5 replies to this topic

[Ian]

With an election looming the RSPCA have launched a "political" website (pointing out that they do not intend to provide information suggesting which way you should vote, remain within Charity Commission guidelines etc). This is their "supporters briefing document" on Status Dogs.

It seems rather like the Tory party in recent years to me - criticising what is there but scant on policy detail as to how they will change things, just in case you should expect them to commit to it later! What is there didn't instill me with optimism / confidence somehow. What do you make of it?

http://www.political...%2004.03.10.pdf

Edited by Ian, 21 March 2010 - 12:49 PM.

[gremlin22]

wow....
"We think that a requirement for those in social housing to have their pets microchipped
and neutered would go a long way to reduce the number of dogs available and
consequently the number of dogs seen at our animal hospitals and centres."

i totally agree microchipping/neutering would go a long way to help but i'm not sure only applying it to people in social housing would help, i think that would just increase the negative perception a lot of people already have on people/dogs in this situation.Also whilst blanket neutering would cut numbers, if everyone had their dogs neutered unless they were a licensed breeder it's a fact that the genetic health of dogs in general will dramatically suffer.Whilst we all know there are way way way too many dogs in stray kennels and rescues up and down the country it would be a strange world if everyone's pet was a pedigree dog.
i dunno..i'm confused..i'd love to see an end to strays being pts because they have nowhere to go, and i'd love to see an end to dogs being free to good home so any idiot can get one without having to think about it first, i'm just not sure that wiping out the mongrel is the way to go about it..
maybe two types of dog license..one for people with no intention of breeding which requires vet proof your dog is done and chipped. and another more expensive one if you intend to breed ( considerably more expensive) regardless if your dog is pedigree or not but still get dog chipped. the expensive one only lasts a year then needs renewing or you can neuter your dog and get the cheaper license that will last for life of the pet.if you let your dog get pregnant on first season ( becuase some people won't neuter before first season) then you pay the breeders license fee regardless for that year.
sorry think i went off topic a bit

[BillyMalc]

Puppy farms rarely exist in "social housing" To me the RSPCA is an at best useless organisation, at worst they actually contribute to animals suffering and end their lives needlessly. I am looking forward to a KC style exposure of this vile organisation and would take anything that they spout with a bucket of salt.

[Ian]

I looked at the Social Housing bit myself & thought To me you either make the argument / law for all or for none, you can't go discriminating against all Council / Social Housing tenants, even if there are some bad eggs there there are also a lot of decent law abiding people who are no less responsible dog owners than the more affluent.

I'm not sure why puppy farming, greyhound welfare or fox hunting (which some want made legal again) doesn't appear to merit concern / mention but whilst I believe them to be open to question on certain things (using captive bolt guns & Gsd's killed without proper assessment, some of the legal battles they've recently fought over wills etc) and quite possibly to have lost their way a little in general I wouldn't personally go as far as calling them a vile organisation.

You might prefer Dogs Trust Billy, they are campaigning on puppy farms etc



Lobbying an elected Government on animal welfare is one thing I'm not so sure about Charities lobbying parties / trying to encourage their large supporter base to do so before a party gets elected myself

Edited by Ian, 21 March 2010 - 05:51 PM.

[BillyMalc]

What I meant with my comment was that, if the RSPCA wants to make a difference with regards to the dogs being bred they would be better off looking towards puppy farms, rather than stigmatising people living in social housing.

I live on a council estate, and my next door neighbours fit the stereotype to a T', including possibly having one of their dogs mated to another numpty's dog - which I'm trying to stop from happening in any way that I can. There are, however, other, way more responsible dog owners too on the same estate, and I simply object to all council estate/ social housing residents being tarred with the same brush.

I find the issues which you mention as being "open to question" part of why I find the RSPCA a vile organisation. Another is their assessment of dogs, which had been seized and subsequently abused and neglected, while in police "care", as "healthy" and not pressing charges, another.

[Ian]

I agree with you on that part Billy. I don't live there now but spent much of my life living on a Council estate, grew up with a Gsd, had friends with dogs etc & none of us would have ever mis treated their dog.

If they're going to change laws I think it has to be a law for all not just for any particular "section of society"


I'm not sure whether you've seen it but Dogs Trust are campaigning on puppy farms
http://www.dogstrust...ng/default.aspx

and as for you thinking the RSPCA vile you're not alone I'm afraid, there's actually even a few anti RSPCA Facebook Groups these days.