View Full Version : SSPCA vs RSPCA
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7865965.stm
The SSPCA has taken out full-page adverts in Scottish newspapers calling on the RSPCA to make it clear it does not help a single animal in Scotland.
The advert says: "It's time the RSPCA stopped stealing food from the mouths of Scotland's defenceless animals."
I'm sorry I just don't get it - they are both animal protection organisations, it annoys the hell out of me that they bicker like this, spending money on adverts slating the other, rather than being productive and actually doing what they are supposed to be doing.
(I have issues with the way the RSPCA is run anyway but that is another thread ;) )
Does the SSPCA help English animals then?
I would assume not, and I agree. Seems like childish name-calling and a waste of money that could be perfectly well used doing what they're supposed to be there for - caring for animals and helping prevent mistreatment.
(I have issues with the way the RSPCA is run anyway but that is another thread ;) )
Have at it. I'm interested. :)
Matblack
03-02-2009, 12:44
They have a point, if, the RSPCA have been fund raising in Scotland.
MB
Stan_Lite
03-02-2009, 12:57
They have a point, if, the RSPCA have been fund raising in Scotland.
MB
That's my thinking. If the RSPCA don't help animals in Scotland, they really shouldn't be filching donations from Scottish people who might otherwise donate to the SSPCA who do.
It's up to the individual who they donate to though.
Always liked my local RSPCA shelter, but then again they don't receive any funding from the RSPCA so I assume they just have the name and that's it. Not quite sure how it works admittedly! But I know they solely rely on donations to their branch alone.
Stan_Lite
03-02-2009, 14:11
It's up to the individual who they donate to though.
Absolutely, but relevant information like the fact that the RSPCA don't help animals in Scotland, should be made available to them so they can make an informed choice as to which organisation they donate to. I'm sure many of the Scottish people who donate to the RSPCA, do so not knowing they are depriving the SSPCA of funds for animals in their own country - which, as I see it, is the point the SSPCA is making with their adverts.
Blackstar
03-02-2009, 14:17
The RSPCA never mention that they don't do any work in Scotland, so in my opinion the SSPCA are right to point this out and raise awareness. By not telling people they are being very sneaky, as you would expect the money to be used nationwide otherwise.
Always liked my local RSPCA shelter, but then again they don't receive any funding from the RSPCA so I assume they just have the name and that's it. Not quite sure how it works admittedly! But I know they solely rely on donations to their branch alone.
That's how all branches work. It's almost like a franchise. 'The RSPCA' that you see on adverts and may pay a DD to funds the inspectors and head office staff, not local animal welfare.
We had a smaller scale problem to that of the SSPCA where our fundraisers were collecting on another branches 'territory'. That branch ended up with the funds we had collected.
That's how all branches work. It's almost like a franchise. 'The RSPCA' that you see on adverts and may pay a DD to funds the inspectors and head office staff, not local animal welfare.
Ahh ok :)
Hmm, I'll join the club of those who didn't know then. I'll give consideration to redirecting my money locally as that's where I'd like to help (not that I don't think the national RSPCA don't do a good job, but they certainly get enough publicity, whereas the locals don't).
In a nutshell, imo, If people are going to give their money away without researching the organisation they are giving to then it's their luck out to be honest. Unless the RSPCA are specifically saying that they DO treat and rescue scottish dogs (which it's pretty clear from their website that they don't) then I don't see the problem.
I agree Kitten. The sort of person who just throws their money in a pot is the sort of person who probably doesn't really care where it gets used.
LeperousDust
03-02-2009, 14:57
From what i read earlier today, its because the RSPCA were advertising in Scotland (not particularly intentionally). But the SSPCA obviously doesn't like this. What i don't understand is why can't they just join up and server England, Wales and Scotland from one central charity, or is that just me being naive :p?
Also is the RSPCA use a franchise model, who the hell gets the money when you donate centrally and where does it all go, surely thats where the bulk of donations go, and it makes more sense to donate centrally to distribute charitable wealth as and where needed most? Again, i guess i might be being young and naive though :D :p
It's just the same as why do we need three or four different cancer charities, or childrens ones.
As I mentioned in my post above, the money that is donated centrally goes to paying the wages of Inspectors and management at head office, as well as towards national advertising campaigns. Yes it would be lovely for local branches to get a slice of this pie, but unfortunately that is not how it works.
Always liked my local RSPCA shelter, but then again they don't receive any funding from the RSPCA so I assume they just have the name and that's it. Not quite sure how it works admittedly! But I know they solely rely on donations to their branch alone.
I won't have anything to do with them as they raise their money fraudulently - and I know because I've been on the receiving end. The only reason I didn't take it further was because of the work they do and I didn't want other animals to suffer because of me making a fuss.
I agree Kitten. The sort of person who just throws their money in a pot is the sort of person who probably doesn't really care where it gets used.
Guilty as charged - though it was through ignorance not caring. I guess iI need to find out where my local place is and how to donate directly.
I won't have anything to do with them as they raise their money fraudulently - and I know because I've been on the receiving end. The only reason I didn't take it further was because of the work they do and I didn't want other animals to suffer because of me making a fuss.
How did they raise money fraudulently? Seems a real shame as they've all seemed really nice people up there :(
How did they raise money fraudulently? Seems a real shame as they've all seemed really nice people up there :(
When they had Courtney. First time they took her in I paid for them to put a chip in her.
The second time they took her in they couldn't find the chip, which I would just have passed as an accident or something had gone wrong, but then they told us that she had been dehydrated when they found her and that they had had to put her on a drip overnight as well as give her antibiotics. I paid them a load of money for that, more than they said it had cost because I was glad to have her back.
I took her immediately to my vet for a check up and he went ballistic at the state of her and said she was severely hydrated and hadn't been on a drip and that she should have been. He also did several blood tests on her and discovered that along with being in liver failure she hadn't been given the antibiotics either. He was livid as she was very ill because she hadn't received the treatment she'd needed, plus I hadn't found her for several days because the chip they said she'd had put in wasn't there.
Erk :( I see your point entirely.
I've had nothing but good service off them though and they've always seemed very caring :/ I know they did recently change managers though and there was meant to be some controversy over the last one.
Erk :( I see your point entirely.
I've had nothing but good service off them though and they've always seemed very caring :/ I know they did recently change managers though and there was meant to be some controversy over the last one.
That might explain it!
I doubt the staff knew what was going on to be honest. The girl I saw got very flustered when I asked things about the treatment so looking back I should have guessed something was amiss really.
The ladies on the desk were lovely. All the volunteers were too. I was just totally shocked by the whole thing!
LeperousDust
03-02-2009, 16:17
I'll let the CEO of the SSPCA explain:
Ok thats actually a fairly decent answer and makes sense, which surprised me a bit ;)
That might explain it!
I doubt the staff knew what was going on to be honest. The girl I saw got very flustered when I asked things about the treatment so looking back I should have guessed something was amiss really.
The ladies on the desk were lovely. All the volunteers were too. I was just totally shocked by the whole thing!
I'm not surprised! I'd have been so upset if that had happened to Harry.
Hopefully they have improved since, for the animals's sake!
They can't have THAT much of an advertising budget surely. Even if that was their entire years budget that they blew on this one campaign, it's still a very high % of income to spend.
It will be a lot less income than what they currently are losing with people not realising that donations they gave in good faith to the RSPCA don't get used in Scotland. Even though the RSPCA don't directly advertise themselves their ads on satellite channels, digital radio etc do not carry a disclaimer saying any cash raised will only be spent in England/Wales. For them not to make that clear in the adverts is pretty underhanded especially knowing that advertising media they use go UK wide.
SCM
In this current credit crunch no main paper would let them run that for free up here they need the cash but it has done it's job now, people know what's going on so they should see more donations.
SCM
I wouldn't call it petty at all they were sick to death of the indirect advertising the RSPCA was getting up here and went enough was enough. From reading a full report on this there has been 6 months of talks trying to solve this issue which have gotten nowhere. This isn't a new issue seems it has been rumbling on for years and years about this issue.
For comparison in 2007 the SSPCA raised £10 million from an advertising budget of only £160,000 compared to the £17 million budget of the RSPCA in the same year which raised £114 million.
All info was from here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7865965.stm
SCM
I think that they've achieved £100k of value from what they have just done. SSPCA is now the "little guy" to many people not just in Scotland but everywhere. I bet their donations are up even though we're up the creek with recession. Their previous advertising must have truly sucked if people were previously donating to the wrong charity.
An animal rescue centre I know of, gets calls from the RSPCA to take horses, dogs and other animals. While the rescue centre (not affiliated with the RSPCA in any way) takes the animals, the RSPCA has never given them a bean to help with their costs. I just hope the RSPCA doesn't contract out such care to other places, and if they do, they should at least provide some funding IMO.
We used to be invoiced by places like that and pay them. Each branch obviously works differently.
Well, sort of a hijack going on here...
Guilty as charged - though it was through ignorance not caring. I guess iI need to find out where my local place is and how to donate directly.
I just reminded myself about this, and found out that there's a local Dogs Trust place. What's the general opinion on them? Would my money be better sent here.
They do 'sponsor a dog'. Seems to be one dog at random from each centre and everyone sponsors that dog. I do wonder what the three-a-year mailshots and supporter packs cost and whether that money is better spent on the dogs.
Not really up on the Dogs Trust tbh. They seem a very rich charity so they must get a lot of support.
Not keen on the sponsor a dog thing. If I wanted to sponsor a dog I'd want to go pick it and make sure I could play with it when I wanted but a lot of the time you aren't allowed to see it at all. Makes you wonder if they just make up a dog and a name and send you stuff. I'd rather just donate monthly and let them choose what to do with the money!
Thanks - I agree with all of that.
Found another place 5-10 miles away...
http://www.nawt.org.uk/berkshire/index.asp
Never heard of them before (unlike Dogs Trust and RSPCA) so this looks like a good candidate.
Never heard of them either but looks like a good one!
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