D You Thin The Rspca Should Be Stripped Of Its Right To Procecute?

[cassa333]

I think they have at times been shown to be very gung-ho in some of its procecutions. Taking perfectly healthy and happy animals away from people that are simply not able to defend themselves. personally I think they should not be using the courts unless in extreme cases where the CPS does not.

Yes we can all bring a private prosecution and they should not be stripped of the ability in its entirety as it is a right to be able to do it but I just don't agree with them doing it without recourse to the CPS (unles they do and I missed that bit).

I do not give to the RSPCA because for me they should concentrate on animal welfare more than prosecution but I know others may not agree.

I just wonder what the general feeling is?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37987213

[youngmafbog]

The RSPCA should only bring private prosecutions if it wants.

No charity should be able to do any thing else or it can become political.

Of course there would be nothing wrong in them ensuring the CPS do their job.

[Gromit]

// The charity's prosecution success rate is 98.9%, //

Instead of banning them, they should be put in charge of the Crown Prosecution Service.

[Togo]

We stopped contributing to the RSPCA some years ago when it became obvious that it had become politicised by the peevish right on brigades, and when we became aware that they were selling on our details to like minded organisations. Then take into account that the salaries being paid to "executives" are astronomical, and frankly,disgusting. We cancelled the direct debit and told them not to ring and to take us off the mailing list, in very curt tones.

[mikey4444]

But who will be responsible for ensuring the safety and well-beings of animals, if the RSPCA don't do it ?

The Police perhaps....the same Police that can't find the time to even try to stop drivers texting and talking on their Mobiles whilst driving perhaps ?

Good point Gromit !

[Gromit]

The RSPCA made enemies in the Conservative Party when it successfully prosecuted the Heythrop Hunt.
Since then, small minded Tories have pounced on every thing the charity does and tried to undermine it. It's opposition to the gassing of Badgers saw it again the target of the frothing mouthed rabid Tory backbenchers.

[Prudie]

I feel the sme as togo, just the numbers of animals they put down when their coffers are full disgusts me. As a child they were my heroes but that's been completely tarnished as I grew up and realised what they were really like and their main agenda does seem to be to prosecute with a political agenda rather than an animal welfare one. I never give to them anymore.

[mikey4444]

Gromit has a good point here. If the RSPCA were to do a u-turn and support hunting, the Tories would come flocking back and welcome it with open arms.

Animals need us to protect them.

[Gromit]

// It was also criticised for launching a private prosecution against the Heythrop hunt, whose past members include the prime minister, David Cameron. Two of the hunt's members pleaded guilty to unlawfully hunting a wild fox with dogs. Following complaints against the RSPCA after the case, the commission wrote to its chief executive, Gavin Grant, demanding that his charity's trustees review its prosecution policies "given the amount of adverse publicity and the allegations of political bias that the charity has attracted as a result of the case". //

[mikey4444]

Prude....Hunting always has been and always will be a political issue, so get used to it.

While there are many honourable Tory Members who supported the ban on hunting with dogs, it was the Labour Party that brought in the Bill to ban it. Hunting wild animals with dogs, like fox hunting, and otter hunting, as well as hare coursing is widely abhorred by the British public, and if the RSPCA continues to oppose it, and get labelled as "political" for so doing....well, so be it.

[Prudie]

"Hunting always has been and always will be a political issue, so get used to it." Mikey I don't have to get used to it as you brusquely put it, that's not the point being discussed here. The RSPCA should be focussing on the real issues of animal cruelty and abandonment. There are pleny of dedicated organisations that can use hunts and badgers as their weapons - league against cruel sports for example. Going after the political issues should never have been the purpose of the RSPCA and that's not what I think those who donate expect their money to be spent on.

[douglas9401]

Yes, I do.

[Gromit]

So the Commons Environment Committee says there is a conflict of interest at the RSPCA.

// Tory backbenchers Neil Parish, MP for Tiverton and Honiton in Devon, and Simon Hart, former Countryside Alliance chief executive, are pushing for the Tories to include a hunting pledge in their manifesto amid fears that traditional voters may desert the party for Ukip. //

Pro hunting Conservative MP Neil Parish, is Chair of the Common Environment Committee. And Simon Hart also sits on the Committee. Now that is a real Conflict of Interest don't you think?

[mikey4444]

The Tories will never stop trying to over-turn the ban on hunting. The rest of us need to be very vigilant in the future. After all, hunting is where the money is, after all.

[Old_Geezer]

If the prosecutions are related to stopping or preventing cruelty to animals then they are only doing their job and I don't see the problem. The clue is in their name. If animal cruelty is not involved then as an organisation they ought not prosecute. Individuals can bring their own prosecution cases if they wish.

[Gromit]

So to summarize:

1. The RSPCA prosecute Heythrop Hunt.
2. The hunt has connections to Conservative MPs including David Cameron
3. Pro hunting Conservative MPs get themselves appointed the the Common Environment Committee
4. Committee recommends that the RSPCA should not be able to prosecute.

[mikey4444]

Gromit....stinks to high heaven to me, and some people have fallen for it !

[mikey4444]

OG...wouldn't you agree that hunting foxes with dogs involves cruelty ?

So, seeing that foxes themselves can't prosecute........ ?

Gromit has shown how shallow this latest move by the blood sports lobby really is.

[Gromit]

A Clever use of power.

If you cannot repeal the Hunting Act which passed in the Commons by a huge majority, and the population at large overwhelmingly find Hunting abhorrent, what can you do but take away the power to prosecute from the people who will hold you to account.

[Togo]

Mikey at it again, hijacking someone else's thread and diverting it. How did the question regarding RSPCA decisions to pursue prosecutions independently,using money donated by the public who expect it to be used for the care of all animals, turn into the usual rabid resurrection of historic "crimes" against Liberalism?

[mikey4444]

A sneaky and disreputable use of power Gromit.