Dilema...

"Helen Miles" wrote in message
news:f7b32d969e35263bc007c27d7317d42b.76411@mygate .mailgate.org...
"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote in message



I find this part disturbing. Isn't the pet overpopulation problem not
nearly as bad in the UK as in the US? Does this mean that they're
purposely keeping healthy pets available just so their trainees can
euthanize them?

Unlike the National Canine Defence League and Cats Protection who never
destroy a healthy animal, The RSPCA is NOT a no-kill organisation. They
routinely euthanaise companion animals. The trainees have to euthanaise
those that are on "death row" and who are being pulled because their
time is up.

Helen M

Which used to be 7 days, but I might be a bit out of touch with their
policies now.
My aunt's elderly dog went missing from their garden, having just gone out
for a wee. They spent days and nights searching the streets for her as she
was very beloved. They rang the police, all the private dog rescue
organisations and the RSPCA daily. She was a very distinctive dog as she
had just undergone an operation and had a wound that wasn't healing well and
was undergoing vet treatment.
No. she hadn't been found anywhere. Until they decided to go along to the
RSPCA kennels anyway and have a look, and yes, there she was, she'd been
there all along, been there 6 days and was one day away from destruction.
Bah. That's just one thing I could tell you.

Tweed

"Helen Miles" wrote in message
news:b4cacb6debdc8c8b29508dadccf21e6b.76411@mygate .mailgate.org...
"Helen Miles" wrote in message
news:7d3d63ffd20d377e3c4a644d840788f3.76411@mygate .mailgate.org

I'm considering applying to the RSPCA to become an Inspector. However, I
have a moral dilema. The RSPCA does good work. However, having done my
research, it is also a very contraversial organisation in that it will
euthanaise healthy animals for lack of homes, (70,000+ last year) and
there have been situations where peoples pets have been euthaniased by
mistake because of RSPCA policies that are in place, as well as seizures
taking place in unwaranted circumstances.///

Thanks to everyone for the input. I had a very long conversation with
someone who knows me very well, and isn't afraid to "say it how it is".
Having talked it through with her, I don't honestly beleive that I'd be
able to look at myself in the mirror and believe I was doing a good
thing for animals by working for the RSPCA. I'm going to stick an
organisation that has the same values on the lives as animals as I do
and find another job. Thanks for helping to clarify things folks.

At the risk of sounding flaky, I think that if I did 1/2 the stuff that
I've been told I'd have to do in training, I will quite simply have sold
my soul to the devil.

Helen M

Thank god for that.

Tweed

"Christina Websell" wrote in
message

No. she hadn't been found anywhere. Until they decided to go along to the
RSPCA kennels anyway and have a look, and yes, there she was, she'd been
there all along, been there 6 days and was one day away from destruction.
Bah. That's just one thing I could tell you.///

Well that's just it. I know of several stories similar to that one and
some far worse, and I've had a run-in with the RSPCA myself when HRFL
was a baby over the state of his eyes (he was under a veterinary
opthalmic specialist at the Animal Health Trust at the time!).

I guess that I'm glad i did some proper research and some serious
digging on the organisation before agreeing to sell my soul to the
devil!

Helen M


--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

On 2006-01-20, Helen Miles penned:

At the risk of sounding flaky, I think that if I did 1/2 the stuff
that I've been told I'd have to do in training, I will quite simply
have sold my soul to the devil.


That doesn't sound flaky to me.

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

Helen Miles wrote:
I'm considering applying to the RSPCA to become an Inspector.
However, I have a moral dilema. The RSPCA does good work. However,
having done my research, it is also a very contraversial organisation
in that it will euthanaise healthy animals for lack of homes,
(70,000+ last year) and there have been situations where peoples pets
have been euthaniased by mistake because of RSPCA policies that are
in place, as well as seizures taking place in unwaranted
circumstances.

One of the comments that was made to me by an inspector who I used to
ride my horse with, was that after a while the animals euthanised
become just numbers and you detatch from them and they cease being
anything other than statistics. I know I *CAN* euthanaise animals -
I've had to on several occasions, but they have always been animals
that were suffering from incurable medical problems and not healthy
animals.

I don't agree with the RSPCA feral cat policies (trap and
euthanaisia), and would find it exceptionally difficult to destroy a
perfectly healthy animal - I would go as far as to say it's against
my spiritual and moral beliefs. However, you also act as an animal
advocate, and get to do a lot of good - rescue of cruelty victims and
the like.

I don't know how I feel about the job at the moment. I really don't. i
know that during training you are required to slaughter cattle & to
euthanaise healthy cats & dogs to prove you can do it and are *up to
the task*. Killing cattle and live stock, I can deal with. Pet
animals are a whole different ball game.

On one hand, I want to get involved with the whole *get animals out of
bad situations*, and I'd be very good at it because I have a lot of
the esential skills required for the job. On the other hand, I've
never heard a good word said about the RSPCA and their
euthanaisia/destruction policy is a toughy.

The floor is open. I'd welcome some discussion on this, as I really an
torn. As i said, I've not made up my mind one way or the other.

Helen M

All I can say is, I'd hate to be put in a position where I was forced to
kill a healthy animal. I've heard the hooror stories as well, personally I
couldn't be part of it, maybe though, you could make a difference.
--
Adrian (Owned by Snoopy and Bagheera)
A House is not a home, without a cat.
http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk

"Helen Miles" wrote in message
news:b4cacb6debdc8c8b29508dadccf21e6b.76411@mygate .mailgate.org...

At the risk of sounding flaky, I think that if I did 1/2 the stuff that
I've been told I'd have to do in training, I will quite simply have sold
my soul to the devil.

Helen M

I htik you made the correct decision. There is the argument that you can try
to change the organisation form the inside, but an inspector won't have the
clout to do it. On the other hand.... working undercover to expose the bad
side... but that's a whole different ball game.

Another thought. How about working with a vet that has links to animal
shelters? Would that be a starter?

Cheers, helen s

Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
On 2006-01-20, Helen Miles penned:

At the risk of sounding flaky, I think that if I did 1/2 the stuff
that I've been told I'd have to do in training, I will quite simply
have sold my soul to the devil.


That doesn't sound flaky to me.

No. You cannot do well at a job where you feel that what you are being
asked to do is ethically wrong.

I had problems working in a store for older women where I was informed
that it was part of my job to tempt them to spend their pension cheques
on clothes they didn't need...that I was to do whatever it took to
convince them to buy everything now, and "not to hang onto the money
until after they'd paid the rent and bought their food for the week."
Why did I feel good when I failed and a lady went for food before she
came back to buy what clothes she could afford with what was left over,
even though I was getting punished for not meeting sales quotas? Why
did I feel bad when I scored a big sale out of someone I knew couldn't
really afford what she bought?

There are very few things worth the price of your soul (war, or the
lives of your children, sometimes being worth it.)

--Fil

"Enfilade" wrote in message
oups.com...

Monique Y. Mudama wrote:
On 2006-01-20, Helen Miles penned:

At the risk of sounding flaky, I think that if I did 1/2 the stuff
that I've been told I'd have to do in training, I will quite simply
have sold my soul to the devil.


That doesn't sound flaky to me.

No. You cannot do well at a job where you feel that what you are being
asked to do is ethically wrong.


There are very few things worth the price of your soul (war, or the
lives of your children, sometimes being worth it.)

--Fil


While I totally agree with Helen's decision, I don't find putting down
healthy animals ethically wrong.

There are times in real life that once a wrong turn is taken on the
wrong/right anything that follows is going to be less than optimal. Where
the only choices left are between wrong and not so wrong.

In the real world there are not enough resources to provide a home for every
cat and dog that is born.

Once everything possible has been done to care for and find suitable homes
there will still be healthy animals left. A lot of them. And more are
being born every minute. Should they be caged and fed and left to live out
their lives in some sort of prison?

So while there are a lot of things I might not be able to bring myself to
do, I try not to demonize anyone whose lot and choice is to do them.

So I know this is preaching to the choir, but spay and neuter your pets!

Jo

"Enfilade" wrote

On 2006-01-20, Helen Miles penned:

At the risk of sounding flaky, I think that if I did 1/2 the stuff
that I've been told I'd have to do in training, I will quite simply
have sold my soul to the devil.

No. You cannot do well at a job where you feel that what you are
being
asked to do is ethically wrong.

Sorry to piggyback here, but I agree 100% with Enfilade on this one,
Helen!

I volunteer/fundraise with Cats Protection and will have nothing to do
with the RSPCA. In your position I'd try to get paid work with CP or
similar with Ethical & Humane policies and spend as much time as
possible exposing the RSPCA's barbarities to the outside world, thus
hoping to attract publicity & divert funding..............etc. etc.

My tuppence worth.

Cheers & Good Luck
Gordon

"Helen Miles" wrote in message
news:b4cacb6debdc8c8b29508dadccf21e6b.76411@mygate .mailgate.org...
"Helen Miles" wrote in message
news:7d3d63ffd20d377e3c4a644d840788f3.76411@mygate .mailgate.org

I'm considering applying to the RSPCA to become an Inspector. However, I
have a moral dilema. The RSPCA does good work. However, having done my
research, it is also a very contraversial organisation in that it will
euthanaise healthy animals for lack of homes, (70,000+ last year) and
there have been situations where peoples pets have been euthaniased by
mistake because of RSPCA policies that are in place, as well as seizures
taking place in unwaranted circumstances.///

Thanks to everyone for the input. I had a very long conversation with
someone who knows me very well, and isn't afraid to "say it how it is".
Having talked it through with her, I don't honestly beleive that I'd be
able to look at myself in the mirror and believe I was doing a good
thing for animals by working for the RSPCA. I'm going to stick an
organisation that has the same values on the lives as animals as I do
and find another job. Thanks for helping to clarify things folks.

At the risk of sounding flaky, I think that if I did 1/2 the stuff that
I've been told I'd have to do in training, I will quite simply have sold
my soul to the devil.

Helen M


I'm glad that you made a decision, Helen. I don't think I could work there,
either.

kili