these are just the cases i know of personally.
HOW MANY OTHERS ARE THERE?
Why the RSPCA MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY THE DEPT OF AGRICULTURE.
Only just learned of your website and your agony.
And believe me I know your agony.
My dog stringy was seized in 1999 with no prior warning which is against their very own so called policies.
He was held for 13 days subjected to multiple tests for diseases and conditions he did not have. Subjected to by my vet’s assessment a minimum of 22 needle insertions into a 1.2 kg body, anesestized and had skin scrapings to prove he had flea dermatitis, then skin plugs removed in a vain attempt to prove he had mange. The seizing Constable Coleman Refused at all times to permit the dogs vet to speak to the rspca vet mark lowery. now head of the nsw vet association.
When they finally ran out of ideas they finally phoned me to come pick up my dog. they demanded i pay them over $500 for tests and fees and demanded this be paid even before being allowed to see him, i flatly refused to pay before i saw him to ascertain if he was even still alive. i had good reason to suspect he may not be as he is a very determined little dog and if he does not like whatever food he is offered he will refuse to eat and go into hyperglycemia. being so small he was quite prone to this if he decided he didn’t want or like what was offered. When in these moods he would only accept chicken, a fact i had passed onto an amazingly nice guy who answered the phone in my frantic calls the day he disappeared while I was out. to come home to a piece of paper declaring my dog had been seized due to a skin condition?
it was a Sunday when he was seized and by the time on the paper 1pm I didn’t get home till about 5pm and when i phoned apparently all the staff had left and only the cleaner answered the phone, lucky for me and my dog he was very nice and i explained what my boy looked like, a blue fawn tiny Chihuahua and he said he had seen him in the back room. when i explained if he was distressed or upset he would not eat anything but chicken he assured me not to worry as he had chicken sandwiches and stringy could have his chicken as he didn’t mind and would pass on the information as well. the distress and fear for my boy was impossible to cope with i was so ill as a result, the only good thing about it i lost the 10 kg had been trying to lose since having my daughter by the time he was returned.
Why was this dog STOLEN, and stolen he was make no mistake about that.
My first indication something was afoot was a visit by inspector Donnelly. He was accompanied by a young girl. Yes he said he had received a complaint, BUT he flatly refused to disclose what the complaint was.
This is entirely against the very law this hypocrite is supposed to be working under.
I did not ask who made the complaint; all I asked was what was the complaint. you cant fix something if you don’t know what it is can you?
He then proceeded to demand to inspect every animal on the property; he had his offsider write down how many adult dogs, how many puppies, horses, chooks, even shoved the hen off her chicks to count how many chicks there were?????
His arrogance and disgust and contempt of me he made abundantly clear. Which was very stressful alone even before he began his inspection, when he saw Pearl he enquired why has she not been put down? Considering the dog was in perfect health, a tad overweight and her only problem was she carried her head to one side as the result of a ear infection as a puppy, this observation seemed a bit ruthless of a perfectly happy little dog?
When he spotted Stringy he asked what’s the matter with him?
He is a small fluffy blue fawn Chihuahua with Blue Gene Alopecia running from the back of his shoulders to his rump. He is not bald there just the coat there looks like its been clipped short Bedlington style.
The rest of his coat about half an inch long and soft and fluffy.
No bald skin, no thickening NONE of the signs of allergy or mange.
He didn’t look as if he believed one word of what I had told him, so gave him the name and address and phone number of my vet so he could verify with Richard Miller my vet, who always saw Stringy when I came with puppies to vaccinate as Stringy always came too. He had diagnosed the Blue Gene Alopecia when his adult coat came in and the back hairs didn’t grow back when they fell out, only the soft short fluff most bald men develop when their hair falls out now grew there.
When he prepared to leave I made a point of asking him, was there anything you feel I need to improve to change?
He flatly refused to reply.
When I continued to request a reply, his only reply I could elicit was that he would consult with his superiors and a letter would be in the mail.
I was very, very, aware this guy was breaking every rule of an inspection and was gravely concerned about what this was leading too. (I had friends who used to be inspectors and know the protocols)
At no time did he say he was concerned about Stringys condition. Just asked what it was, it was his body language that frightened me and made me back it up with giving him my vets contact details.
THE PROTOCOL IS. If he had a concern I should have been told to take my dog and have him seen to and treated by my vet. HE NEVER SAID A WORD TO THAT EFFECT.
If he had, then I would have had 14 days to have done so or face prosecution, ie if the dog had fleas or flea allergy, no treatment then the dog would be seized.
This was NOT DONE OR SAID.
HE LEFT.
I knew in my whole body this guy was up to something but not what.
As a result I called my vet, I called the Canine Council , Richard told me not to worry, the guy obviously had an attitude problem. The Canine council put Alan Candlish on to me and he rang the RSPCA on my behalf and asked for the nature of the complaint.
His call to me half and hour later was to say, “looks like you have upset someone with friends in very high places in the RSPCA. I HAVE never been treated so rudely in my life. They refused to tell me anything.”
So for two weeks I heard nothing. The so called letter never came.
My vet said stop worrying, the guys a nut.
Went out that Sunday and my dog was stolen.
Yes I finally got my very damaged boy back, n damaged he was, mentally and physically. Betty Step had come with me to pick him up as I was too ill and upset to face them alone. My dog when they finally brought him out to me was drooling so badly his entire front and legs were covered in drool.
When I asked Mark Lowery what was the matter with him he offered to do more tests. When I asked had he been exposed to dogs with parvo he again offered to do more tests. He also added that my vet was incompetent since he had not done all the tests he had done to ascertain for sure if his diagnosis was correct in the first place. Considering they had proven beyond doubt his diagnosis was correct I know who I believe is totally incompetent.
I paid them their blood money and fled with my dog.
Although I had a full packet of some 200 kleenex tissues my boy had them all soaked by the time I arrived at Mamre Rd Vet surgery. A quick examination by Richard found his trachea had been torn. Richard belived probably by the insertion of a too large trachel tube when they took the skin plugs. As a result he was now developing pneumonia, as well continual drooling he was now dehydrated so he spent the night with Richard on drips and drugs. Another 600 to save him. That along with the solicitors letter that had been sent requesting his return which cost me another 550. So the entire excersise cost over $1,650 for a dog with nothing wrong with him but an odd coat.
AND WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?
It only took me some two years of writing to the Minister for Agriculture the then Richard Amery to finally elicit the reply that this nightmare was due to “an unfortunate breakdown in communication”
BOLLOCKS!
There was plenty of efforts at communication by, myself, my vet, Alan Candlish and the solicitor. None of whom were treated with civility let alone replied too. BY THE RSPCA OR ANY OF ITS SO CALLED REPRESENTATIVES. THEY WERE THE ONES WHO TOTALLY REFUSED TO COMMUNICATE.
The rest of his letter was even more enlightening.
This whole nightmare had been because “a fellow breeder was concerned my dogs and my establishment may reflect poorly on the reputation of dog breeders”
Trying to hunt up the letter so can make sure it’s wording is exactly right but can’t find it at the moment.
He then went on to assure me that as long as I adhered to the code of practice for dog breeders I had nothing to fear from the RSPCA.
AGAIN BOLLOCKS!
He thoughtfully provided me with a copy of said code of practice, and reading it from cover to cover. NOT ONE OF THE CONDITIONS MY DOG WAS TESTED FOR WAS LISTED AS REQUIRING VETERINARY ATTENTION LET ALONE REQUIRING URGENT MEDICAL ATTENTION!!!!!!!!!
I did politely request since this was the case how was I safe from the RSPCA since according to the very booklet he has sent I was within the said code of practice yet my dog still disappeared.
He never replied to that or any other letters.
So from my experience my advice could only be, GOOD LUCK FOLKS.
N MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A GOOD CASE OF GRAVEL RASH WHEN THEY COME.
Or you will end up like Marion Alcorn
That foolish lady had some 14 or so horses on agistment around Mudgee way. It was drought, well when isn’t Australia in drought any more?
But she thought they were safe since they were the sole occupants of over 600 acres of pasture. Except some weeks later received a phone call, “better check your horses” turned out a neighbor had thoughtfully cut the fences so his cattle wouldn’t starve either. By the time they had left there was nothing but dirt left for her horses and many were very thin. She hired a truck and brought them all home to her 7 acre I think it was block. Where she was handfeeding them, theres plenty of witnesses to attest they were gaining weight. About a week or so later an RSPCA inspector arrived since neighbours had been making comments about their condition the second they arrived she was expecting the visit. But not the attitude of the inspector, who strangely enough she felt to be very arrogant and threatening towards her. She like so many of us stupid people thought she actually had rights and advised him to clean up his attitude or leave her property immediately. FATAL mistake.
He informed her he would show her his rights and made a phone call. A truck duly arrived and since it had capacity for 10 he took 10 horses with him. She was then billed 70 dollars a week per week per horse for 10 weeks, for you who like me cant do maths that $7,000. The court hearing took place 10 weeks later. The hearing was adjourned for 15 minutes, so the RSPCA could make her an offer. Sign all ten over to them and they would drop the charges. She again being stupid, thinking she had any rights in the matter, asked them to promise to find good homes for them. They duly promised. Since I was there present at this, I too heard them make said promise. She signed.
Back into the court they went. Told the magistrate they had the horses signed over so were prepared to drop the charges for the agistment. Then the surprise.
BUT they still intended going ahead with the charge of refusing to worm her horses. Just like the TV add the judge said it’s a crime not to worm your horses and fined her……….$7,000. To be paid within I forget how many months (was in as much shock as Marilyn) or serve 6 months in jail.
Since I never found her at home over the ensuing year I strongly suspect she went to jail, I certainly know she had no way of raising that amount of money. For some peculiar reason she now never answers the door or the phone. The only way I can see her is if we run into each other when she does have to go out to get food. Her fear when anyone says hullo is unmistakable she sort of hunches down until she realizes it is a friend talking to her, heartbreaking to see. Pretty much a total recluse now.
Nice one RSPCA.
The horses you ask? What became of the horses. Well, I phone the RSPCA FOR nearly every day after the signing over to ask when people could buy them, remember, they were going to good homes were they not.
Finally day 3 the switch operator was getting a bit miffed at my insisting they were available for sale as I had witnessed the signing over. She sort of “humpthed” and said ‘” Ho I suppose it won’t hurt, they went to McGrath’s Hill Saleyard this morning.
A mad round of phone calls to all those who wanted to help rescue them began and I belted it over there as the sale was due to start within the hour. Even a rep from the Arabian horse society arrived to see if they may be able to help. Into the ring strode the very promiser of good homes for them.
When he opened his mouth what did come out?
“NO ONE BUT THE DOGGERS ARE PERMITTED TO BID ON THESE HORSES” n he strode out and the first one ran in.
Under his breath but still loud enough for most to hear came “n their all mad”.
They sold the lot for something like $1,800 all up.
Now for the dairy farmer.
He and his family went to town, on their arrival home, the front paddock where they had turned some of their best stud cows to graze while they were gone was littered with the dead and dying or about to die as an RSPCA inspector was walking among them shooting them.
Only the wife is left to tell the tale, her husband died of a heart attack not long after his shock and distress was so great. He was trying to find legal counsel to sue them for the value of the murdered cattle, a loss of a lifetimes breeding ,both he and his father before him. None of which was replaceable.
Apparently some passerby had thought they looked thin, so apparently did the inspector who turned up before they arrived home. So he did what he is empowered to do. He shot them.
These were some of the top producing stud Frisian cattle in Victoria. I doubt it would be too hard to find out the names of the victims in this. I don’t remember the lady’s name and have since lost her phone number. But I bet every stud and breeder of top producing Frisian’s knows
Now for Rosemary D’Agostino.
She and her husband Sam bought a top priced young stud bull.
Problem was she soon discovered he had no respect for the fence keeping him from the main interstate highway that ran the length of their property at Gunnedah. So since it was a show bull and trained to lead she and Sam put him on a tether giving him access to a shed and grass so he had both shade and grazing as well as hand fed while they constructed a bull yard for him.
Said yard was not far from completion, when in rocks who?
An RSPCA INSPECTOR, yep someone thought it is cruel to have a bull on a tether, even a calf like this one.
Said inspector tells them to release the bull immediately.
Since they had recently had heavy rain and clover had sprang up literally overnight and to turn him free when he was accustomed to hard dry feed, to do so would have resulted in his death from bloat within an hour or so. They refused.
Said Inspector left. Shortly to return with two very embarrassed police officers in tow.
Release the bull NOW or you both will be arrested.
Both Rose and Sam explained again to do so would kill the bull. Both the police officers being raised on the land were also well aware this would be the result as well, but as they explained.
They had no power to refuse, the law was that the RSPCA inspector could and would demand their arrest and arrest them they had to do even though they knew the inspector was wrong. They were very apologetic but said they had to do because that’s the way the law is now.
Their advice was turn the bull loose and follow him to keep him moving so he couldn’t eat enough fast enough to kill him. If they didn’t she would have them arrested and she would turn the bull loose and Sam and Rose would be in jail for the night and unable to protect him.
So Rose and Sam took the officers advice. They released the baby bull and Rose spent the next 8 hours walking behind him to keep him moving while Sam finished the yard.
The RSPCA INSPECTOR? She left the second the bull was turned loose; well satisfied she had shown this uppity pair who is really boss.
The real cruelty here? Sam was over 75, Rose over 65 and the bull was released about 4pm so Rose and Sam walked and worked most of the night to save THEIR BULL.
Where was the inspector? Safe in bed perhaps???
There was a lady, her name I have forgotten, but Betty Step knows her. She used to take in either rescue dogs or ones with problems that breeders didn’t want to sell.
Think she had 6 dogs in her care at the time. She lived in a house, think it was her own. The RSPCA came took all of them. Said she had too many dogs. That she was a collector. Most of these little chihuahua’s were pretty high maintenance, given to her by her breeder friends because they considered them unsuitable for sale. I.e. too tiny and prone to hyperglycemia, too large a fontanel and venerable to concussion or water on the brain from the slightest knock, that sort of thing. She loved them and cared for them. N cried buckets when one died, why anyone would deliberately breed for tea cup Chihuahua’s is beyond me or anyone in the Club that I know? Its tragic enough when one does turn up. Why the general public are so fixated on them is very disheartening. As so many vets say, tea cups, don’t make old bones. Too many things can go wrong.
Obviously none were showable, although she loved to go to the shows with her show and breeder friends.
After they were taken she was refused even visiting rights let alone what fate had been decided for them. Why take them from someone who knew and understood their special needs, n prepared to give it 24/ 7? N was prepared for the heartbreak she knew would be coming because they were frail?
She was pretty stressed out about it. She walked from her home and disappeared.
None of her friends saw her again and no calls from her either. She disappeared as if from the face of the earth, many feared suicide. Some two years later she was spotted living on the streets and fled when she realized she had be recognized.
She never came home to my knowledge. This is the damage these people can cause. Not that they care a jot. No one I know, could find out the fate of her dogs.
