An organisation with a compassionate focus does everything it can to eliminate killing and find solutions for the pets who come into its care.
It does this primarily, by partnering with the community. That is, rather than position itself as a solo entity separate from the community, it instead appreciates that there is no way a single organisation can ‘solve’ the community’s pet issues on its own. Saving all pets – not just some and disposing of the rest – takes a community effort.
Of course this is not written into law. There is no law that says an organsation has to work with the community – if they choose to, management can offend, insult and bristle against community involvement. However, as we’ve seen time and time again, this comes at a huge direct cost to pets.
The RSPCA NSW 2011/12 dog intakes were just shy of 12,000. They killed about 5,000 of these, making their kill rate 40% for dogs.
This puts them in the position of being one of the worst performing organisations in Australia. Clearly the ‘ivory tower’ approach is not working for them.
(Cats figures were 16,000 in, 9,500 killed – so they’re supporting a nearly 60% kill rate)
So you think they would be taking steps to break down some of the barriers that are interfering with their lifesaving. Engaging the local community groups already saving lives would be a good first step. In fact, during the Insight Program last year, Steve Coleman appeared to put out a sincere call for groups to stop rallying against each other and instead work together.
But a year on, the RSPCA is still refusing to work with rescue;
NSW Lost Pet Register administration co-ordinator Amanda Young said several animal rescue groups had tried to get dogs from the RSPCA to find new owners.
“They refuse to release them,” Ms Young, 25, said.
“They’d rather put them down than get them into care where someone is willing to find them a home and give them a go.”
…
Society of Companion Animal Rescuers vice-president David Atwell said council pounds at Muswellbrook, Singleton, Wyong and Gosford provide animals to rescue groups.Mr Atwell said kill rates at those pounds were 8 per cent to 15 per cent.
And remain defiant in their decision;
“We don’t usually release animals to rescue groups, but there is no law that says we have to,” (RSPCA spokesman Lukas Picton) said.
“We can’t in good faith put an animal in the community, which may attack a child.”
With one broad brush they’ve declared that without a law mandating them to do so, the RSPCA is not going to work with local rescue groups (regardless of what they said last year when under the spotlight).
And the reason they don’t need the help of rescue is that their 40% kill rate for dogs is totes appropriate.
Oh, and that rescue groups are all extremists, putting out child-eating dogs into the community.
So while the RSPCA NSW throw grenades at their community, from their $30 million dollar a year bunker, they are able to show that they are indeed big and well resourced enough to flip the bird to life-saving programs and there is very little that small rescue groups can do about it. Good for them.
But as more people get wise to the unnecessary killing going on behind their gilded doors, the organisation – and the organisation’s management – will go down on the wrong side of history; defending killing while their community begged them to stop.
Totally disgusted. Focus more clearly on why you are there in the first place!
More of the same from the RSPCA wait till the community at large catch on then let the tables turn. Sadly that will take years.
Were do we start, how about this most of the dogs that attack have been mistreated, beaten, stared abused so its ok for the people to do this, I have had dogs my whole life and never had one turn on me, when there in the pound there frightened, how to you respond to being frightened, RSPCA be fair give these dogs a chance, help find them homes, work with the dogs, show them love, show them kindness let the rescue groups help them, these dogs are what people hae made them, give them a chance to feel, they feel like you and me, and guess what they are more loyal than alot of people and all they want back is love a dogs love is unconditional.
The pity of it is, Suezee the general public don’t know the half of it, they watch these shows on TV and believe this richest, non for profit charity is doing the right thing, they have no idea what goes on behind the facade.
What is the harm of releasing dogs due to be PTS to rescue groups.RSPCA do not want the public to know that rescue groups rehome a lot more dogs and cats than the RSPCA.
This is not good enough, with so much money this so-called “”animal “” organization should be doing something positive for every animal. If not, the RSPCA should be banned, and people should invest in something better!!!
Help the animals which are in need here in Australia.
And the RSPCA have the hide to constantly badger us for fund raising when there are so many people helping these dogs for nothing but the satisfaction of knowing they re-homed a dog rather than see it become another statistic.
This is ALWAYS what happens when you give an organisation or a person a little bit of power. They will inevitably abuse it….we shouldn’t be surprised.
As a person who has had kittens and pups through the RSPCA in SA as well as the Animal Welfare I am disgusted with the current attitude and this I think may be Australia wide. I know of a animal rescue centre at Moorook in the Riverland who look after and treat dogs of all ages with the view to rehoming and NOT putting down/ or euthenasing them! However recently the RSPCA came and took a number of dogs they decided were sick/ ill/ too old and killed them and to the best of our knowledge because they & their vets ‘knew’ better. Knowing at least 2 families who hve deliberately choosen to take pups/ young dogs from centres like Moorook and retrain them I can only see benefits from these centres as there are people who would prefer an ‘older’ dog as a companion and younger ‘families’ who wish to have a ‘pup’ to train into their family how dare the RSPCA say that some of these or ‘all’ of these animals are not worth the effort of a bit of love and care. And just for the general public info our current dog is nearing 17 years old & came from the Animal Welfare League of South Australia she had been dumped off of a motorbike on the then new Port Road extension in a hessian bag and left for dead, she was approximately 10 months old and we have had her since August 1997 and she still give us pleasure and wehave loved her and cared for her, so I know what the love of a good family can do! Our 2 ragdoll cats we got through a registered breeder 3 years ago but when we had ‘bought’ kittens through some of these animal rescues had no problem with them. It’s time to teach people to be responsilbe pet owners and have animals desexed. Not impressed RSPCA
So very sad they won’t work with the other shelters, especially when the shelters are offering support, be different if the RSPCA were calling for help and received nothing. Come on please lets get the shelters all working together , it really isnt fair on the animals that loose their lives. Community shelters run on their own money or donations from some generous people. Its 2013 not 1813. =’.’=
I support the rescue groups .These groups work tirelessly to save animals from death-row. They work without payment, on a shoe-string budget, and they save the lives of cats and dogs, foster, and rehome them.The rescue groups pay for desexing, vacinations and vet care for sick and injured rescue animals.
I would never support the RSPCA. They are all about accumulating millions of dollars from public donations, while, they kill healthy, rehomeable cats and dogs at their shelters and pounds.
More and more members of the public are wising up to the RSPCA and calling for them to become accountable for thier actions or lack of action depending on the circumstances. Those circumstances usually being how much media coverage they will get and the direct affect it will have on the donations people give.
If you look at the RSPCA’s facebook pages there are people complaining about there action or lack there of every day, they are starting to struggle to keep up with the abuse they are recieving.
No animal who has been offered a decent home be it private or through another welfare group should ever be PTS, they shouldn’t be interested in making money off the animals themselves but instead focus on improving thier reputation and thereby increasing donations from the public.
The way they are going they will shortly have no public donations coming in.. I beleive that we should be growing groups like the AWL who in NSW at least have the same powers as the RSPCA but not enough funding to do much. They have 2 inspectors in NSW against the RSPCA’s 30.
If everyone bands together for law reform to at least make the RSPCA accountable that would be a great start to bringing this money hungry group to thier knees, hopefully resulting in them going back to their roots of saving all creatures great and small.
As usual money is at the forefront of the RSPCA…good heavens, if they were to work with/support animal recue organisations, they might be in danger of losing precious funding from the public . What would happen to their holidays and bonuses. The general public is waking up to you RSPCA, never have and never will support your underhanded cloak and dagger disguise in playing on the sympathies of the average generous person who donates to you!
Emotional replies for an emotional issue, and it damn well should be! It’s time to stop killing the animals you are supposed to protect and bring some humanity back in to the RSPCA… And I’m sad to say, it’s time to stop fundraising for the RSPCA, despite them doing a good job in other areas, and feed the money to the rescue groups who are saving, rehabilitating, training and rehoming with love. I think that sometimes, people working with organizations like the RSPCA, get so used to the methodology, that they can’t change until they are forced to… Well, it’s passed time!
Way to go RSPCA…imagine you insinuating you need a law in place to give dogs a chance to be rehomed via rescue. Stop putting the donations from the public into your pockets, and actually spend it on the dogs and cats in your supposed “care” (and I use that term loosely). Until then I will ensure that every person I know sees your disgusting kill rates and finds out their donations are going straight into your pockets
Totally inexcusable!
I have rescued dogs, cats & birds from RSPCA. I have donated my money too.
I will now donate to local & breed rescues and support the REHOMING not KILLING!
There are not too many dogs, that given love, attention and proper care, that respond in kind, with love, affection and loyalty.
Not every home has children, not every home has abusive morons. Nor do all people that take on a pet, neglect there duty of care and responsibility.
You pick a pup, kitten, dog or cat or birds & take it home, be prepared to commit for better or worse, take it to the Vet when necessary and for Vaccs, get them desexed, and most of all, accept that they are with you for life, theirs or yours….some birds will outlive us, be prepared to entrust a reliable & caring family member or friend to leave them to if YOU pass. BUT DO NOT think it is acceptable to “rehome” when you have kids or move or they chew your stuff up or dig holes or shred furniture.
Choose you pet carefully & with MUCH consideration and research.
They reward is beyond words – but you have to do your share.
DO NOT SUPPORT BACKYARD BREEDERS!
Rescue before Breeders!
I found a Mother Cat and five beautiful Kittens the Mother had been starving and needed a Home desperately, I live in a Unit and already had two Cats, we weren’t allowed anymore saying that in hindsight I wish I had kept them so we took them to the RSPCA thinking they will be safe.
Arriving Home and about a couple of hours later rang back and said I would come back and get them and find a way to care for them so before heading back to the RSPCA I rang them to have them ready.
The Woman on the phone said I couldn’t as they didn’t meet their criteria !!!
I said they aren’t there?
The Woman replied ,No they are not, and hung up.
To this day I feel I killed them I was only gone for a few hours I dropped them off at 9am before midday they were gone..