Have you seen this in the Daily Telegraph?

[w mack]

Norris Atthey is a retired military policeman who for some years has been trying to defend one of the last pockets of red squirrels left in England , around Morpeth in Northumberland (see his website, Morpeth Red Squirrels). He does so by destroying the grey squirrels which across most of the country have seen off their red cousins, not least by infecting them with a fatal disease, squirrel pox. There used to be a bounty on them and it is still an offence to release them into the wild, since they are officially vermin. After trapping them, Mr Atthey has quite legally shot hundreds with an air pistol, very much more humane than hitting them over the head in a sack, as Natural England and other wildlife bodies prefer.

Mr Atthey was outraged when a Burton window cleaner was recently given a criminal record and lost £1,547 in costs after being prosecuted by the RSPCA for drowning a grey squirrel. He publicly challenged the charity by announcing that he had drowned one too. The ever-zealous RSPCA rose to the bait, knocking on his door to demand an interview. He responded that he had no more to say, beyond his published statement. Next morning, the RSPCA official returned, summoning two policemen to arrest Mr Atthey for “causing unnecessary suffering to an animal”. He was handcuffed and taken to the police station at Bedlington, some miles away, where he was held for nine hours in the cells. Eventually he was interrogated for an hour by an RSPCA official, with a policeman standing mutely by, before being released.


Why was Mr Atthey arrested on the orders of the RSPCA? Why was he handcuffed, and imprisoned for nine hours? When I put this to Northumbria police, they replied that “the RSPCA is leading this investigation” and that “the arrested man remained with police until suitable arrangements were in place for an interview to take place”.

This provokes much wider questions, also raised by other cases reported in this column, such as that of Alan Brough, who was held by Carlisle police for six hours while the RSPCA took away his 90 fell ponies, and who immediately went and hanged himself.

The RSPCA, that once-admirable charity, now often seems to pursue animal-lovers through the courts simply to win the publicity that keeps its £115 million a year in donations rolling in. And why do the police now regard themselves as the charity’s enforcement wing? What an admission from Northumbria police that they seek to justify holding a 66-year old man of impeccable character for nine hours by saying “the RSPCA is leading this investigation”. When did Parliament empower RSPCA officials (all ordinary members of the public) to order our police around like this?

[uk litehammer]

RSPCA are well out of order if you ask me. I don't have anything to do with them anymore. I shifted my loyalties to the PDSA. They do a far better thing for animals in need of care, without prejudice.

[Herpquest]

Although I am with you all the way on this, you are under a misapprehension that the RSPCA instruct the Police. The RSPCA go to their 'tame' magistrates to obtain warrants which the Police have then to execute.
As a retired, former Police Officer, I can assure you that many serving Police Officers, if they had a choice. would NOT assist the RSPCA to carry out these ridiculous actions.

[w mack]

Sorry all, but I lost faith in the RSPCA many years ago. They appear to have a policy of "Kill don't cure" unless there is a public interest/funds.

[magicniner]

You've got to admit he had to be a first class nob to drown it, it's not humane despatch these days in the eyes of anyone with a three figure IQ.
He should have shot it nice & clean - EOS
Nick

[peakecentral]

The RSPCA is now in the bin in our house, sharing it with Barnardo's.

[spt78]

I wonder how much that cost in police time and money?

[Minuteman]

You've got to admit he had to be a first class nob to drown it, it's not humane despatch these days in the eyes of anyone with a three figure IQ.
He should have shot it nice & clean - EOS
Nick

Agreed, but it's another one of those "thin end of the wedge" scenarios isn't it?

It won't be too far down that road where you can't trap them as it causes distress, shooting them with air rifles is considered "inhumane", then any form of shooting etc. etc.

I listened the other week to some rabbit welfare nutter on the radio talking about rabbits in hutches after some other nut job "released" it from it's "cruel" hutch, much to the distress of the little girl whose rabbit it was, when she came home to find it had been liberated.
The welfare expert seemed to think it was somehow defensible, and gave the example of their proper "care" which included (i do not jest) a £600 vet bill - for a rabbit. Far betted to have drowned it, bought another one and donated what was left of the otherwise £600 cost to a good cause (not the RSPCA).

[snock]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...red-RSPCA.html

I despise this hypocritical bunch of shady politicos.

Always ask them, when you see them collection money from the ignorant public in the street, just how many healthy animals they destroy each day.

[magicniner]

I agree the RSPCA are now corporate and more interested in themselves than the animals they purport to protect.

Far betted to have drowned it

Wrong Again!
The hands-on way to kill a rabbit is to break it's neck quick and clean, what's with all this Namby-Pamby "detatch myself from the fact I'm killing something" rubbish?
Anyone lacking the spine to do the job right shouldn't do it at all,
ATB,
Nick

[rifleman56]

dont have anything to do with them ,there nothing but trouble.

[oakley6691]

is there any laws about shooting the Grey squirrel ?

...and i agree the RSPCA must have better thing to do with their resourses.

[olly321]

they are a law upon them selves,i never give to them i lost faithe in them years ago,little dictators thats what they are ,i speake from experience with them there nice when they have the begging bowl out

[Minuteman]

Wrong Again!
The hands-on way to kill a rabbit is to break it's neck quick and clean, what's with all this Namby-Pamby "detatch myself from the fact I'm killing something" rubbish?
Anyone lacking the spine to do the job right shouldn't do it at all,
ATB,
Nick

Sorry Nick, I was using the example to make a link regarding the Squirrel issue nonsense and the rabbit "expert" nonsense, not actually suggesting it was the "best" method which is, as you point out, breaking it's neck.

The RSPCA are probably quite happy with the chap in Northumberland as they have an issue with the the deaths of Greys in the North East anyway http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/ear...rrel-cull.html

[IanH755]

Anyone who traps Squirrel's should deliver them to the RSPCA for them to "Deal with humanely" and they can incur the £60-£200 vet cost.