We thought we would contact Advocates for Animals - surely they could help!! After all their website claims:

Advocates for Animals
Scotland's leading animal protection organisation, against all animal abuse
Giving voice, taking action

From: "Ross Minett" <ross@advocatesforanimals.org>
Reply-To: <ross@advocatesforanimals.org>
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2006 17:26:11 -0000
To: <info@germanshepherdrescue.co.uk>
Subject: Advocates for Animals - F.A.O. Jayne Shenstone

Dear Jayne

I hope this e-mail gets to you OK, I seem to have misplaced the address you gave me yesterday (maybe it's the same one). We have been in touch with Tom Gatherer at the Scottish SPCA. He informs us that during its investigation: The dog had the provision of an adequate dry kennel and access to fresh water and dog food. He claims that it was also evident that the owner was at the property for long periods (although he does not live there). The Scottish SPCA is not happy with the situation and has given the owner advice and will monitor the situation.

Given this report from the Scottish SPCA, I feel that there is little that we can do... I suggest that you keep a close eye on the dog and if you have any further concerns that you contact us and the Scottish SPCA. We will make sure the Scottish SPCA does indeed monitor the situation and will request an update on advice uptake and improvements.

Sorry, I'm not able to give you a more positive response.

Yours,

Ross

ROSS MINETT MSc BSc (Hons)Director Advocates for Animals

10 Queensferry Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4PG, Scotland, UK

Tel:  +44 (0) 131 225 6039 Fax:  +44 (0) 131 220 6377

Libby Anderson their Political Director is ex SSPCA - explains it all doesn't it? Ross then sent a further email - not a threat is it?

Dear Jayne

I note that you have placed an e-mail from myself to you on the German Shepherd Rescue website

I am writing to remind you of the actions which I agreed to undertake when you informed me of the dog's situation.

We contacted the Scottish SPCA regarding your concerns about this dog's living conditions and were told of their actions and the difficulty in establishing that the law was being broken. As I said, we will pursue this matter with the Scottish SPCA and monitor the situation. Although we are a small office-based campaigning organisation with many demands on our limited resources, I also asked our investigator to visit the location to gather our own evidence on the dog's living conditions.  I informed you that I would do this in another message which you have not shown.

Libby Anderson, who joined us last year, is not my boss, she is our Political Director.  Libby also briefed our investigator about the case and the legal position after your call to her.  As previously stated, we are keen to learn of any changes in the dog's living conditions.

I hope that you will agree that cooperation rather than confrontation is the best policy and remove previous correspondence between myself and yourself from the German Shepherd Rescue website.

Clearly, if you decide to place this message on your website, our investigator will be unable to undertake any surveillance and the dog will be the loser.

Yours

Ross

Director

Advocates for Animals

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