Does anyone know if the new site has been completed yet? I would love to get up there n visit.

Yes I have heard it has been open a few months now - we are hoping they are going to start and help with the 68 Sheffield strays bursting out in the council lost and stray kennels soon. Don't know how many dogs they have in though - i have heard not many.

At least the new Sheffield RSPCA should be able to relieve the pressure from us smaller rescues - and having to move our strays all over the country to other rescues. This fantastic new centre will really help in the rehoming of them and so limit any having to be destroyed cos of no room.

I haven't seen any advertising saying anything about it though.

Thanks for that.
May have to pay them a visit tommorow and see whats going on over there.

Yes I have heard it has been open a few months now - we are hoping they are going to start and help with the 68 Sheffield strays bursting out in the council lost and stray kennels soon.

At least the new Sheffield RSPCA should be able to relieve the pressure from us smaller rescues.

:hihi::hihi: Sorry, but i don't have the faith in the RSPCA that you seem to have.

I have to have faith.

I believe that the dogs at the Sheffield Lost and Stray kennels are found in the city - The Sheffield RSPCA is funded by the people of sheffield - so surely the two should be working together to help ease the problem.

This week i have moved 10 dogs to other areas - that should have been able to be helped locally. Spent hoursa organising and raised the money to pay for the fuel. Maybe once the 2 are working together - I won't have to do so many.

I have to be hopeful

I have to have faith.

I believe that the dogs at the Sheffield Lost and Stray kennels are found in the city - The Sheffield RSPCA is funded by the people of sheffield - so surely the two should be working together to help ease the problem.

This week i have moved 10 dogs to other areas - that should have been able to be helped locally. Spent hoursa organising and raised the money to pay for the fuel. Maybe once the 2 are working together - I won't have to do so many.

I have to be hopeful

and I believe the RSPCA have long since lived on passed glories. They are by far the most recogniseable of all animal welfare organisations in this country yet seem to spend more and more time taking a back seat until the time suits them to become involved, size has granted them the opportunity to pick and choose and their recent failures in court have left their methods open to question. I hope for your sake that some kind of unification can be found to relieve the growing pressure.

There was an open day at the new building today. Unfortunately I was unable to go due to illness. The Kennels and cattery are open but the small animal wing isn't built yet.

there is a tour on the 14th of feb if u phone up they will be able to get more info i got a letter but i dunno wher it is as i just boxed up my living room.

That is an interesting point rain, you would have thought that one of the main goals of the sheffield RSPCA would be to support the lost and stray kennels and try and prevent animals from being needlessly put to sleep.

Without the tireless work of the kennel staff and local rescues so many dogs would not be alive today.

I wonder what the RSPCA would have to say about the current situation.

The RSPCA attempt to reduce the number of strays using alternative initiatives such as microchipping and responsible dog ownership. These methods will work so long as backstreet breeders recognise the error of their ways and close shop, for as long as their are new dogs coming onto the scene microchipping counts for nothing.

I totally agree - there has to be a long term strategy to fight this influx of over breeding. However, any responsible organisation that is receiving money from the public - also has to combat the problems of today.

If people saw the faces of the dogs that were at the top of the list to be destroyed - and knew that they could help - but turned away - i'm sorry - but that isn't animal welfare.

When the general public donate their money - they are donating to help the abused and abandoned pets - usually of their own city. I would say that the majority of donations that come from any city - and I know a lot go astray into the 'National bin' and therefore dont' hit the local Sheffield RSPCA - but some of them do.

Dogs that are handed over and given into rescue centres come in with a health record and a report from the owner about their temprament/age/history and likes and dislikes - these dogs are MUCH easier to rehome than a lost or stray dog.

We are talking here of lost and strays - that need the help of ALL the people of sheffield - whether its the general public - or - the new RSPCA centre - which has been funded by the general public and local business.

These pets need help from every single one of you - we can all turn a blind eye.

I understand that you are not aiming your comments at anyone directly but rest assured my eyes are far from blind to what's going on with regard to dogs and the treatment they receive. I just cannot see an end to the problem all the time there is a refusal by or from councils/government to legislate.

Rescue centres as i'm sure you'll appreciate merely mop up. The fact that they do this for no gain eleviates authorities from spending time and money from doing the same. If I could sit an watch others do my work I would. I know the work that is done is essential but why is it. There has to be a point where it is no longer reasonable to expect sanctuaries to continue soaking up the pressure simply because no-one has the balls to introduce a scheme that penalises the scum that add weight to a problem already overloading most if not all rescue centres up and down the country. Forget the RSPCA their interests lie elsewhere; some would say lining their pockets whilst portraying an air of caring.
Until the issue is tackled at source the problem can only increase.
Sheffield should be shamed into doing something. The city should be covered with posters advertising the amount of dogs wasting away behind bars and locked doors in the hope that someone will rescue them.

How many people drive by animal rescues on a daily basis unaware of the misery inside, unaware of the joy waiting to come out, unaware that there own indifference accounts for the death of hundreds each year?
How many care yet do nothing?

apparntley the rspca have a huge waiting list for handovers...however iv also heard that they have very little dogs in compared to the sheffield pound that is catering for 60 odd dogs at this moment in time! :O

Personally, i think the RSPCA should get involved with helping the pound and other rescues. The don't know the stats but i should imagine that th majority of sheffield public sponser RSPCA as it is the most well known and most advertised charity that deals with animals. But do people that are sponsering them actually realise they have nothing to do with the stray, lost and found dogs of sheffield, that are homeless and have no secure loving home which they deserve? Don't know if i am right in saying that but as far as i know, they havent really helped a great deal with rescues that help dramitically with the dogs in pounds.

If a report of an injured fox is sent to the RSPCA, they help straight away knowing that no one else can help. However if it is a dog, they take their time and try and pass it onto the authorities before doing anything about it themselves, taking every step to makesure the dog is not a stray then they can class it as abandonment and deal with it. Who's to say a stray dog, that's not tied up anywhere, isn't abandoned and been thrown out on the streets or tied up somewhere and some how, the dog has managed to get away? The authorities still deal with that and i know from past experience that dogs have ended up in the stray kennels when being found tied to trees/lamposts etc, with all their belongings sometimes, and in one case, its medication. But as soon as someone brings the dog to stray kennels, through either not knowing exactly what to do with the dog or not been able to get through to relivant services at the time (RSPCA), the RSPCA will have nothing more to do with the dog.

Rescues, pounds and RSPCA should really work together for the animals sake. That way i think a lot of over flowing problems that have occured over the years, could be eased. Its never going to be resolved due to the amount irresponsible people that breed dogs an don't give a monkeys as to what hands the dogs end up in and what kind of life the dog will live.

I have just posted this on the other thread about the RSPCA and pounds.

I have emailed the RSPCA to ask about the provision for supporting the pound. Bascially they do not have enough staffing to take dogs out of the pound as they would need to barrier care for them due to problems they incurred when they last took dogs from the pound. The inspectors also have priority over the kennelling for cruelty cases and dogs they take in, so the pound seem to come way down the list. However the person did try to assure me that when the could help they would.

I find this somewhat unsatisfactory afterall isn't the Sheffield RSPCA supposed to care for the dogs of Sheffield and surely dogs that have been straying or abandoned must come high up on that list, particulalry if they are at risk of PTS.
I am ashamed that so many of our dogs are shipped round the country and cared for in rescues as we do not have anywhere for them. All the money that the people of Sheffield raised and put towards it and the lost and found of the city are having no benefit from it!!

That's odd because if you chat to the council about this it seems that the problem the RSPCA incurred did not originate from the kennels. Someone isn't telling the truth.

I find this somewhat unsatisfactory afterall isn't the Sheffield RSPCA supposed to care for the dogs of Sheffield and surely dogs that have been straying or abandoned must come high up on that list, particulalry if they are at risk of PTS.


Are we really that niaive to believe that the RSPCA do not put animals to sleep?

Are we really that niaive to believe that the RSPCA do not put animals to sleep?

I know i'm not. Of course they do most likely on a higher average than other rescues and even pounds. Who knows?

That's odd because if you chat to the council about this it seems that the problem the RSPCA incurred did not originate from the kennels. Someone isn't telling the truth.

That is not what the RSPCA say, although they do not directly blame the pound as the cause it is more intimated.

Are we really that niaive to believe that the RSPCA do not put animals to sleep?

I am not saying i am although I would like to know the stats

It's merely a possibility then. Perhaps they should 'intimate' this rather than infer that the kennels were responsible. Either way I agree that they have or should have a greater sense of duty to the strays of Sheffield but it is widely known that their purpose steers them in other directions, quite what they are is an unknown but it would seem they hold a greater importance.

I am not saying i am although I would like to know the stats

So would I Adz and I'm trying to find out..

Thing is the destruction figures are not a true figure to go by.
Its the same as with the Dogs Trust - they only now take in 'assessed dogs' therefore, they never put a healthy dog to sleep. So, if you take in nice dogs - you have no need to put healthy dogs down do you.

Its places that take in ALL dogs, do proper assessment and behavioural work with them - and then make a decision what to do with them - they are the ones that should be receive the donations - cos its them thats taking all the flack.

At the time the RSPCA opened and took in 6 dogs from SCC - we also took in 4. All 4 of them had terrible terrible runs. I had them in an isolation kennels because I was lucky and i paid for it via RAIN. It was really difficult. We all had to be careful not to get it onto anything else, and we managed it. It cost RAIN - a very tiny rescue about £700 in vet fees, because i had to have the vet come out a few times, and i eventually got a couple into foster when it seemed it had settled down, only for it to start again, and vet fees triggered off again. However, its what we do. Thats what we do.

I phoned the council and I asked them to ensure their cleaning facilties were better. Use proper animal disinfectant - and use enough of it. HOpefully - i think that they are doing now.

But thats not a reason to shut the RSPCA down? Its not a reason I wouldn't take any more from them - it happens - ensure it doesn't happen again.

So - I don't think their destruction figures will be that high really - they haven't taken in for 2 years that I know of - except for a few in foster homes, and they are now just taking in hand ins from the public. In saying that - someone on the forum tonight asked if they could take their dog in earlier, and I believe were turned away - so maybe all the kennels are now full?

Can't someone find out the truth here?

There's an open day coming up!

------

The other problem with records of animals destroyed is that neither the RSPCA or Dogs Trust are required to keep them or make it public knowledge.
There is a growing number of complaints against them regarding their treatment of animals and their pick and choose attitude as to which they will rescue and which they will not; it's no secret they are not concerned with strays.

lets go shall we!!!!

If you are both interested in the happenings and views of dogs - check out the poll in the sheffield discussion section.

It shows what people believe happens in the city.

I dont have much good to say about the RSPCA, as they wouldn't take in a young dog that I found on Tuesday, my friend and I walked all the way from Gleadless to the sheffield spring street dog pound to find there was no-one there, they should have been till 9.30pm, they advised us to bring him down as they couldn't get to us, so we decided to walk back to the sheffield animal centre (was know as the RSPCA) to be told that because the dog was not injured in anyway they couldn't take him in. So hows that animal welfare!!!!!!!!!

I am sure it would have been nice if they could have helped you for the night, but they are not allowed to take in strays - which is what the dog actually was. I know many smaller rescues do help out if they can with holding a stray overnight or at the weekend if they have kennel space - until the dog can be collected by the dog warden when they are next open.

What we are hoping for is that once the dog has done its mandatory time in the lost and stray kennels - the RSPCA will help that dog find a new home - thats animal welfare.

Rainrescue...what exactly does happen if a dog is taken to the dog pound after hours? is there a time that they stop taking the dogs in?

I believe (and I don't know for certain) that there is someone there until about 10.00pm.
After that - dogs need to be held at the captors home if they can.
Other than that there is nothing - but thats the same in many areas.

Sad though it is.

=Rainrescue;4631532]I am sure it would have been nice if they could have helped you for the night, but they are not allowed to take in strays - which is what the dog actually was.

By definition

What we are hoping for is that once the dog has done its mandatory time in the lost and stray kennels - the RSPCA will help that dog find a new home - thats animal welfare.

If the owner of a dog refuses to feed it therefore causing uneccessary distress and suffering does that not constitute abuse under the Animal Welfare Act?
If that is the case then surely if a dog is found wandering the streets of Sheffield; in some cases underweight or injured, this too must be abuse in which case the RSPCA should take it in or should relieve the burden of shelters and or the pound. Simply denying help because there is no hard evidence of abuse or mistreatment is selective and morally wrong.

In response to all of the questions raised in this discussion, I would like to clarify the following:
When we opened the brand new RSPCA Centre, we took 10 dogs (not 6) from the Animal Wardens – some of these proved to be carrying Campylobacter (a disease transferrable to humans) which meant, as they had already mixed with other dogs at the Centre, we had to close whilst all the dogs were on treatment to protect the public. We have literally in the last few days taken on additional staff which means we can effectively isolate future cases of infection but couldn't at the time.
We do have a committee which gives direction (the criteria for being a committee member is that you have been a member of the RSPCA for a minimum of 5 years) – our two main activities are the rehoming of dogs and cats, and the provision of a Welfare Clinic which offers neutering and vaccinations to the animals of pet owners on a low income.
The Sheffield Branch is not funded by the National RSPCA.
The Inspectorate bring animals in to the Centre but these are only ever animals that are at risk which places them as very high priority – these animals are in potentially dangerous situations – what higher priority can there be? Would people prefer us to rescue animals that are in danger of being killed by their owners or ones that risk being put to sleep humanely – you can see the dilemma.
Yes there are many instances of animal cruelty in Sheffield – South Yorkshire is one of the worst areas of the country for animal cruelty. Prosecution case animals need to stay in the Centre long-term whilst the case goes through court, therefore tying up a kennel or cat pen for months.
The Inspectors are under the National Society based at Horsham but their work is rescuing animals in Sheffield so we are helping local dogs and cats at risk.
The Sheffield RSPCA has been closed for 3 years not 2 so clearly things have become worse for animals in the meantime, particularly dogs – the Branch continued to take in cats and placed them in foster homes (we normally had around 90 cats in foster homes at any one time).
We do not hold kennels for the Inspectors – if there is a space we will help them, if there isn't, we can't.
We are not licensed for 60+ dogs, we are licensed for 50. Currently, 16 kennels are filled with dogs brought to us by Inspectors, the rest are handovers from the public which were classified as urgent priority because of their circumstances.
We do not refuse point blank to assist with stray dogs, we help when we can – we have NEVER said we will not help – please don't make huge assumptions based on others' opinions.
By all means we would welcome questions from the people of Sheffield – better that than making massive assumptions about what we do or don't do with no actual facts being established.
We are full to our licensed capacity currently - “I've heard they don't have many in” frustrates me as without coming to see for yourself, how can you know?
Prevention is better than cure and that is why we run the neutering clinic - helping to cut down the numbers of strays through a proactive approach will have a positive impact further down the line.
Dogs that are handed over by members of the public may have a history and health record but that doesn't make them easier to rehome – they often come because of severe behavioural or health problems which makes their chances of rehoming that much more difficult.
We don't have a huge waiting list for dogs, it's is becoming more manageable because we are doing something about it!!
The Sheffield Branch doesn't respond to calls abut wildlife at all, it's not our area – this is done by the Inspectors.
I can't compare our PTS figures with other rescues but we only EVER put an animal to sleep on veterinary advice or because it has been proven beyond doubt that the animal is too aggressive to rehome safely. Stats are irrelevant to us as the policy is strictly adhered to and I find the intimation that we have higher PTS rates than other rescue centre offensive (as well as bordering on slanderous frankly).
No-one has to wait for an open day to visit the Centre – we're open every afternoon except Wednesdays – strange that you haven't already been, given the obvious strength of feeling.

Katdog - what needs to happen for the other kennels to become functional - and what is the criteria for more of them being licenced?

A straightforward answer - more staff!!! Because we've been so low-key over the past 3 years or so with the Centre closed, funding is nothing like what it was when we were fully operational at Spring Street - we couldn't take on all the staff we needed immediately simply because we couldn't afford the wages bill. Now we are starting to generate income again through adoptions, sales etc., we should be in a position to take on more staff really soon. Once the National Society is satisfied that we can cope (staff:animal ratio) we can fill the rest of the kennels.

so what will you be looking for in kennel staff?

I'm wondering if there's anybody here who may be interested/suitable

We've been lucky so far in that all our current staff have had really good animal care experience - because of this any further staff don't necessarily need to have extensive experience because they will be well supported by the existing staff. I will be looking for people dedicated to the cause with a positive (but measured) attitude.

Thanks Katdog :thumbsup: