To ask about your opinion on the RSPCA after Brian May resignation

[Meadowlands]

He has resigned because the RSPCA's response to poor animal welfare was completely inadequate.
When I reported an animal in distress, they refused to investigate, and it was left to my local animal shelter -which is struggling for money - to come to the rescue.
I find it all extremely concerning. Does anyone else have any experiences?

Chocolate tea pot. I never call them for anything. There's no point.
It's well known by me and everyone I know that the local RSPCA horse centre shot 20 odd horses a few years ago for no real reason other than costs.

I have horses myself, I've taken on a 'loan' pony from the same yard because his owner wasn't feeding them in winter and when he did he was throwing hay just over the gate into mud. The pony in question has mud fever, a painful skin condition which gets worse when exposed to mud. But he had to choose to go in mud or die.
This guy has 3 other horses, big ex-hunters. We are waiting to see if he actually bothers feeding them this year. Otherwise I'll be phoning World Horse Welfare who DO act.
The kicker? We have an RSPCA worker from that local horse sanctuary on the yard.

We’ve got a local animal rescue who is like an emergency service. They’re all vegan and care deeply about animals. So lucky to have them nearby as all I hear about the RSPCA are bad things. This rescue will do anything to save an animal, including removing them from dangerous situations with no thought to their own safety.

From what I hear it’s the independent animal rescues across this land who actually care, not the RSPCA.

In 2022 the CEO of the RSPCA's wage was £162,217

Unfortunately no.

animalequality.org.uk/issues/dairy/

I’m fed up of people saying ‘well if he worked in the private sector he would be paid that’ because with his skillset that is likely untrue unless he manages to jump on another gravy train role like the water companies.

They know fuck all about horses and are totally disinterested in them too. Many examples of them ignoring awful cases that end up being dealt with by smaller charities without the same powers or funding.

I would call the BHS welfare team or WHW if concerned about horses.

Are there any larger animal charities worth donating to?

They’re a shower of shit I loathe them. The general public are gaslight by them.

In a previous world we had many dealings with the RSPCA. With the exception of one notable Inspector, all 'not in our remit' and hard to deal with. I have family in the vet world and they don't rate them either, after years of professional involvement. They could, and should, be so much better and making too much from the emotional pull of their work rather than outcomes.

Good for Brian May. I hope Chris Packham follows suit. If you've seen the footage obtained on RSPCA assured farms ( it's horrific be warned) you'll know they are basically condoning cruelty to animals.

I haven’t given them a penny since years ago when a dd found a stray dog (that had almost certainly been abandoned) and was very hungry and frightened. She was a student at the time, in student accomm. and couldn’t keep it except just overnight, but then took it to the RSPCA, telling them NOT to put it to sleep, she’d find a home for it.

Some days later phoned to find out how it was doing - they had already put it to sleep, telling her it ‘wasn’t suitable’ for rehoming. She was distraught, said there’d been nothing wrong with it except that it was distressed and frightened.

The RSPCA are useless and awful, but I’d like to agree with what PPs have said about the SSPCA. They are truly evil.
I’m sure that there are plenty of decent volunteers on a local level but the organisation as a whole isn’t.

I love that Brian May walked away. I think a lot of celebs just want to be the face of something and don’t really care about what it stands for.

Absolutely horrific

They only care about cases where they can make the news ie big resue efforts of horses stuck in mud where is clear case for neglect ( but never the sort of people who drive horses and carts along A roads punching the terrified horses in front of everyone).

I phoned them when someone was picking up pigeons in London and ripping their wings off. Lots,of mutilated birds dieing in the street. They laughed and asked what I expected them to do? I called the police to stop him but no one could help the birds just laying all over the place. A shovel would have helped. But wouldn't have looked good. Better to turn a blind eye than get a bad snap.

I don't know what point they have? None

I've only had positive experiences with the RSPCA, and through my job, have worked closely with them in the past.

Our local inspectors and AWO/ACO are hardworking, and compassionate people. But they are very thinly stretched and in recent years, have had staff cuts which has resulted in increased workload for those remaining.

Mind you, our local branch don't recieve funding from headquarters, and are expected to raise all money themselves - which they do, and are more than happy to fund medical expenses for the animals in their care.

Seems like the rot is at the top (like most large companies/charities).

So all the money going in centrally via the tv ads etc isn’t necessarily going to the work on the ground?

the one inspector I met was a nasty bully tbh and seemed to enjoy upsetting my 5yo!! I hope she was an exception!!

We live rurally and when I contacted them for advice regarding a fox stuck in our chain link fence their advice to us was to find a local farmer who can shoot it and put it out of its misery. 😯

We managed to free it, took it to a local wildlife rehab centre and it was eventually released.

That’s horrific and must have been unbearably distressing for you

I've had this experience too. We had an issue with traveller's horses getting into an unlit B road with switchback hills and a 60mph speed limit. RSPCA and police both passed the buck until a caller asked for the badge number of the officer who wouldn't help,so when there inevitably was an accident,it could be proved that it has been called in. All of a sudden they COULD help.
Anyone concerned about the welfare of a horse is better off contacting World Horse Welfare. They are very responsive and do attend. For farm animals,chickens ect,even if kept domestically,APHA are useful and will investigate concerns.

They literally only seem to use the pretext of caring for animals to get the donations in - they don't actually care about them.

They know that, if they just asked for money "because we love money and want to keep our organisation and well-paid jobs going", they wouldn't get a penny.

If you want to run a profitable business, go right ahead; but don't try to guilt people into giving you money on false pretences. Apple are a hugely successful company because they offer phones and other tech that millions of people are clamouring for of their own freewill; but they don't get all of their billions in by claiming to be anything other than a business that you freely choose to use (or not) because you want something from them (an iPhone) and they want something from you (your money).

What's especially annoying, however, is that their TV ads only show them apparently doing exactly the things pp have made clear that the RSPCA consistently refuse to do nowadays. Emotive scenes of them rescuing neglected dogs and cats, etc.

I stopped trusting them years ago for exactly the reasons pp have described.

The RSPCA are utterly useless. Despite being presented with pictures of clear animal abuse and mistreatment, animals with bones clearly visible and some dead, they decided the care was adequate and wouldn't investigate. They could not be arsed. Made all the excuses under the sun. I think they are despicable. They then had the audacity to ask me to donate.

This is awful, I’m shocked as I’ve recently had a very good experience with the SSPCA.
Just yesterday I noticed a cat sleeping in my garden, I thought the poor thing was dead as she had flies crawling on her but when I went close she moved and I saw she had a broken leg and squashed tail, obviously been run over.
i called SSPCA and officer was out in half an hour tops, she had been reported missing and owner came rushing round to collect her, everyone at Sspca was so pleasant and concerned for poor little cat.
However someone I know called them when a seagull was stuck in barbed wire fence and they weren’t interested. The poor bird was still alive.

Yes, absolutely. Plus, the enormous difference in the private sector is that he would have to preside over the open market forces and getting customers to choose whether or not to buy the goods or services that they produce/supply.

In private business, you can't just show harrowing photos of sick/mistreated animals and rely on guilt and emotion to keep the pounds rolling in without doing anything yourself to earn it all.