The following is an email, recently received from a pet lover. I have removed names for privacy…
Dear Saving Pets,
I wanted to share Thomas’ story with you to hopefully make a difference and save other dogs like him.
My mother and I were foster carers for the RSPCA Yagoona shelter in Sydney. We had taken in three puppies who had found new homes, and we were very happy with the system. Then, in May this year, we got Thomas.
Thomas was the sweetest dog yet. A white Coolie puppy about 6 months old. He was blind, partially deaf, and had a broken leg (the reason we were caring for him). Our instructions were to keep him still while he recovered from the break. We could crate train him to make sure he was always still and do behavour training to keep him calm, but the main purpose was to let his leg heal.
We did as we were asked and grew to love the puppy. He sometimes cried when we left him (as all puppies do) and we found he was slow to detach from us as we were a guide in his limited sensory world. He liked when we were around making noise so he could orientate himself. After one month, he was allowed to move around more and to our delight he began exploring the house on his own. He would go into our bedrooms when we turned our backs to explore.
Then he had to have an x-ray. We took him back to the RSPCA thinking it would be a physical check-up then maybe a few more weeks in our care as his leg was much better. We were looking forward to walking him as coolies are sheep dogs and he had so much energy, keeping him still was taking its toll on him and us. It was clear he just wanted to run.
We left him at the shelter to see the vet.
The next day we got a phone call. Thomas had been diagnosed with separation anxiety and was going to be put down.
We were shocked. The RSPCA told us he was always being watched for this disorder, and since he cries when we leave and cried in the shelter he clearly had it. We said we never knew he was being watched for this. When we went through his paperwork there was no mention of it.
We told them he was gaining independence. He needed time. He hadn’t lived without a broken leg, you couldn’t tell his temperament until you let him run. Let him release his energy and be a normal dog. We asked for one more week to help rehabilitate this. We told him he was confident in our home, why couldn’t we adopt him? If he’s anxious being away from our house, why not just let him have a happy life in our house? If their only option is to kill, then we’ll take him.
They said they’d call us back.
The next day they called and said the decision was still final. We pleaded with them for over an hour to see sense. They kept saying this was a last resort they were sad to take, except every other option we offered was rebutted. We could think of dozens of other options, but they ignored us. They had spent months rehabilitating him for a broken leg and not one day rehabilitating him for his supposed separation anxiety.
The biggest shock was next.
We called back later and spoke to an assistant in the hopes we could speak to someone higher up and save Thomas. She told us Thomas had been killed earlier that day. The last time on the phone, as we begged for his life, he was already dead. The RSPCA never told us, they pretended he was still alive as we tried to bargain to save him.
This is not the prevention of cruelty. This is cruelty. This dog could have had a life with us, but they refused him life. They preferred to kill him than to allow any other intervention. It is clear to me that the RSPCA does not take death as a last resort, but as a first resort.
We will never foster care for them again. We are in grief for the lost puppy who was never given a chance and I fear for any dog in that “shelter” now.
Thanks for reading my story. I wanted to share it with you so that maybe the puppy I loved and lost will have some voice in this world. I’ve attached photos of Thomas from the time he lived with us.
{Name removed}
I am SO sorry this happened to you and Thomas. I have always supported the RSPCA, however I was told on very good authority that all large dogs were instantly euthanised at the RSPCA at Coffs Harbour as the manager didn’t like big dogs. So any large dogs that were brought in as strays were put down. I checked this story a few times and have no reason to disbelieve it. Needless to say, the RSCA are not mentioned in my will.
I hope one day they will be held accountable for such … there has been way too many people go through what you have gone through … the RSPCA have a heck of a lot to answer for. Don’t ask for answers on their facebook pages, as it just gets you banned …. watch their FB pages, and see the anger of people in similar situations to yourself …. they get banned quick smart too.
I hope you’ll find peace … and know Thomas is waiting for you over the Rainbow bridge ….
totally gross makes me sick and angry. i feel for you and your family and also thomas. i feel nothing for the scum who took his life. i only hope that they never have to rely on me for anything!!!!
I can’t believe this! One of my dogs suffered with separation anxiety when we had her. That was 7 years ago and she no longer has it! She was a rescue, she had come from a puppy farm to a dealer to two different families who couldn’t cope with a collie cross puppy. We got her a 5 months old. She was a nervous wreck but with time and patience she got much better. We had another dog a year later and she settled down completely then. This is a behaviour not a disease! It can be sorted or at least handled. Can’t believe any rescue could put a dog down for this. Also there are many people who are at home all day and would love the company of a dog, wouldn’t he been ideal for that?
Unbelievable!! Should we blame the entire association or some idiots in that particular pound who think they are God.My beagle used to cry when I had to leave her. Thank goodness she never ended up in the hands of the RSPCA. I may never have seen her again. So sorry Thomas, another example of mans power over animals.
I feel sick!! that poor dog and why why?? It had a chance with you!
I am shocked and so so sad!!!
Keep up the good work! Don’t let this stop you!!
I expect nothing else from RSPCA
This is disgusting. I had left a bequest to the RSPCA in my will but now I’ll be changing it and leave a bequest to another group that really cares for animals. Poor Thomas, I’m glad he enjoyed some lovely time with such a caring family. My condolences to you.
Me too Trish now leaving to rescue groups. Don’t trust the RSPCA
You continue to disgust me RSPCA, I used to donate thousands to you every year until i found out 18 months ago what sort of a foundation your really are.
Money hungry animal hating bastards.
May everyone that works for such a horrible organisation get what you deserve for killing innocent, helpless, mistreated animals.
Shame on you, everyone that just stands by and lets this happen is truly pathetic.
Surely there must of been ONE person there that had a heart that could of taken this beautiful boy out of this situation and saved his life?????????
Absolute disgrace – shame on the R S P CA
WTF RSPCA????! Prevention or cruelty no?! Who the hell are you to decide this dogs fate when a loving family would have taken him?! Looks like WWF gets my donations now. Murderers
Disgusting, something I have known for a long time, and been on the receiving end of there hunt for power. I have been in rescue for 10 years and they decided i needed a yard inspection before I could collect one of ours from their pound. Needless to say, they tried to shut me down and threatened to seize all my dogs including my own, as my fence was 100mm too short.
They have taken over many council pounds in this area and have not expanded their facilities, so where do you think all the dogs go? only place they can, death row. The local council had a rescue group prepared to take over the running of the pound but the just let RSPCA walk in (against council policy) and take all the dogs.
If you surrender a dog to the pound it only has 24hrs to find a new home or it is PTS, sometimes less if they dog reacts to another dog when it is walked past a cage. So all those dear little old ladies and men who have to go into a nursing home and are assured their beloved pet will find a new home, will be dead in 24hrs, or less as they are probably over 8yrs and too old to rehome.
I have just messaged the RSPCA everyone should do the same, cause we know they wont even read this.
This is an extremely sad story however the RSPCA as a whole should not be scrutinised as they do an amazing amount of work and give their time to so many cases with positive outcomes. This one with Thomas just happens to be part of an mistakingly bad judgement call on their behalf. Please don’t give up on fostering through them or through your local rescues all animals need you and as many helping pockets, hands and homes as possible.
Sadly for the animals concerned, the RSPCA, certainly here in England, UK make a lot of “bad judgement calls”. The case I’ve cited in my main post is only one of many. Another is they put someone’s beloved cat down even though it was microchipped, they checked the chip but couldn’t be bothered to telephone the owners. The cat hadn’t even strayed – it was sitting in a neighbour’s garden and said neighbour (obviously a cat hater or had a grievance against the cat’s owners) gave it to the RSPCA. They kept the cat for less than 3 hours and had the poor thing killed. The owners and their children when they found out what happened were heartbroken. They found out when they went to collect their cat to be told the cat had been destroyed. The last I heard they were considering legal action. I hope they did and I hope they were successful. There are so many similar stories here in the UK, most are in the newspapers so can easily be Googled.
Is there a petition anywhere citing these types of decisions that can help get funding REMOVED from these at best incompetent, and at worst, self-serving empire-organisations? I would be happy to see tax dollars and donations going to a network of small, responsive organisations linked up with veterinary support around the country rather than to this bunch of *takers*. The RSPCA should be defunded right around Australia.
And to think my mum and I were going to give up our dog to them! This is horrible!!!
My condolences on losing Thomas, I am unsurprised by the actions of the RSPCA, but this doesn’t lessen your sadness or give that lovely fur baby a chance at a great life with you all.
This is so shocking it nearly made my sick to my stomach.
What a reprehensible thing to do to a beautiful, poor little animal.
I’m more disgusted by the RSPCA today than ever before and somebody’s ass needs to be held to the fire for this!
This just confirms what I already had heard about this organization. I am just in a daze as to why… why go out of your way to kill, when Thomas had a loving home?
I’m shocked and stunned and will never, ever support or have a nice thing to say about them. I feel for every little being that crosses their path!!!
My heart is breaking for you. I have fostered and owned dogs all my life. This is just such a waste. What a beautiful baby … such a tragedy. Please continue to foster – it is very important work. Thomas knows he was loved, and because of that, we must all believe he is in a great open field, running to his heart’s content with no pain – eyes wide open and seeing a beautiful world.
RSPCA…you are a disgrace !! I do not hear one valid reason for this dog, who clearly in photos knows how to bond and was on the recovery road with a loving supportive family around him, needed to be killed. I am not going to use the polite word euthanised, because that would imply that you had the dogs best interest at heart. This story is going to create much negativity towards the RSPCA, and clearly carers will be disheartened by this cruelty from those who should know better, the RSPCA itself.
Sadly you will all go home at the end of a working day, with no changed outcomes to your lives, but those who seek rehoming through the RSPCA and the animals through this centre are the disadvantaged.
Are you really just a shop front for donations from unsuspecting, caring members of the public?????
I DESPISE THE RSPCA AND HAVE FOR MANY YEARS!!
We know about a horrible woman who bred (loose term) cocker spaniels out in Karragullen. She was eventually shut down and the RSPCA. There were many dogs (and cats) on this woman’s property and the RSPCA took all the puppies and any ‘decent’ cockers leaving behind 3 old cockers in very, very poor condition. The RSPCA claimed they were not in good enough resalable condition so they left them. That is how we came to know about this story through an woman at an animal shelter in Western Australia. We had two cockers and were looking for another one. We actually went to visit the old cockers at the shelter and their condition was horrible to say the least. At the request of the woman at the shelter, we had to bring our younger cocker to see how he behaved with the old cocker (the one in really bad shape). Unfortunately we couldn’t give the old boy a home as our cocker wasn’t very friendly towards him, which really upset us, as we wanted to give him a loving home even if just for the final few months of his life.
Every time I get a charity call from RSPCA I give them a mouth full before hanging up.
They are the biggest con of all time.
My condolences on losing Thomas, I am unsurprised by the actions of the RSPCA, but this doesn’t lessen your sadness or give that lovely fur baby a chance at a great life with you all.
I lost faith in RSPCA 20 yrs ago and the horror stories continue.. How utterly senseless to murder that beautiful wanted baby.. Over separation anxiety?!!! How do they justify this? How.. Answer they don’t because they can’t. Imbed use myself with anger and hatred for them.. Sickening and evil. More and more ppl are losing faith in you rapidly RSPCA you need to get to grips with this before you lose every body who was ever on your side.. These stories won’t lie down and die like the animals you kill with impunity.
Very Disturbing!
The rspca think they are god there are far better rescue organision out there total waste of a life
Just makes no sense. This shelter’s attitude sounds rather fishy to me. I suspect there’s more they didn’t tell you. Shame on them, and so sorry for the animals currently in their care. I think they need to be reported & investigated.
This is such a heartbreaking story, but I am not surprised by the behaviour of the RSPCA, I loath this jumped up body of heartless, selfish, egomaniac suits. I would never donate anything to them, they are the worse people on gods earth next to PETA.
The do not care for animals, they do not want to do what is best for them, they are a law unto themselves. I hope that puppies little face haunts the person who killed him and the person who order his death. Shame on them
I have had strong concerns about the RSPCA’s attitude towards animals welfare for a while. Usually they do at least care for pets. However they seemed to have lost this attitude now as well. There are always 2 sides of a story but never an excuse for putting an animal down. Shame on you (again) RSPCA
This sounds typical of the RSPCA in the UK, I watch the Oz RSPCA on TV and have felt suspicious about comments some of the vets have made and the fact that dogs have been killed for no good reason. The RSPCA in the UK has a new boss and since his appointment the RSPCA spends all its resources on acquiring land and property, spending £100,000s on high profile court cases. They no longer care for suffering animals just go heavy handed after anyone they believe they can prosecute, i.e. RSPCA and police broke into a 80 year old retired vet’s home very early in the morning as someone had complained about the condition of one of his dogs. The dog is question was killed and his other dog is in custody. The police said that there was no case to answer. I no longer donate to the RSPCA nor do thousands of others in the UK, I donate to local animal charities instead where the money will do more good.
This story is shocking! No sane individuals nor organization puts a dog down for separation anxiety. I am in Florida and don’t know about your RSPCA but they sound like a bunch of psychopaths. This story needs to be circulated around the world and I agree with the other folks who are as distraught over Thomas like me that this organizations’ practices need to be exposed on television as well as to the max everywhere else, including Facebook. If I were a member of this poor family, I would be undergoing treatment for separation anxiety myself. The decisionmakers at the RSPCA should be imprisoned for animal cruelty as well as lying!
Incredibly sad. RIP Thomas. He had you to love him. Perhaps you could find out who at RSPCA decided to kill him and let that person be known throughout the world.
so upsetting to read story’s like this. a beautiful creature who had a loving home and someone decides that it’s life isn’t worth saving. does that person look into the mirror each day and think their life is important?
it’s a horrible preventable tragedy and there should be justice for the loss of this beautiful life.
I am so sad for dear sweet baby Thomas and the only loving home he ever had. I feel so very sad for him and his loving family. How dare them take his life if ya’ll were willing to take him. They sound totally sadistic. I can’t help but cry, looking at those picture he looked like he really loved ya’ll. Why wouldn’t he have a separation disorder if he was abused, and you guys showed him love and care, hell I’d have separation disorder too. He did not need to be put down, sounds like someone there was very evil and just liked killing poor innocent animals. This must be stopped!!!!!! So sorry for your loss and glad that you are Thomas’s voice now. He looked so sweet, and wasn’t a threat to anyone, how dare you RSPCA. You animal killer, God will judge you one day. So sorry for your loss again I am sad, and furious all at the same time!!!!!!
For Thomas. Please Use if/when you can
http://i.imgur.com/vZSXNGD.jpg
Another good reason to back up my decision not to donate to RSPCA anymore. The only thing is, it won’t stop the animals suffering. Hope the staff can sleep at night because they sure as hell don’t deserve to
Really Scumbag People Controlling Animals Lives
Oh My! This is a TERRIBLE story. I’m not sure that signing the petition will be useful, as I am not from Australia, but I do wish you luck changing this law. I also hope you sue them.
The RSPCA better clean up their act!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My heart breaks and how digusting that this shelter who is suppose to help these poor babies treat them like trash – I cried reading this and would have beaten the person who made this decision . Sorry that this animal died knowing he had a home … The job of this place is to find homes for them .. Not kill them knowing they had one
The animals (people) at the RSPCA are the lowest form. I wouldn’t be surprised if their motive for being there is to be in a position to kill not to save.
Agencies inevitably grow to despise those whom they were created to serve. There is nothing more worthless and destructive than a bureaucrat.
There are absolutely no words to say. the only consolation has to be that he knew for the short time he was with you that he was loved beyond measure. I am weeping for you and for that sweet puppy that was needlessly euthanized.
I had no idea that they could make a decision that a dog’s life was not worth saving because he showed that he missed his caretakers/family and was confused as to why he was in a cold cage. Don’t most dogs show separation anxiety when separated from their families. Shockingly cruel and I pity any animal at this facility.
Australia sucks this is animal cruelty & should be handled for those involed You will never get into heaven may You all rot in hell & leave ALL DOGS ALONE INCULDING PITBULLS!!!!!!
This is absolutely disgusting! That poor little puppy
The RSPCA do this in all the outcries that they operate. They is disgust me.
I remember “Shep”, my mom & my PRECIOUS collie shepherd. He was a GOOD boy. Unfortunately, later in his life, he was not enjoying life. We (Me, my mom & two vets) made the decision to end his life mercifully. The vet told us we could have 10 minutes before and 5 minutes after, so that we could have full closure with our final time with him. One minute after the vet left, his assistant came in, & gave him the shot! We were horrified! We yelled at him that the vet said we could have time with him before that shot, but he was already out the door. One minute later, he came back in, & said that we needed to leave. We were shocked and in a daze as we walked to our car! Unfortunately, the vet had had an emergency elsewhere (NOT the room we had been occupying), so we couldn’t complain.
This needs to be sent to the news station, blow up facebook, youtube, blog sites, anything and everything. This is disgusting. This place is obviously not a “shelter” from anything, not even death. Please post all over.
Poor puppy need a chance to live and this was taken away why
What a horrible, sad and tragic story. Even here in the UK, the RSPCA have committed the most appalling acts of cruelty. One horror story came from Wales about 3 years ago when several German Shepherds were killed by the RSPCA using BOLT GUNS (you can Google this). Their only crime? Their owner was taken ill and if memory serves me right, passed away. Numerous GSD rescues offered help and were refused because someone thought these poor, frightened dogs were aggressive. One can only imagine their terror seeing their friends being murdered in a most painful way infront of them. The RSPCA has become an organisation that is far too big for its boots. What was once a charity is now in reality a pseudo police force with more powers than the police themselves – unless you report an injured or neglected animal – they don’t want to know. DO NOT give ONE penny (or cent) to this ghastly organisation that pretends to help animals when in reality they are doing the opposite, not to mention the fat salaries those at the top of the tree are on, nor their plush, expensively furnished offices. Give instead to local charities who do a great job in rescuing, rehabilitating animals and finding them good, loving homes.
I am speechless!!!Yet,I am not surprised either!!When I worked as the Dog Control for 5yrs.,I couldn’t believe what I had seen,heard,and actually had to deal with .Its so sad,Thomas was a good looking dog!!To be put to death because of separation anxiety….is total BS!!!! I have a dog with just that,and she’s just fine.I am so sorry to hear of this,and so sorry you had to go thru this.