I don't know how many of you know how the RSPCA works - i will tell you my understanding of it. then go through how I think we can start to make a difference.

I truly believe that once the new Sheffield & Barnsley RSPCA centre is up and running it will make a FANTASTIC difference to the welfare of ALL pets in sheffield and Barnsley. Yorkshire statistics for dumping and destroying dogs have had a MASSIVE increase - higher than any other county according to the Dogs Trust Survey.
http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/press_office/stray_dog_survey_2006/full_statistics_breakdown/

Isn't that something that we should be ashamed of?

The RSPCA is split into 2. National & Local

National RSPCA who cover all the big campaigns like the animal welfare bill, attending to reports of cruelty and neglect - and court cases - plus loads of other things.

Local RSPCA - and we are talking about Sheffield here. Is the Sheffield and Barnsley RSPCA - view information about there on the charities commission web site which details everything about them.
http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/showcharity.asp?remchar=&chyno=225570
then their end of year report and accounts here
http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/ScannedAccounts%5CEnds70%5C0000225570_AC_20051231_ E_C.pdf
to give you an idea of the work that they do and they cover.

So - we are just focused on LOCAL RSPCA.

My view is that against all odds - they have struggled at Spring Street. The staff down there will have been inundated with the public handing dogs in - the conditions were horrible and hard work. So - the new ring road has forced them to move. thank goodness. But now they need the money to build the new shelter - hence the Monty's Millions Appeal. The new build is coming in at a huge figure of something like 5million pounds.

I have tried to work with the RSPCA in the past and have ALWAYS found the branch staff to be helpful. However, as my personal passion is the plight of the dogs in council kennels - the local RSPCA don't want to know about them. they wont take the dogs AFTER they have done their 7 day stint in the pound - which i object to. So how do I make a difference.

I am going to sign up to join the RSPCA. Not moan about how bad a job they have done. Then once I am a member - start to attend committee meetings and see why they chose to do what they do and hopefully - put propositions to them about why i think they should look to help the PLIGHT OF THE POUNDIE.

I would welcome everyone of you - to join the RSPCA - and together- we can start to make a difference. Lets see if we can?

Single membership 17.50
Joint 25.00

https://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=RSPCA/HowYouCanHelp/annual
rr

I think thats a great idea RR, do you really think we could make a difference by doing that?

By the way, will you be going to the next meeting at the rising sun, I've stilll got that 15k sack of dog food that I spoke to you about months ago, I could meet you there to let you have it if you are.

morning all,
so once we have joined does that enable us all to be entitled to go to their comittee meetings? not only just to listen to what they are saying but to voice our opinions too?
i think if we are going to make a difference to pound dogs and other animal welfare we need them on board and we need to put a good case across to them about why we need them to help the pound dogs - a big organisation like rspca on our side is going to make one hell of a difference, plus they do have the resouces to help i think its getting them to change their attitudes to use the power they have to help these poor animals who are living a death sentence!

Just tried to join apparently the rspca website is filtered out by our company I will have to wait till tonight.

The RSPCA have known for at least ten years that they had to move.

Why didnt they start doing something earlier like fund raising for a new building or even looking for a new site

The RSPCA have known for at least ten years that they had to move.

Why didnt they start doing something earlier like fund raising for a new building or even looking for a new site

Because if they were seen to be planning to move they would not have recieved as large a sum when the premises were bought by compulsary purchase.
They had to wait til the order was made in order to get the largest amount of money.

like rr says if we can manage to get on the comittee and attend their meetings we can put all our questions forward about why they do what they do and the policies they have and look towards persuading them to listen to our plee to help the poundies, if we look at the rspca new build as a positive thing and also us getting on the commitee -its going to give us all the opportunity to try and change things for the animals in south yorkshire all for the better!

Don't forget with any established organisation, there will be an established 'order' who will be the organistional establishment.

Any changes you want to make will also be fenced in by the Articles of Association of the Charity, which determines their policies.

Good luck - I'm pretty sure that for people to get on to the management committee you will need to have a minimum length of membership, etc.

You have to be a member for five years to get onto the committee - or did I read that wrong?

That means our best chance would be to apply pressure from the ranks

You have to be a member for five years to get onto the committee - or did I read that wrong?

That means our best chance would be to apply pressure from the ranks

Ok then lets plan operation abduction :suspect:(this is a joke):)

Love all your comments - really do

I don't know how it will work - i thought you had to be a member for 3 yrs to vote - but hey - Rome wasn't built ...... and we know there's no easy solution to this - so it will take time.

I totally agree with what you are saying above - the RSPCA do have the money, they do have the establishment and believe it or not - they do have the public - because all in all - they do a fantastic job. We couldn't manage without them. I am sure we could all say things could be better - but without it - things are a hell of a lot worse. And if there are lots of fresh members on board - maybe we can make a difference.

I tried to join 6 months ago - and couldn't do it somehow - so - i too will make sure i do it tonight.

As for the Charitable mem and Arts - its basic animal welfare - thats what they do - and thats what we want to do. so neither of us have a conflict. We are both going the same way.

Scoop - I will be at the meeting and yep - the dog food will be most appreciated (especially when you see my latest hungry mouths to feed today).
rr

Because if they were seen to be planning to move they would not have recieved as large a sum when the premises were bought by compulsary purchase.
They had to wait til the order was made in order to get the largest amount of money.

to be perfectly honest it would not have made no difference to the money at all they could have been raisng money for all that time and the intrest on the monies would have took care of any shortfall if indeed there was any the RSPCA wasted at least ten years of fund raising

to be perfectly honest it would not have made no difference to the money at all they could have been raisng money for all that time and the intrest on the monies would have took care of any shortfall if indeed there was any the RSPCA wasted at least ten years of fund raising

Well take it or leave it, thats the answer I was given by one of the comittee members just prior to them moving out of spring st.

would the correct reason be all the funds raised by the RSPCA in sheffield had to be paid into central funds and sheffield only got enough money for day to day running and any money donated for the new kennels could not be retained IMO this is the real reason and if it is correct the RSPCA should be ashamed of themselves

I currently subscribe £3 per month to the RSPCA and have been doing for a number of years, am not sure that it gives me any rights to attend meetings etc. I will find out

I think any funds raised by local branches - can stay with the local branches. I think they have to pay a portion to some national things - like the officers but I dont know that.

I think its things like National RSPCA who should be ashamed - they have loads of money - and should be helping local RSPCA's so that there is ALWAYS an RSPCA for every animal to be seen by.
rr

I think any funds raised by local branches - can stay with the local branches. I think they have to pay a portion to some national things - like the officers but I dont know that.

I think its things like National RSPCA who should be ashamed - they have loads of money - and should be helping local RSPCA's so that there is ALWAYS an RSPCA for every animal to be seen by.
rr

if you read my post I did not make it really clear it is the national office I am having a dig at and while I am at it do you also realise that if anybody in sheffield left £1000000 in sheffield to the rspca everyone should know the national office gets it the sheffield branch never sees a penny this is wrong
the local office know this why do you think they call the fundraising for the new kennels montys millions.
if anyone has donated to the rspca in the last two years towards the cost of the new kennels not a penny went to it

Butchill, this is really worrying :(

how can we find out more about this, and is there documentation we have access to?

I think what Butchill means is that unless it gets sent to specifically go the THE RSPCA SHEFFIELD - all donations just go into the national pot? I may be wrong, and I know that the general public don't know about that.

But thats for the sheffield rspca's advertising to explicitly explain and also like butchill says, why they went for the monty's millions seperate appeal

you could all remake your will and leave a small amount to be sent to RSPCA Sheffield, you do have to specify or it goes to the RSCPA charity umbrella.
if every one left a small donation in a basic will you would be ensuring the continuation after your death as well.

I was hoping an RSPCA rep would come to our meeting as i was hoping to offer assistance with any rabbits they have brought in, its an area that from my experience they struggle with. So if anything does develope let me know.

I think what Butchill means is that unless it gets sent to specifically go the THE RSPCA SHEFFIELD - all donations just go into the national pot? I may be wrong, and I know that the general public don't know about that.

But thats for the sheffield rspca's advertising to explicitly explain and also like butchill says, why they went for the monty's millions seperate appeal


The above is very true, I cant speak for Sheff RSPCA but Bawtry RSPCA ask that donations are specifically sent to them and not nationally, as local branches have to fund themselves. Bawtry cost £300.000 per year to run. I would imagine the new Sheffield site will cost more than this. Most of the general public dont know this and often have Direct Debits set up (which goes nationally).

so - anyone joined then - do we think this is a way forward?

When people donate money to the RSPCA they must specify where it goes, despited being incorporated into the national RSPCA by following guidelines, the branches pretty much carry their name only and are all independant charities with their own charity numbers. If not specified it goes to HQ. Monty's magic millions was so called because the lady organising it all adopted a Jack Russell puppy who she named Monty and he is behind the cartoon dog that is the mascot of the campaign. Sheffield do need help with the stray dog issue but it is not that the branch never cared (and it annoys me when people say that!!!)

Who ever takes stray dogs has to hold the council license therefore they were not allowed to unless the inspectors were involved. On top of that the kennels were always running to full capacity, when a space arrives it gets filled and with an overflowing waiting list of public animals to go there (who also complain about sheffield not caring) and inspectors with urgent admissions there are just not enough spaces to fit in any more. Any animal rescue always does its best and having worked full time in one for the last 13 years, I find it really frustrating when people criticise and say we don't care when we do.

I work full time, homecheck, train new volunteers and foster and am currently handrearing a puppy which I am up all night with at the moment as she is ill. Every member of my team works just as hard and we have to work with the hands we are dealt by HQ and public support.

Please don't knock us, I agree get involved and put your ideas in place to change the crap situations we deal with day in and day out. If you have been a member of the RSPCA national for three years not only do you have a say in local matters you can go the the national meetings and get on the main committee. That is where the real change happens. Sorry for ranting - I would love change too.

Can you give us the charity number for sheffield so we can ensure that our donations go to the right place Freebie? :)

Hi guys,

Sheffield RSPCA reg. charity no. 225570

You can also donate to them directly either over the phone or online via PayPal on the Sheffield RSPCA site (rspcasheffield.org) under the Help Us link on the left.

In addition, anyone who would like to damn Sheffield RSPCA with faint praise should get their facts straight - especially when all of this information is readily available to the general public. The issue with council-held animals is down to the council NOT the RSPCA, to say that they don't care is incredibly unfair when their hands are tied by local authority regulations.

Also, for anyone who has been following this thread (or indeed posting here) Sheffield RSPCA and Barnsley RSPCA are separate local RSPCA branches and registered charities - there are no plans to merge these now or in the future.

Hi MrsDiddle :wave:

Welcome to SF Pets :)

Are you an RSPCA bod? just so we know how reliable your info is as compared with other 'information' we've been given ;)

if you are, can you also clarify whether money donated to Sheffield RSPCA is going towards the building of new facilities, or are monty's millions a completley separate fund?


This is all getting WAY too confusing - and I've no idea why Sheffield isn't better informed of what and who the RSPCA are on a local level :confused:

Hi MrsDiddle
Where has someone said that the RSPCA don't care. The way I think this thread is going is that we are trying to GET BEHIND the RSPCA Sheffield. We aren't pulling them down at all. I for one have said how hard it is in ANY rescue and everyone is open for people slating them off.

Everything to do with rescue gets you down. - and everyone will complain no matter what you do.

I am hoping to awaken the people of sheffield to the plight of pets - and I think the best and only way forward for sheffield is to make the RSPCA centre get up and running as soon as possible. My only concern is that the RSPCA didn't used to take dogs when they come out of the stray kennels - whereas we can manage to get strays into some of the other national centres. I was just hoping its something the committee would consider seeing as though they are dogs that are just so in need.

Welcome to the forum - maybe you will be able to stay here and help us move it forward. this is usually a very friendly forum with a positive attitude - so hopefully we will achieve something. We can but try.

However, as my personal passion is the plight of the dogs in council kennels - the local RSPCA don't want to know about them. they wont take the dogs AFTER they have done their 7 day stint in the pound - which i object to.

My apologies, I obviously took this the wrong way and didn't mean to negate your point - Sheffield RSPCA needs all the support it can get the same as any other shelter :thumbsup:

I have worked with and volunteered for a number of local RSPCA branches (gaining the odd extra pet along the way!) as well as other animal charities for nearly 10 years.
Sheffield was the first shelter I got involved with. I have 2 cats & a dog from there and I still foster for them and help with fundraising. I also help support and maintain free animal shelter software (Animal ShelterManager) which was originally conceived, written, tested and sworn at :D with the RSPCA Sheffield staff. I have quite a lot of contact with Sheffield branch so would hope that my info would be fairly accurate but I aint perfect!

The confusion over funding and perceived lack of information at a local level is fairly common in my experience - the Sheffield RSPCA website (rspcasheffield.org) does contain this information but I agree it could be made clearer - sorry Strix, I'm not up to explaining it right now, I'm only up at this ungodly hour because of a very ill kitten girly so my brain's not exactly firing on all cylinders :)

If we came up with a list of FAQs I'm sure Sheffield branch would be happy to address it and perhaps add it to their site.

No problem - as i said - its all horrible in this game.

My main point is awakening people into understanding that council stray dogs - and the RSPCA are not one and the same thing. Everyone thinks stray dogs go into the RSPCA and so they are safe, and I am talking countrywide here. Well the dogs aren't safe and thats what I want to help. I want them to be safe - at least as much as i can.

The trouble is - about 75% of the population just don't care about pets at all - which means the other 25% have to work harder, and only about 5% will, which means its a big burden on that 5%. It doesn't mean it can't be done though.

The trouble is - about 75% of the population just don't care about pets at all - which means the other 25% have to work harder, and only about 5% will, which means its a big burden on that 5%. It doesn't mean it can't be done though.
The biggest problem wrt the awareness you talk about RR, is that even those people who should or could know, choose to ignore the facts (that strays and most likely loved pets) are put to sleep regularly in pounds, not cared for in the rescue centres that they choose to fantasise exist for all homeless animals


Mrs Diddle, would you be interested in attending our little charity assistance group (next meeting 22Feb07) to give a small chat to the group expaining some of the work the local RSPCA do (and a bit about our misconceptions ;) )?

and at the risk of being battered over the head:suspect: ..... can we consider that animals other than just dogs are going through hard times ;)

I think that is the beauty of our group Sooz22 - there is someone in there who cares for the views of so many different types of pets - and hopefully we can all help all different kinds because of that.

I was just trying to clarify my issue with the poundies being different to the RSPCA looking after all pets. Again, i think thats even more of a reason why we need this new RSPCA building up and running NOW.

ps did you get my email about crates? i will pm again if not
rr

Mrs Diddle, would you be interested in attending our little charity assistance group (next meeting 22Feb07) to give a small chat to the group expaining some of the work the local RSPCA do (and a bit about our misconceptions ;) )?

Thanks for the invitation Strix, however as I'm not actually an RSPCA employee I don't really feel qualified to do this - I'm sure you guys would have questions I couldn't answer!
I have advised Sheffield branch of this forum and your AGM and hopefully someone better placed will be able to help - they also told me that they're already working on an FAQ section for their website to hopefully make things a lot clearer.

Have a good meeting guys! I can't make this one but maybe next time. . .

thanks Mrs Diddle for coming back - however, its not an AGM and its really nothing formal. You are more than welcome to come along just as yourself - ie - nothing asked/ or expected from an RSPCA point of view.

we are just a few people from the area who are trying to make a difference to animal welfare. So - anyone and everyone is welcome - whether to bring ideas that haven't been thought of before, or who can actually do something and put something in place - well anything really. Evenif its just to meet a new snake or 2?

you are more than welcome as is anyone else - from a group or not
rr

You're more than welcome to come along just to meet the rest of the group Mrs Diddle :)

if you want to tell us a little about what you do for animals, that's fine too. There may be somebody else in the group who would like todo something similar but doesn't know how to go about it ;)

Sorry, although I do give the RSPCA money sometimes and I'm glad they're there to look after some animals, I've heard too many stories about them not helping for really obscure reasons. Most of my money goes to the Dogs Trust and Cats Protection and other assorted smaller animal charities.

Hi Everyone

I work for the RSPCA Sheffield Branch so I'm hoping I can clarify a few points for you.
The new Centre is a Sheffield centre and nothing to do with Barnsley - because Barnsley doesn't have a shelter however, we will try and support them when we relocate, as we always have done.

We were served with the Compulsory Purchase Order from the council in 2003 - since that time, we have been looking for a suitable site and the committee visited over 100 possible sites - for various reasons these weren't suitable but we finally managed to find the site in Attercliffe - our new premises have to be somewhere with good transport links as a lot of our customers don't have their own transport so this site is ideally placed. Planning permission then took forever - we were only granted this in September 2005 - we couldn't launch an appeal until we had this because fundraising without this would be misleading.

Monty's Magic Million Appeal was initially run through the National RSPCA, as part of a pilot fundraising scheme - essentially this meant the services of a professional fundraiser. Although all monies were at this point sent to Leeds Regional HQ, the funds all come to us. After a year however we reviewed the appeal and it was decided that it would come back under Branch control, so we are now in the process of recruiting our own fundraiser - all funds raised by the MMM Appeal have now been received by us, so if you have made a donation to the appeal, please rest assured that it will definitely be going towards the building of the new centre.

Someone mentioned that we have known about the relocation for 10 years - I think this may be confused with the fact that, prior to being served the CPO in 2003, the Branch was planning a rebuild appeal, but for Spring Street - anyone that has visited Spring Street will know how outdated it is, having been here since 1913!!!

With regards to membership, anyone is welcome to join, although you cannot become a committee member for the first 3 years after joining - committee meetings aren't public either, although as a member, you can attend our annual AGM (normally around June each year) - I would obviously encourage anyone to get involved - HQ manages all membership queries, but it's important to note that you have to state that you want to be affiliated to a certain Branch - if you don't, you become a member of the National Society and your membership fee wouldn't come to Sheffield.

I hope that clarifies some points raised - if anyone has any other questions or concerns, please give us a call.

katdog Thanks for the update - would you be interested in coming to our next meeting in Sheffield on the 22nd?

Hi guys I have been ill over the last few days but better now I have had some feedback from the actual council animal welfare and here it is.

I'd be interested in feeding into your group but we always struggle to attend in person. Perhaps you could send me an agenda and I'll have a look to see if it's something we could support. More likely, you may wish to send me some questions which I could answer to give you more info on our duties and activities.

We would be very interested in any routes you know (that we don't use already!) for rehoming dogs.

Dont know what you guys want to make of that it reads quite poorly to me or am I being cynical.

Dont know what you guys want to make of that it reads quite poorly to me or am I being cynical.


I think you are being a little cynical. 2 things - maybe they are genuinly busy or they could be a little bit cautious in coming to a meeting full of strangers.
Send the questions & see what happens. It could be good.

katdog Thanks for the update - would you be interested in coming to our next meeting in Sheffield on the 22nd?

Really sorry can't do this one cos my calendar's full for Thursday day and evening, but please let me know when your next one will be and I'll get it in my calendar ASAP

Really sorry can't do this one cos my calendar's full for Thursday day and evening, but please let me know when your next one will be and I'll get it in my calendar ASAP

Katdog thats brilliant - i suspect our next one will be in 2 weeks, but I will check. Thanks for agreeing to come !

Hi Katdog - nice to have you on the forum. Thanks for clarifying how it operates and the starting of the fund raising. How far on are you towards the goal and what is that new potential open date for Phase 1?

I know its a massive project - but it is so massively needed.

What sort of fundraiser are you now looking for?
Do you think the RSPCA would ever look at taking in the sheffield dogs once released from council ownership after their 7 days stint. Any idea whats happening to them at the moment?

I know that there are just too many dogs around and without you guys operating - Sheffield is going down hill fast. Plus, so are the surrounding areas - cos they are being dumped on without you there as well.

I think it would be great if you could come along - its nothing heavy. We are all brand new at this - and want to see if there is any more that a bunch of animal welfare bods can do to help the fate of pets around here.

CV - re your council statement - we want to encourage them to work with us in the future if we can. The problem of strays is huge and they do need all the help they can get. Maybe advertising the dogs to the public is what should be happening now - another thread springs to mind???

Hi guys I have been ill over the last few days but better now I have had some feedback from the actual council animal welfare and here it is.
I'd be interested in feeding into your group but we always struggle to attend in person. Perhaps you could send me an agenda and I'll have a look to see if it's something we could support. More likely, you may wish to send me some questions which I could answer to give you more info on our duties and activities.

We would be very interested in any routes you know (that we don't use already!) for rehoming dogs.

Dont know what you guys want to make of that it reads quite poorly to me or am I being cynical.
Nope - that reads fine to me :)

can I respond to it? :thumbsup: I'll do it via PM if you say yes :)

these are the people we need to get on board here, and I can understand any of them being reluctant to meet a group of intense animal lovers such as ourselves, without first getting a feel for what we are up to and if we are more can rattlers than people of action who can make a difference


CV - is this a response from the city council or some part of the RSPCA?

Should I be moving this into our meet thread?

Nice to see a representative of the local RSPCA with us :)

Hi Kat :wave:

we only had our very first meet a couple of weeks ago, and the plan is to have one more or less every two weeks

You can have a look at how things are shaping up by looking at any thread beginning SF AWG - the search facility will find it easiest if you feed it 'awg' and limit the search to the pets group - else you'll get lots of computer threads coming up ;)

A lot more questions!!! Here goes!!

After a very recent discussion (last night!!) we have decided that I will move into the role of fundraiser for the capital appeal (not my normal job) as we have struggled to find someone with the right experience. This basically just means a reshuffle for us here at the Branch.

The appeal has raised thus far around £160,000 giving us a deficit of £800,000!!! We plan to focus on corporate fundraising but one of my colleagues will also be pushing the community fundraising angle so any help/ideas for events in this area would be greatly appreciated.
Whilst we don't want to take on the stray dog contract at the new Centre, we will absolutely be working closely with the dog wardens, taking the dogs which face euthanasia - this is something we have already discussed at length and are committed to doing.

The response regarding attending your meetings was definitely not from us - however, I hold regular meetings with the Sheffield dog wardens as they are currently using our kennel space at Spring Street - at our next meeting, I will endeavour to get a representative from there to come - I agree, your support could really help them - they are at capacity at the moment and any help we can give them can only make a positive difference.

Please remember that from April last year, they had a huge change in that they moved from paying a kennel facility to look after the strays, to managing the whole operation themselves, so it's been a massive learning curve for them. Couple that up with us being closed and you can see how difficult it has been for them. We have supported them closely with rehoming opportunities (using some of our own contacts) but we can always do more.
Looking forward to meeting you all!!