The RSPCA WA is being questioned by the state government regarding their processes for choosing which pets are treated and which pets are killed…
The WA Government has raised fears the RSPCA is destroying pets that could be kept alive.
Documents obtained by The Sunday Times reveal Agriculture Department boss Rob Delane was told of a case last year where medical histories did not support the destruction of some pets.
“It is unclear whether the RSPCA had sufficient grounds to destroy these animals,” a briefing note for Mr Delane dated May 2013 said
The notes prepared for Mr Delane warn the RSCPA’s processes were “inadequate”.
Even RSPCA staff seemed to have little faith in the ‘system’;
Revelations of the documents come as a former RSPCA regional inspector, who asked not to be named, also expressed concerns about the treatment of animals by the organisation.
The inspector, who resigned last year, said she would regularly try to rehome animals in country areas rather than bring them to the Perth shelter because she feared they would be put down.
“I wouldn’t take my animals up there,” she said.
“Some puppies would get put down at eight weeks and they would say they had behavioural problems,” she said……
The RSPCA remain unapologetic:
RSPCA state chief executive David van Ooren said no disciplinary action had been taken and the allegations in the report had not been substantiated.
An RSPCA spokesman said there were “very clear” and “well-developed” policies relating to the euthanasia of animals.
So how does this “well developed” policy work in practice?
Izzy
This is Izzy. She was a breeding dog seized by the RSPCA under an alleged breach of WA’s animal protection laws. She entered the care of the RSPCA in March 2012. She was only a baby herself (probably less that two years old) but she was heavily pregnant.
Izzy was placed with foster carer, Cath (an experienced human midwife and dog lover) and her husband (a senior vet) so she couldn’t have been in more compassionate, capable hands. It was a new start to a happier life.
Izzy gave birth to four healthy babies; Rueben, Sukey, Polly and Morris
Izzy was ‘typical’ of many neglected dogs; sad, skittish and scared. She was terribly and heartbreakingly under socialised. The family worked hard to make her life peaceful, to give her good food and comfort, and to let her know everything was going to be ok. And under their care, Izzy showed she was a loving and competent mum – working hard to clean and feed her pups, growing them into cute little fat bellies.
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Even as the pups grew nearly as large as herself! (15 days old)
Cath’s family worked hard to make sure these pups were getting all they needed to grow into healthy, happy dogs. Her daughter delighted in helping ‘socialise’ these babies and they learned to walk and eat solid food.
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Sukey (4 weeks)
Rueben (4 weeks)
Polly Poppit (4 weeks)
Morris (4 weeks)
Not surprisingly, the family fell in love with these guys and considered adopting one themselves, but found that even as volunteers, the RSPCA adoption fees were prohibitive;
“We were going to keep one, but despite the fact I was volunteering my time to look after Izzy when she was pregnant and now raise a litter of puppies for them – they still want to charge me $700 for a puppy!!
Cath kept Izzy, Rueben, Sukey, Polly and Morris for a total of 4 weeks, before taking them back to the RSPCA for their scheduled check up. Cath assumed that she would drop them off in the morning, and pick them up in the afternoon, to continue her fostering.
“They simply wouldn’t give them back after I dropped them all in for a check over. I rang every day asking what was happening and when could I go back and get them. They kept fobbing me off. It was only after I asked for a meeting with the CEO and they realised I wasn’t going away that I was told they were already dead.
I had Izzy behaving and responding to us beautifully after a while. But they killed her and all of her pups. They didn’t indicate to me at all that they were at risk – they did it all without telling me.
My husband is a senior vet. We never saw the pups do anything strange behaviourally. Izzy was timid, but she was really coming good. And those pups were fine.”
Izzy and her pups were given a ‘behavioural assessment’ at the RSPCA kennel facility. All five failed.
Next, as is the procedure, each of these young dogs were held. Their leg was shaved. A syringe of poison was drawn. And then one by one they were injected until their lively, waggling bodies went limp and they were dead.
All under the RSPCA’s “well developed” policies.
The community has the expectation that animals entering RSPCA care will be given every chance to be rehabilitated. Pet lovers give tens of millions of dollars in donations every year believing that they are supporting life affirming processes. I don’t know a single rescue group who, if called, wouldn’t have found a place for these guys. But they didn’t survive being ‘sheltered’ by the RSPCA.
Izzy deserved a second chance. Her babies deserved a first one.
Our shelters should not be this way. They do not have to be. The killing has got to stop.
| Update 8th February…
In response to an enormous public backlash, soon after this post went public, the reason the pups were killed was updated by the RSPCA WA: Tragically all the puppies had significant hip, back and patella abnormalities, were in significant pain and discomfort. These conditions were not treatable or curable.” An email is now circulating from the CEO of the RSPCA WA bringing the dogs back from the dead. Izzy may be alive, and one of her pups, Morris, also. It is great news if they are safe. If any or all of this is true it shows a deep abuse, not of the animals, but of a volunteer. What kind of asshole organisation does this to their foster carers? I have written a follow up piece on what animal lovers can do to help pets in WA.
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See also: Thomas
That’s just messed up beyond all repair. Poor little babies never had a chance.
Dont be naive people those dogs were not given the needle
they was on gumtree for $400 each.
Michael, I am constantly looking on gumtree for cavaliers. I actually check it every day (I know it’s quite sad) but I love my cavaliers. And to be honest I have never seen them advertised on the WA gumtree section but whose to say that they did deals illegally.
I’m sure RSPCA inspectors go out to get Animals so that they can be taken back and killed. Get real people.
It breaks my heart to read stories like this. RSPCA’s you disgust me and I will never give you one cent.
Shame on you RSPCA Shame, shame , shame.
This is WAY more than just ‘wrong’ : it is completely cruel and despicable, not to mention unfair to the dogs, as well as the family who fostered and cared for them: SOMEBODY needs to be held responsible for this: people who live there should rise up and MAKE SOME NOISE: otherwise, it will happen again…RIP sweet innocents
A very sad story and I have NO doubt that there are many more untold sad stories too.
I have No doubt that there are many homes passed over for homeless needy animals.
examples people willing to pay to ship a dog to their home but are denied adopting a dog because they want you to come from a far distance first to see the animal and then maybe be told NO and waste a trip and time you may be unable to take. They have your name and personal info and a desire to take an animal and give it a home but decide to kill it instead. Their policies Stink and need to be regulated by the Government. LIFE and a HOME over a death sentence. Someone needs to be keeping a CLOSE eye on these animal shelters.
One more thing I would like to add.I see no point to spend thousands of $ on an animal to give it a new leg or costly surgery in a shelter when it has NO home. An owner should and must be listed to warrant taking away this $ from helping house an animal with a good chance of getting a forever home.
Sadly animal care has become a money making business.
We NEED Rescue workers to get these animals into good homes and NOT shelters.
The spider and scorpion story springs to mind. It is what they do is the explanation of RSPCA. Geraldine Robertson in 2008 had all her poodles seized with RSPCA leaving behind one with a broken neck and dead puppies to rot in their bed. Then RSPCA came again and seized everything related to her dogs and things not related to her dogs and this evidence of the dead puppies disappeared. Geraldine Robertson has been asking for her property to be returned and it still has not been returned with threats for asking for it to be returned.
The Stanford Prison Experiment – google it showed small groups given unsupervised powers go rogue as they talk themselves into extreme positions. I suggest the problem is with government delegating powers to an unsupervised and unsupervisable organisation.
Well done Cath!! So glad that there is some light being shone on the RSPCA and you’ve shared your families horrible, distressing story about gorgeous Izzy and those roly-poly puppies. Surely they would’ve all been whimpering as our kids cuddled them, if the were in so much “pain”?? You’ve got our support.
That’s murder! If the people want them let them decide…they need to b stopped! Shut them DOWN!
I’m just so sad and angry right now…The RSPCA are turning into callous monsters.. For all the bequeaths they get which is known to be a vast amount and from people leaving their money to help animals, they instead decide to end and destroy..They are no longer an organisation to be trusted, and to read this horrendous sequence of events is just distressing beyond means…Those poor 4 week old babies & mum were PTS by the ones who are supposed to care and protect, but instead they callously just decide to end healthy new born puppies and their sad little Mum who had already suffered at the hands of some human…They took away her rights to be given the opportunity to regain trust and murdered her babies..SHAME ON THE R$PCA, WHAT HATEFUL MONSTERS YOU HAVE BECOME
RIP sweet Izzy & babies….No words can justify what they did to you <3
They are exactly the same in the UK – they are a disgrace
It is hard to believe that something this hideous can happen at a well supported shelter. Every employee that had a hand in this should be shown the door and never allowed back, and the funds supporting it withdrawn until employees and policies are in place to actually help animals.
Before I read this post I was already seeing the RSPCA in a different light. I just recently adopted a kitten from a rescue organisation (they only promote foster homes for their animals and dont advocate shelters) The kitten we adopted originally came from our local pound. They were contacted by them saying they had a mother and 5 one month old kittens dropped off to them and wondered if they could take them in, stating if they hand them over to the RSPCA they will be all euthanased … without even having a change of being adopted.
You have to wonder where you donations are going other than paying for the salary of the big bosses.
The organisation we adopted our kitten from (www.petswithoutpartners.org.au) is a totally not for profit organisation.
IT IS TIME WE BAND TOGETHER AND DEMAND A ROYAL COMMISSION INTO THE RSPCA. ………………………………………….AND WHY WON’T THE GOVERNMENT CLOSE DOWN PUPPY/KITTEN FARMS? ASK YOURSELF WHY?
Im with you Carmen – where do we start … How do we get this ball rolling???
There appears to have been a lot of misinformation in this thread that needs to be corrected. I worked in an animal shelter previously and the quoted RSPCA euthanasia rates are a little higher than the shelter I worked in, but not by much. Cats were a different prospect – almost all were euthanased due to temperament problems (i.e. they were literally not able to be handled at all).
1. Make no mistake, the animals are there because their owners didn’t want them or haven’t yet collected them. Owners have eight days to find their pets. Microchipping would have solved any problems of locating lost animals. Not microchipped? Whose fault is it that their pet couldn’t be found? The owner’s fault.
2. Selling animals comes hand in hand with a responsibility to provide an animal that is fit and safe for sale. If, for reasons of chronic health problems or dangerous temperament, an animal is not put up for sale, where does it go? Animal shelters are not a high profit enterprise, and caring for such an animal for potentially 15 years with no prospect of sale is simply not a financial possibility. Let alone a sale pen full of dogs with chronic health or behaviour problems – this simply means that perfectly healthy animals are euthanised because the sale pens are full of the non-sellers. For example, at the shelter I used to work at, I was passing (amongst others) healthy black coated dogs for sale until, slowly, the sale pen was full of them. They never sold. I have no idea why. Eventually, the whole black coated sale pen had to be euthanased to allow any more animals to be put up for sale. Sad, but true. Blame the original owners for “losing” their dogs, or the public for wanting a particular colour coat?
3. The logical extension of a no-euthanasia shelter is either the shelter fills to overflowing with sick or dangerous animals at the expense of healthy animals or other organisations are loaded up with these unsellable animals so that the shelter can have room to deal with healthy animals again.
4. Animal welfare is not awash with money. It’s basically run on a shoestring. Why do you think volunteers are present?
5. Aggressive dogs should not be tolerated in a shelter situation. It’s sad hearing people talk about behavioural modification “fixing” these animals, but who will provide it? At what fee? And over how long?
Simply put, if an animal is not able to be handled, it should never be put up for sale. In a no euthanasia shelter, eventually this means the shelter becomes a home for old and behaviourally challenged (read: sick or savage) animals. Who pays for this?
6. I know I’m labouring the point, but who should the blame really be laid upon? The owner who didn’t get Lizzie desexed in the first place.
7. The reason I haven’t included my name is fears for my safety. I well remember the bullet holes in the entrance roller door of the shelter I worked in.
Could have least shown them some respect, not wasted them and used for food or animal testing
This is a heart sickening story. It sounds like the RSPCA need to review their own policies before they judge others! Who is blindly following such crazy decisions. The workers need to speak up and not follow like sheep!
This breaks my heart
Were the pups euthanased? or just kept & sold on? Why did RSPCA offer to sell one of the pups to the Carer for $700 if they thought there might be issues? The pups in the photos are well socialised – obviously interacted well with children. If a dog breeder killed a nursing mum & her babies for no reason RSPCA would prosecute – Tell me who prosecutes RSPCA???
I suggest everyone sends this story to everyone they know – make it viral.People need to be made aware that RSPCA nationwide are only interested in money. RSPCA NSW made $10 million profit last year & they still kill 50% of dogs & cats in their care.
Sue the RSPCA Australia has said
The puppies were not euthanased on behavioural grounds. Tragically all the puppies had significant hip, back and patella abnormalities, were in significant pain and discomfort. These conditions were not treatable or curable. The mother and the puppies were part of a large scale animal cruelty seizure conducted two years ago. The case is currently before the courts.
They have said that on every single comment on Facebook as well (They have been copying and pasting) how convenient I say! I have also been banned to comment on their Facebook page…. yeah like that’s going to stop me exposing them for who they really are as an organisation!
OMG and they had the audacity to come out to my work and accuse us of maltreatment of the animals, what a joke, next time you show at my work place be assured you will be asked to leave and as for bringing that overweight lump of a woman with you who was determined to find whatever she could to complain but hey there was nothing because where I work we care about the animals and have the best of care through Murdoch Vets, people would have taken these dogs regardless and just loved them, its about time somebody investigated the RSPCA for cruelty, there are many shelters where there is a no kill policy whilst I do not like dogs or cats in concrete homes at least they have a second chance and I know having had rescue dogs always they do learn to love and they are the best friends I could have. State government investigate the RSPCA
Whilst I don’t have all the facts in this case but on face value am appalled at the story, I do have first hand experience of a similar situation where I live. A beautiful fawn 12 month old dog (not sure of breed) was surrendered and kept in a pound for a couple of weeks with the hope of re-homing. This little man was living at the back of me with a family (including young children) for a year. I was concerned about his welfare once he was surrendered so kept emailing council stating I would supply rugs and a new home if they couldn’t find a new Mum and Dad. In a nutshell….the Ranger went on holidays for 2 weeks (I wasn’t aware of this)…..I kept writing without reply. Upon his return he advised me that the poor little fella had failed the behavior test and had been put to sleep. I was horrified and terribly upset (still am, affected me badly). I reminded the Ranger that this animal had lived successfully with young children for 12 months, no behaviours other than barking lots were prevalent. Unfortunately I was too late to try and save him. In hindsight I wished I had of contacted the pound when I hadn’t heard back from the Ranger. Believe me I suffer for this oversight.
rspca you should be ashamed of yourselves i will never donate a cent to you grubs ever again
This is abhorrent. RSPCA want your donations to buy more drugs to euthanize healthy animals… no more $ from me.
I too used to support the R$PCA even on my low paid wage, but not since early last year when it became known to me that they are just a bunch of idiots who don’t really care about animals they just want $$$.
I had a call from a call center asking me donate to the R$PCA, I didn’t get mad at the young man on the phone but quietly told him my reasons for not wanting to give them any money, he said he has come across this quite a lot and understood my stand. I donate money to rescue groups and spread the word about the R$PCA whenever the need arises.
Please find below a “copout” email from RSPCA WA
Very interesting…..as how does one tell that from a puppy under 6 weeks old when their bone structure has not fully developed? These puppies seemed to be within “normal” movement ranges as shown in their photos????
—————————-
From: Kate Eliasson [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, 7 February 2014 10:53 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: Media issue
Hi Erica,
Thank you for your email.
The following response has been provided by RSPCA WA:
——
The puppies were not euthanased on behavioural grounds. Tragically all the puppies had significant hip, back and patella abnormalities, were in significant pain and discomfort. These conditions were not treatable or curable.
The mother and the puppies were part of a large scale animal cruelty seizure conducted two years ago. The case is currently before the courts.
——
If you have any further questions, please contact RSPCA WA directly via: [email protected] or (08) 9209 9300, or I will be happy to pass on for you.
Kindest regards,
Kate
Kate Eliasson
Communications Officer
RSPCA Australia
It really upset me to read this and know that there is an animal rescue group in Roma qld doing exactly the same thing! Had a lovely kelpie bitch surrendered to them and she was heavily in pup, pups were euthanised as soon as they were born, even though numerous people were willing to foster them. It’s a disgrace. They have now taken to bullying the old people in the region into “surrendering” their animals then euthanising them, advocating that they are “doing the right thing”.
Disgusting.
This is beyond disappointing. How dare the RSPCA pray on the publics love of dogs – it’s all a complete psychological scam! I donated to them because I was made aware of what happens on puppy farms and hoped that it might save some precious dogs from this situation not to have them taken from this situation only to have them killed.
I have to say I did wonder given the amount of paperwork and commercial publications that come from them through my mailbox from this ‘charity’ where my money is actually going but I thought well the need to run it commercially to enable them to make enough money now I realise I have been completely dupped by them and that their charter clearly isn’t to save animals.
The RSPCA WA are deleting and blocking people making any comments in relation to this from their facebook page. Clearly something to hide!!!
I can’t describe my disgust, as far as I am concerned the same rules should be applied to the HUMAN species we must top the list of most destructive and overpopulated of all the species on this planet.
I cannot believe what I have just read!!!! I have supported the RSPCA for many years and volunteer my time to a local dog rescue group and have never heard of anything so horrible as this. I have seen neglected and mistreated dogs of all ages which have not been able to be save due to their temperament or health issues, however this video does not indicate there is any sign of the health issues described by the RSPCA. I from now on will not support them at all and will withdraw from attending the Million Paws Walk (MPW) and will flag this post to the President of our Rescue service as we attend the MPW and participate in the activities of the day. RSPCA should hang their heads in shame.
I trained at RSPCA FAirfield, Brisbane some years ago. I remember puppies being put to sleep simply because there was already three puppies the same colour in the for sale pens. It’s disgusting.
Everyone has to know that RSPCA WA is not fulfilling it’s stated objectives. Time for a big revamp. This is a disgrace. How can such young pups be temperament tested anyway? This was murder.
that is the most horrid disgusting thing I have read, regarding Izzy and her babies!
This is a disgrace and policies should be changed!!!
Sooooo I have been blocked form their FB page and all my comments regarding this have been removed overnight… Whats our next step people?
Never again will I donate a single cent to the RSPCA. My efforts and financial support will go to volunteer rescue groups.
FCUK YOU RSPCA!
I’m disgusted It probably would have been better to leave her where she was at least the pups would be alive.
Should be having a good long look at yourself RSPCA. If you can’t sell the animals give them to people that can’t afford the $700 but can afford to look after an animal.
Just sent this to RSPCA WA as a cruelty report to be looked at.
Its only a dog.
Who cares?
Who cares? Read the replies you dumbass, there are lots of people who care.
I am devastated to read this ! Just cried ! This should not be happening when there are people who want to adopt rescue Cavaliers. Hope this makes the news and the people responsible are outed !! Shocked!!
Please donate to dog rescues that save and rehome all dogs regardless of issues of any sort that the dogs may have. RSPCA you are a joke and a disgrace. What an upsetting story to read. SA Dog Rescue is fantastic and will help any dog or cat in need.
The only thing to stop this and everything bad involved with rescue groups is to STOP BREEDING/ MULTIPLYING pups. Leave the breeding for breeders who IMPROVE a breed, health test before breeding and work with waitinglists to find the perfect new owners. DO NOT cross all dogs whefe the pups will end up in shelters. Stop advertising pups on the web..no more selling pups/ dogs on websites like Gumtree etc!! NO MORE PETSHOPS WHO SELL PUPS. That need to be stopped first!!
How sad and disgusting. I was a foster mum for the RSPCA many years ago, looking after puppies and kittens that were too young to desex.
I assumed when they went back to the RSPCA that they were being given a chance at life…..I wonder now if that was not the case.
RSPCA – you should be destroyed…………no more money from me
Sad and disgusting. RSPCA should be closed down. No more money from me.
I was a foster mum for the Brisbane branch of RSPCA many years ago. Looking after puppies and kittens that were too young to be desexed and put up for adoption.
I assumed upon returning them that they would ultimately go to a good home…………..I’m worried now that this was not the case.
No more money from me.
Melanie
i walked into the rspca in wa for the first time in nearly 10 years looking to adopt a dog, there were 4 “suitable” dogs for what i was looking for. i had once before adopted a dog from them and wasn’t told of any conditions with the puppy he was a 6 month old jack russell. fun thing was we told them we couldn’t have an indoor dog… they forgot to mention said dog had seperation anxiety making it an indoor dog. but back to the point when i adopted the first dog it was $350, when looking to adopt a dog the second time it was $700. i wouldn’t support the rspca anymore after seeing the small enclosures these dogs where in. i am all for spporting small rescue groups and other rescue operations. i can’t say its the same for every rspca, but i would never support the perth one. i do however give m full support to the rspca in queensland since they have been overly wonderful to the rescue group i am trying to help raise money with.
This is a very sad story, and I will no longer support RSPCA anymore.
What you have done is murder, plain and simple, you call yourselves an animal organisation, you are the scum of the earth, this poor soul had been cared for the pictures speak for themselves yet you chose to murder this poor little cavvie and her babies, may you rot in hell, you are vile despicable people and you disgust me!! MURDERERS
I was going to leave a massive bequest to RSPCA. Not any more. Disgusting, abominable animal murderers.
Where is the 10 million dollar profit going? Why are animals being killed if there is $10 million in RSPCA coffers? Royal Society for the PROTECTION of Animals. More like the Royal Society for the DESTRUCTION of Animals.
I’m not techno savvy,but maybe someone who is could start a petition on change or greater good etc,putting in this story and asking for an enquiry into the company’s practices? It would get many thousands of signatures on Facebook.horrifying story,no more money from me.a pledge to boycott could be added in too.
The exact same thing happened to me and my boyfriends dog about 6 months ago.
Unfortunately we had no where for her, and were reassured by both our local RSPCA and the head office that they do not put down dogs and they are given every opportunity to find a new home.
I called the morning after surrendering her to check up on her and see when I could visit, I was told she was doing really well and settling in fine. That afternoon went to visit her she had been killed. Wasn’t wven at the RSPCA for 24hours.
I have just read this report and can say im absolutey disgusted with this story . There is NOTHING that justifies the taking of these most precious and loving little creatures .
I have 2 cavaliers and a better sog tou xoulnt wish to find it breaks my heart to look at the pixs in this story of those beautiful litttel bbaes and there precious mum knwoing rhe now the fate that was ro befall rhem!! Im is shock!!!..
RSACA you send me literature form time to time requesting donations . Plrase dont contact me ever again you are criminlas that masqueade as the protectors of those that have no voice SHAME ON YOU ALL you will all ANSWER to a higher being one day .. And I know were you will go , where you all belong!!