RSPCA and cat

olias

covcats wrote: »

not at all. no agenda. trying to write a balanced reply, don't want to slate the rspca but there are areas they could do better. I do hear a lot of instances of things like this happening, don't know how you get your info about them, but perhaps being in rescue I have different sources to you...
(no reply necessary , just replying to your comment)

Hi, I have been in a relationship with an RSPCA Inspector for years so probably have more of a handle than most. They are (and my OH agrees with this) terrible in some areas, not least being an incredibly top heavy organisation whos management sometimes forget the grass roots. They do however do a lot of good, and the inspectors are autonomous enough that the quality of service they provide can vary wildly from area to area, hence the reason why some people have a very poor opinion of them through personal experience, while others don't (thought I'd reply anyway:p)

lapetiteanglaise wrote: »

Am I being really naive? I thought the RSPCA didn't pts animals? That's what it says on my local rescue centre's website....well, it says they don't put 'healthy animals' to sleep.
I am shocked! Surely it's not true?!
Great news though OP - fingers crossed!

Sadly there will always be too many unwanted animals for the resources (and homes) available to them. I would rather the ire of people be directed at irresponsible owners rather than charities (of any type(!) who for all their faults, are trying to do their best.

Just read this forum regularly and see how often the subject crops up of a cat being allowed to have kittens, a dog being allowed to have puppies (staffies?), a rabbit/guinea pig being allowed to breed. The reason is usually because they're cute and the kid's like them, or I might make some money, or I think it's wrong to sterelise an animal, or I've heard it's good to allow them to have one litter or any of a number of other silly and irresponsible reasons. They are the ones I save my anger for.

Olias

covcats

It may well be your local shelter will not pts.
The RSPCA is segregated into sections, and as such the local homing centres are pretty much autonomous.
However, even then, there are ways around it. Local centres can, and do, move animals and they can be moved to places that will euthanase.
Also the definition of 'healthy' can be different. Is a cat with ringworm healthy? I remember watching one of those huge rescues on TV and the vet pronounced nearly all of the 50 cats as healthy only to read that 46 had been PTS.
Inspectors have a budget (Is it still £50?) so if they go on a shout they can only spend that much per animal without it being 'adopted' by a shelter.

I wish the RSPCA would start a neutering lobby to pressurise the UK govt. to pass some serious breeding laws following on from Belgium. Thats what the RSPCA do best and it would certainly rally every rescue in the country behind it. Most of the rescues would dearly love to be able to help police such laws as well!
If something doesn't happen soon the pest control companies will be called on even more.

And yes, each rescue is trying to do its bit. After all the problem is not one of their making. Sadly the RSPCA get such flack as the reality can fall short of their advertising.