This case was reported to the RSPCA in June 2008 - the weather was nice then!! This was copied from the RSPCA complaints system.

Previous emails Re chained alsations

REPLY

responded 25/06/2008

It is now seven days since I reported concerns about the welfare of two alsations chained up outside a property without shelter at 103 Harcourt Road which abuts onto Shinwell Crescent, South Bank, Middlesbrough. Please refer to previous email Reference numbers 1213916869 and 1214044350 and 1214079469.

There is a male called Bruno and a female called Lou Lou. Bruno can be seen from the front of the property trying to shelter from the heavy rain we have been experiencing this last week in the North East of England.

What on earth do I have to do in order to ensure that the RSPCA checks on these dogs. I have tried ringing my local branch without any success as no one answers the phone. So I called there yesterday and put a letter in the letter box. I will call again there again today to check whether or not they have opened the letter.

I have contacted various animal rescue organisations, all of whom have commented to the effect that it is a waste of time expecting the RSPCA to do anything. I have also spoken to a number of people who say they have had a similar experience to mine where they have had little or no response from the RSPCA after reporting concerns about an animals' welfare. Such a state of affairs beggars belief.

Can you please respond to my concerns by making sure these dogs are visited. I will remind you again that it is an offence to keep an animal outside without shelter and in such a way as to cause distress.

Kathleen Moodie 25/06/2008

good afternoon, Mrs Moodie

As advised, I forwarded your communications to Regional Superintendent Millard, who has looked into this matter.

Reg Supt Millard has drafted a response to your complaints, which he has forwarded to RSPCA Headquarters in order that it can be incorporated within a letter of response from our Executive Department at Headquarters (further to your letter to Mr Watts and Mr Tomlinson).

thank you for contacting the RSPCA.

regards

Regional Office Manager

27/06/2008

Previous emails Refs 1213916869 and1214044350

completed

21/06/2008

Further to my previous emails 1213916869 dated 19 June 2008 and 1214044350 dated 21 June 2008, regarding an alsation chained outside a house with no shelter, I have driven past the property again this afternoon at about 4.45 p.m.. The alsation was still chained and was doing its best to try and shelter from the heavy rain by sitting on the front doorstep where there was a small overhang above the door. The animal looked utterly miserable. Just to remind you, there is another alsation kept on an allotment nearby also with no shelter.

I have subsequently made a fourth call to your cruelty line to report this situation. Each time I call, there appears to be no record of my previous calls.

The address I gave previously was 103 Shinwell Crescent, South Bank, Middlesbrough. However, when I drove past today I noticed a street name above the short row of properties which read Harcourt Road. This adjoins Shinwell Crescent, hence the mistake.

In view of the fact that 3 days have passed since my first call to the RSPCA, without an inspector being able to visit these dogs,I have now written to Mr Mark Watts, your Chief Executive, and also to Mr Michael Tomlinson, the Chairman of the RSPCA Council, to express my anger and to ask why not enough of the RSPCAs wealth is being spent on recruiting more inspectors when so many millions are spent on generating further funds.

Yours sincerely

Kathleen Moodie

It would appear that the RSPCA has grown too big and has lost the personal contact it once had with local communities when a quick response to reports of animal cruelty was the norm.

21/06/2008

hi Becky

re the above complaint - and all the relating communications from K Moodie

please find Dave's draft response for Ms Moodie

would you please progress via Exec accordingly?

many thanks

"Thank you for your original call to the National Call Centre, and subsequent messages and emails.

It is a sad fact of life that cruelty and welfare concerns continue to rise and, as a result, the demands placed on our Charity are ever-increasing.

Whilst we have logged your call, and are concerned about the welfare of the two dog, I regret to advise you that - due to the high level of complaints in your area, which result in criminal proceedings having to be investigated - we are in the unfortunate position of having to prioritise the work in relation to what we believe is the highest degree of neglect involved.

Your concern is significant but, unfortunately, we have received a large number of other complaints in the same area which appear to be more severe and which will, therefore, have to take precedence.

I certainly hope that the delay in addressing this matter will not be protracted, as I am aware - as I am sure you will be, too - that with the onset of winter, the urgency of the incident will certainly rise.

I believe that our local Inspector has tried to contact you but, as you were unavailable, a brief message was left on your answering machine which may not have fully explained the situation. I can only reassure you of our commitment to animal welfare, and promise that we will make every effort to deal with these poor creatures as soon as possible."

jean gregg

Regional Office Manager - North

0300 123 8807

Becky Jones 24/06/08 12:02

Hi Jean,

I hope you are well.

I'm not sure if you have seen Kathleen Moodie's complaints yet?

She emailed last week about the lack of action taken when she reported 2 alsatians with no shelter and then emailed twice over the weekend about lack of acknowledgement. I have passed her correspondence to you via admin centre. However, she does say that she has already written to both Mark Watts and Michael Tomlinson about this. Therefore, when Dave Millard replies to her would he be able to copy Sally in, as it looks as though we will need a reply for Exec.

Many Thanks

27/06/2008

Reported case No.1213916869 dated 19.06.08

completed

21/06/2008

I have not yet received an email response to my email ref 1213916869 dated 19.06.08. regarding an alsation chained without any shelter outside number 103 Shinwell Crescent, South Bank, Middlesbrough, in the North East of England.There is also another alsation (bitch) involved, which is mostly kept at an allotment over the road from the property.

An inspector has now rung me to say he is aware of this matter; it is on his books; but he has an area which covers 60 miles, and he will try to see to this situation as soon as possible. Meanwhile the poor dogs must continue to suffer uneccesarily.

I see from your financial audit for 2007 that you are a very wealthy organisation which received total incoming resources of £114,110,000 in 2007. The bulk of this money comes from the general public in legacies and other donations. And yet, less than a third of this publicly donated money is spent on providing enough inspectors to cover areas efficiently and effectively. More than £17 million is spent on generating funds, i.e. more than half the money spent on inspectors. So - animals that are reported to the RSPCA, continue to suffer for longer than necessary because there are not enough inspectors to cover the vast workload efficiently whilst huge amounts of donated cash are spent on generating funds. I doubt if the general public would disagree with me that this is a highly unsatisfactory state of affairs.

To return to the alsations as reported by me on the 18.06.07, i.e. 3 days ago, I cannot stop thinking about them left outside without any shelter in all weathers. They have been dealing with this situation for at least the last six months. The Animal Welfare Act of 2006 clearly states that a person owning an animal commits an offence if he does not provide that animal with (a) a suitable environment (b) a suitable diet (c) conditions which allow the animal to exhibit normal behaviour patterns (d) housing with or apart from other animals (e) protection from pain and suffering.

On Monday, I will be contacting the Animal Health Office for the North East. Hopefully, they will provide a quicker response that the RSPCA. I will also be sending copies of my emails to your Head Office.

21/06/2008

draft response sent by Dave to Exec for one response to be sent to Ms Moodie -
27/06/2008

Aalsation dog/s

REPLY

responded

19/06/2008

It has come to my attention that an alsation dog is being kept chained outside an address at 103 Shinwell Crescent, South Bank, Middlesbrough. It has no shelter and therefore has to deal with the elements as best it can. There is a second alsation (bitch) kept on an allotment opposite the property. As far as I know, this dog has no shelter either. The family concerned have been at this address for approximately six months, and, during the winter, a neighbour expressed concern that the dog/s were out in the snow and frost with no means of protecting themselves and were curled up outside, covered in snow.

I reported this situation yesterday, 18.06.08 at teatime, and, following a night of torrential rain, the thought of those dogs chained up in such awful weather with nowhere to shelter prompted me to ring the RSPCA again at teatime today to see if anyone had been to check on these poor animals. It appeared that no one has been to visit this address yet. So, tonight, I drove past the property at 9.30 p.m. and saw the male alsation still tied up outside looking bedraggled and miserable. Apparently, the bitch was back on the allotment.

I therefore rang the RSPCA again tonight because I am incensed that these dogs have still not been checked out and attended to.

I have now contacted another animal welfare group in our area, namely SARA. The person I spoke to has taken the details and has promised to make personal contact with the relevant RSPCA inspector.I trust this will speed things up.

I appreciate that the RSPCA has enormous workloads etc but the Animal Welfare Act sets out clear guidelines for an animal's welfare, both physical and psychological, and has given the RSPCA greater powers to intervene in cases like this.

In my view, this is a case that requires urgent attention and it is one that I will be monitoring closely with a view to contacting the media.

I would therefore appreciate, (a) a speedy response and (b)some indication from an inspector that this address has at least been visited.

Yours sincerely

Kathleen Moodie

19/06/2008

good afternoon, Mrs Moodie

the details of your concerns have been input on our computer, and an Inspectorate Officer will be asked to look into this matter.

I will forward this communication to the local Chief Inspector with the request that he contacts you with the result of enquiries.

thank you for contacting the RSPCA and drawing this matter to our attention, and for your interest in - and obvious concern for - animal welfare.

kind regards

Jean Gregg

Regional Office Manager

23/06/2008

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