New member - Old grudge!

Hi Sally and welcome to the forum if you read through some of the posts on here you will see that most of us have been "victims" of made up prosecutions (I was not prosecuted) basically you are a caring owner and so an "easy" target for rspca thugs they will only pick on the good owners who care for their pets I have seen the cruelty that goes on ay Appleby horse fair (I am a member of Animal Aid who police this fair every year)i have just heard that they have issued 38 warnings so far this year but NO prosecutions for the horse owners they do not touch them they only want soft targets like you BTW a caution from them does not mean anything they are only an animal charity (and not a very good one either)so it is not official

You really couldn't make it up, could you, and if it were not so awful it would be funny. The fact that they walked in front and behind you in case you bolted like one of the ponies there - I wish I had been there with a camera!! Was Beady still perched on your shoulder while you were frogmarched off?
But the fact is, Sally, the RSPCA do not like people to have exotic pets. There is a veterinary practice not far from here and they have a poster which came from the RSPCA telling people that exotic pets are difficult and that people get them and hand them over to the RSPCAas they cannot cope with them. I imagine thay are talking about 15' Pythons and the like. But what you say about the hot water is true, my neighbour filled a plastic bottle with water and it blew up in her face, and as you say, they probably know nothing about Bearded Dragons. Obviously a "concerned member of the public" (ie a s**t-stirrer) had reported that you had her with you.
It would be gratifying to write to the papers or at least write to the branch they came from but if you do you must be very careful and always be looking over your shoulder as they will be waiting for the least chance to get back at you. i wrote a letter of complaint about one of them and that is exactly what they did to me, plus lied on the statement -I still have a copy and can still prove they lied as they contradicted each other. And you can bet your life they would not dare treat the horse dealers the way they treated you!
I would be interested to hear the story of your previous episode with them.
Cheers, T

You need to speak to the SHG on 0844 700 6690.

Websites you ought to read through which have lots of information on how
the RSPCA work:

SHG
http://the-shg.org

RSPCA-Animadversion
http://rspca-animadversion.org.uk

The SHG Blog
http://theshg.wordpress.com

RSPCA Injustice Blog
http://www.rspcainjustice.blogspot.com/

SHG Press releases
http://the-shg.org/SHGPressReleases.htm

Hi

I have just found this forum this morning having done a little RSPCA research. I was interogated by 3 RSPCA inspectors and a policeman last Saturday leaving me in a state of nerves, my husband fuming and worse of all my pet in danger.

My gripe with the RSPCA is much older. As a youngster I campaigned long and hard against a particular RSPCA centre and their policies. In the end they threatened to take me to court for libel. Being older and wiser i am not quite so easily quietened now. Back to last Saturdays story.

I have a fully grown bearded dragon. Over the last couple of years she has been a constant companion to me. She travels everywhere, obviously depending on the weather. Everyone knows her, loves her and constantly comments on how happy and healthy she looks.

I happened to be at Appleby horse fair last weekend. Owing to the nature of the event and various authorities, there is always a huge RSPCA and police presence. I was walking down to town with my husband, three daughters, two whippets and my dragon (Beady). With hindsight, the officers at the bottom of the hill were waiting for me, presumably I had been spotted by one of the RSPCA plain clothes officers.

I was taken to one side in the middle of the town and told that they were going to caution me. When asked what for, I was told that I was putting an animal in danger as a horse could have trampled her. As she was sat quite happily on my shoulder, this did not seem very likely. I refused to accept the caution, so they said that they would have to escort me to their "head quarters". My family and I were taken through the town with an officer at the front and 2 officers and policeman at the back to make sure we didnt escape. My children were not allowed in the headquarters (a local church). By then the officers had changed their story and said that the enviroment was unsuitable for a reptile because of temperature. We did ask them if they knew what night time temperatures are in Australia but they declined to answer. They basically made me feel like a criminal and were rude and abusive. I tried to ask them what I had done wrong, as I have all my animals safety and care very close to heart. They refused to answer my questions saying that I was "muddying the waters". Eventually they agreed that Beady would have to stay with them while my husband went back for our car (not easy as the whole town was closed off to transport). They refused to let me stay with her, but insisted on putting her into a storage container. This turned out to be a plastic box with a crack in the bottom and no lid. They put some old towels on the bottom. It took my husband 1.5 hours to retrieve the car and get back to the centre. When I went back she was in the storage box with an old tray balanced on the top. They had filled 3 cold drinks bottles with boiling water and put them under the towel. Given that these bottles were not meant to hold boiling water they could have easily burst and scolded if not killed my beloved pet. The same three officers then escorted me back to the car, not letting me carry her. When I got in the car they demanded their bottles back (obviously not at all worried about her care).
At no point were they at all concerned about the condition of my pet. They did discuss calling a vet who was in attendance in the town but decided that she didn't need it.

I was left with the feeling that I actually know more about bearded dragons than the average RSPCA officer. In fact with hindsight I realised that they wouldn't even touch her! I have to add that the weather was really warm and sunny at the time and Beady was not at all cold.

I do realise that this is a bit of a long tale, but would be interested in anyone elses comments and views. If anyone is interested in my other episode with the RSPCA shelter (Leeds) please let me know. As I mentioned before, I am older and wiser now and detirmined to do something about one of our countries richest charities.

In a way this is another of Beadys adventures but in another way I found it very upsetting as I had this awful feeling that they would take her off me for good. I realise that she is not a "normal" pet, but then if my daughter had a rat on her shoulder, or a parrot, would that have been wrong. Incidently there was probably more danger of one of the dogs being trampled by a horse than Beady.

Sally