Curlew you're also ignoring my point the 2 animal charities are expected to fulfill a quasi-judicial role with no funding.

Which would you prefer?

Let's give them no money and put this function soley on the police and stretch their resources? or
Let's give them no money and just not bother about enforcing the law?

[Takingbackmonday]

I would never give to the RSPCA purely because of their political motives

[Alisvolatpropiis]

I am moved by some adverts for both people and animals but not by others.

Adverts are just pr, some better executed than others.

The causes behind those adverts all move me. I'd he destitute if I gave to them all.

I find the ones about elderly people having no one particularly awful, because it's so easily rectified.

I can see where the people who are saying animal abuse is equal to child abuse are coming from. I don't exactly agree but will say I am highly dubious of anyone who abuses animals parenting skills.

The only charity I can categorically say I will never donate to is the RSPCA. Related to a personal dealing I had with them it has left me very dubious of them as an organisation.