A few for the RSPCA bashers out there...

Re: A few for the RSPCA bashers out there...

Bob Russell — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 13:44:16 GMT

As far as I am aware the RSPCA were not involved in the prosecution of the man jailed for hanging the cat.

RSPCA spokesperson stated;

"This sounds like a horrific and utterly unnecessary case of animal cruelty."

Presumably a Police prosecution.

The RSPCA 'wing' responsible for welfare prosecutions should be separated from the rest of the 'charities' activities to reduce the link between political posturing and using prosecutions to elicit donations. If necessary funding should come from public funds in the same way that other Policing costs do.

These individuals behaviour can indicate serious mental issues that potentially make some a risk to the general public. A 'normal' person does not hang a cat with a noose, kick a dog to death or stand on a duck! Therefore it is more than an animal welfare issue.

Re: A few for the RSPCA bashers out there...

Hannah Wynne Richards — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 13:39:54 GMT

Neil I've appeared as a professional witness ( always for the RSPCA ) many many times.Some of those cases were harrowing. I've only onve known a custodial sentence be imposed, although , in some cases there were evil repeat offenders..............obviously the previous sentence hadn't been sufficiently severe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The one exception was a man who was also a notorious drug dealer. The RSPCA Inspector's cynical comment to me was, " They'd have jailed that one for dropping a crisp packet!" The magistrates hadn't really reformed,and started to treat animal cruelty with the seriousness it deserves, they were just glad of an excuse to get that individual off the streets!!!!!!!!!!!

Wynne

Re: A few for the RSPCA bashers out there...

Hannah Wynne Richards — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 13:29:01 GMT

Does that also aply to women? If so, I'll take good care to go home early!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, I'm 100% with you. I really hate paying tax, but totally eradicating all cruelty to animals is one of the very very few things I would be willing to pay tax for.

Wynne

Re: A few for the RSPCA bashers out there...

Tim Browning — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 13:14:57 GMT

The NSPCC used to prosecute terrible child abuse cases twenty years ago and the CPS seem tohave taken over since then. It would be nice to know how that happened. It seems unfair for a charity to police the AWA when passed by parliament and CPS surely have a statutory duty to do so. Whoever prosecutes it , it never seems clear from case reports that a failure to provide for the five welfare needs of an animal, as defined by the act, is the basis of the prosecution and we just hear vaguely about 'cruelty' etc.

It seems the Animal Welfare Act and an owner's duty of care is likely to fall into disuse unless becomes more widely known and then used and the concept of 'owner's' (?'Guardian's' as used in US apparently!) responsibility stressed more. The five welfare needs are not widely understood after seven years despite the heroic efforts of some charities

The act could become as much used as the law that says it's legal to kill a Welshman in Shrewsbury after Sundown, which is supposed to be still on the statute books

Re: A few for the RSPCA bashers out there...

Thomas Johnson — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 09:49:43 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]

David et al, it's a shame that these prosecutions are left to the RSPCA, but that arm of the charity does sterling work.

[/quote]

I suspect the reason the police don't take an interest in animal welfare/cruelty cases is because the RSPCA has taken on the responsibility, rather than the RSPCA having to do it because the police don't.

Re: A few for the RSPCA bashers out there...

Michael Woodhouse — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 20:06:09 GMT

David et al, it's a shame that these prosecutions are left to the RSPCA, but that arm of the charity does sterling work.

It's the political arm wasting money on frivolous prosecutions and the 'inspectors' trespassing onto private property like they own the place that annoy me immensly.

Remember the vet they dragged out of bed and seized his old dog (think it was a dog?) and killed it?

Lets spend all this money prosecuting a hunt in David Cameron's constituency etc etc etc etc

Re: A few for the RSPCA bashers out there...

Neil Wheadon — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 18:42:48 GMT

This one too

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-24899550

Attempted to hang a cat, news full of deterrent stories, the neighbour got 20 weeks, and the cat is recovering.

You get less for killing a cyclist when driving.

Neil

Re: A few for the RSPCA bashers out there...

Hannah Wynne Richards — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 17:10:56 GMT

That's a very valid point. The RSPCA do monitor people who are banned, but unfortunately there is currently nothing to stop them transferring ownership to another member of the family. If the ill-treatment continues, then that person has to be prosecuted as well.If the ban in temporary,then if their unscrupulous solicitors string things out, then ownership can be transferred back to the original evil criminal.The law on animalcruelty is far too soft-the punishment should be deterrant-and it's not

Wynne

Re: A few for the RSPCA bashers out there...

Badger er — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 16:56:06 GMT

A ban from keeping animals is all well and good, but who polices this? When purchasing an animal, one is never asked to provide proof that one is legally allowed to keep animals (I don't think such a thing even exists).

So does this system solely rely on word of mouth amongst neighbours who might or might not decide to report someone with a ban for keeping animals? (With the defence of ''It's not mine, it belongs to my spouse'')

Until dog licencing is introduced, I cannot see how bans on animal ownership are fit for purpose.

Re: A few for the RSPCA bashers out there...

Hannah Wynne Richards — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 16:06:50 GMT

David I'm in totalagreement with you.There are many evil people in the world-and,since the police are uninterested in animal crime,then without the RSPCA there would be no-one to stop them.

Wynne