RSPCA attempts to censor the internet and suppress criticism

[whaleomeloette]

slightly off topic but i just dislike the RSPCA on the whole, totally unhelpful and they put too many dogs down (sometimes using bold guns and such)
my dog i got from there. she shouldnt of even been rehomed, shes 15 now but hates other dogs, wouldnt go near men and she is agressive to name a few of problems
they didnt do a home check or a check up after i got her- so i could of been treating her like xexexexe and have a totally unsuitable house

because of her existing aggression problems shes actually gone really vicous in her old age and gone for me and my cat several times lately and shes getting worse. shes having to be put to sleep unfortunately

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by whaleomeloette

slightly off topic but i just dislike the RSPCA on the whole, totally unhelpful and they put too many dogs down (sometimes using bold guns and such)
my dog i got from there. she shouldnt of even been rehomed, shes 15 now but hates other dogs, wouldnt go near men and she is agressive to name a few of problems
they didnt do a home check or a check up after i got her- so i could of been treating her like xexexexe and have a totally unsuitable house

because of her existing aggression problems shes actually gone really vicous in her old age and gone for me and my cat several times lately and shes getting worse. shes having to be put to sleep unfortunately

I'm somewhat confused WO as you are saying you dislike the rspca because they put too many dogs down, but then go on to say that you got one from them that shouldnt have been rehomed (and therefore presumably pts instead) which seems somewhat contractidory

[whaleomeloette]

Originally Posted by eeyore

I'm somewhat confused WO as you are saying you dislike the rspca because they put too many dogs down, but then go on to say that you got one from them that shouldnt have been rehomed (and therefore presumably pts instead) which seems somewhat contractidory

oops ment to say *healthy* dogs, i love my old mutt to bits and i know how to handle her
but if she had gone to a home with a child and it bit them because the RSPCA failed to assess the dog,they would have been in deep deep trouble

i did post that at 9.14! iv been up since 5, very tired

[stripee]

Originally Posted by whaleomeloette

oops ment to say *healthy* dogs, i love my old mutt to bits and i know how to handle her
but if she had gone to a home with a child and it bit them because the RSPCA failed to assess the dog,they would have been in deep deep trouble

i did post that at 9.14! iv been up since 5, very tired

I'm glad you have a rescue dog whaleomeloette because the rescue centres are overwhelmed by unwanted dogs and many will make good pets. Some dogs will only be unpredictable in certain circumstances, and everyone with small children should be careful around even friendly dogs. But think what the history is of dogs that end up unwanted in RSPCA centres and others. Someone has originally got the puppy from somewhere and then got fed up with it or neglected it. These people are the ones who should be criticised and that is where something should be done.

It's really sad when healthy dogs are put to sleep. I don't know if anyone saw the recent Panarama programme on TV about dogs, and the numbers of Staffies/banned brands put down. The RSPCA and other rescue centres are unable to re-home dogs because they are unsafe animals around people and other dogs. They do not have unlimited funds or space. It is not pretty to see stun/bolt guns used. But what do you think happens in abbattoirs and on farms?

Go back further and there are the dog breeders, also responsible for what ends up in rescue centres. It's a good way to make some cash, pedigree puppies can get high prices, and status dogs like Staffies have been very popular.

I know of those who do it around here. There's more new dog breeding going on across the hill from me, I can hear the trademark howling. Many do it down long lanes out of the public eye. One I came across some years ago when surveying ROWs for the CCW (Countryside Council for Wales) was totally horrendous, skinny dogs in old cars etc, some tied up too weak to stand. The RSPCA were excellent and prosecuted, although I also felt guilty because of the poverty of the people involved - which is one of the reasons people breed dogs in the first place especially in rural areas. Someone else I knew delivered puppies in the middle of the night to a white van in a nearby town. Where did these dogs end up? Possibly labs abroad. I've also seen breeding bitches dumped on main roads when they have come to the end of their useful lives.

It's a very big problem which needs addressing, and I've already commented that the RSPCA are not perfect. But consider the underlying causes!

[Eryri]

It might be worth noting that the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999 applies in Wales and this is referred to in Welsh planning law.

Any establishment which is suspected of violating the terms of the Act or not registered within the terms of the Act should be reported to the unitary local authority, which has an obligation to suspend the license or prosecute for absence of license and can use the planning law to close the establishment. This tends to be a far more effective method than reporting suspected offenders through the RSPCA (when a problem is evident and often too late to prevent suffering). Reporting illegal breeders to the council promptly requires the council to check it's licensing records.

Dogs found on illegal breeding establishment are then considered strays and are taken in by the council pound (or charity kennels) for re-housing. Using this method is probably better as it's a preventative process. The council also has the powers under planning law over any farm or agricultural holding to seek the costs involved, which can result on a charge being applied on the land or property, which is outside the powers of the RSPCA.

If you suspect an illegal or unlicensed breeder or one where provisions of the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999 is being violated, please contact :

Sir Gar 01267 234567
Penfro 01437 764551
Creredigion 01545 570881
and others in Wales.

Ask for the animal licensing section of the environment department of the council. Hope this helps. Obviously the majority of dogs bred on illegal puppy farms are destined for the urban black market, and the provision of genuine and registered breeders of working animals, mainly used on farms (but also the blind) is an important service. These would tend to be registered, licensed and inspected. These establishments are NOT the problem.

On the subject of the RSPCA, they are a charity which have no statutory powers and rely heavily on voluntary input. This can cause huge discrepancy in the services they provide. I've heard some horror stories from South Wales, but I'd just like to say that the Gwynedd RSPCA (soon to take over Meirionnydd) and Aberconwy RSPCA groups are excellent, and have a particularly good working relationship with the agricultural community, (who also help sponsor their new doggie motorhome). I've got their logo on my trailer and have no complaints. My only message to South Wales is - the P stands for Prevention not Placards.

[stripee]

There are many establishments still unlicensed, and a large number of licensed breeding kennels especially in Wales. But the Welsh Assembly government are doing something about it! BBC News - Laws on 'puppy farms' tightened

"The RSPCA believes the measures will bring over 1,000 unlicensed breeders in Wales under statutory control. "

Apart from the laudable and necessary breeding of some dogs, there are too many bred whether legally or not. So many end up unwanted. I'm not a dog lover, but it causes many problems and the suffering is sad.

All the contacts I've had with the RSPCA about domesticated animals have been very good. I suppose over the whole country there is bound to be a variable experience. The local Council has been excellent with help for stray animals/dogs and if there is an environmental nuisance being caused.

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by whaleomeloette

but if she had gone to a home with a child and it bit them because the RSPCA failed to assess the dog,they would have been in deep deep trouble

The way dogs are kept in animal shelters could be exacerbating the problem of aggression in dogs. Think about it and compare it to behavioural problems of a child that's been put into Care at an early age because of neglect/rejection by family/physical/mental abuse. Transpose that onto a puppy/dog that has also been abused/neglected/suffered physical violence and then dumped into a shelter to be kept isolated in a wire enclosure with little social interaction, possibly for months - and, if the dog shows signs of aggressive behaviour, they then have to wear a muzzle or collar and have even less human contact. That dog could then be tried at several homes before it returns to the Shelter, compounding it's feelings of 'rejection', 'anxiety' and 'stress'. What sane animal, human or otherwise would react positively to that kind of treatment? It amazes me that any rescue dog overcomes some of the horrendous life history they've had prior to being permanently rehomed with a loving and responsible family but I believe far more of them could given the right owner and home. I've had three rescue dogs now and they all had 'emotional' problems that were slowly overcome by patience, understanding and most of all a life long commitment from me to stay with the 'programe' through thick and thin. Tender loving kindness really does go a long way sometimes.

This makes really interesting reading on the treatment of aggressive dogs by animal shelters (and some of the causes of why dogs get more aggressive once they are in the 'Care System' - it's a must read for anyone that cares about dogs:

http://www.landfood.ubc.ca/animalwel...Orihel_MSc.pdf

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by whaleomeloette

because of her existing aggression problems shes actually gone really vicous in her old age and gone for me and my cat several times lately and shes getting worse. shes having to be put to sleep unfortunately

Sadly, your dog has a history of insecurity prior to you owning her. There's a power balance in every household especially where there are other animals and of course a human owner is central to how that plays out. If one of the animals becomes ill that power structure will change subtly - ill health/age invokes increased insecurity/fear/anxiety - perhaps the cat realises it's time has come for the hierarchy to change and doing little things to assert it's dominance (like sitting on your lap and staring at the dog or leaping up and staring 'down' at the dog - cats are good at that!). Alternatively, if your cat has always been more dominant of the two perhaps it's now 'pushing' for even more dominance by infringing on the dog's need for personal space (a need that increases when any animal becomes very ill or in pain).

Sorry to hear of you having to have her euthanised. It's a very tough thing to go through with a pet you love. I hope you can/have spent some quality time with her during her illness. Of course illness itself can be the cause of increased agression in animals (as it can in humans) arising from fear and pain.