RSPCA Accused of Cover Up in Death of Vet’s Dog Who Died in a Hot Car
Published on July 5, 2009 by K9 Magazine News Editor · 3 CommentsThe ever watchful Daniel Foggo has reported in today’s Sunday Times on accusations that the RSPCA were ‘too lenient’ in dealing with the case of a vet who’s dog died after being left in a hot car.The RCVS are also under fire as accusations abound that both organisations covered up the incident.
Foggo writes:
Gough’s two labradors, Heidi and Rory, had to be given emergency treatment after they were rescued from the vet’s car in May 2007. Rory, a nine-month-old male, could not be saved.
At the time Damien Bush, Gough’s business partner and fellow vet, urged his colleague to report the incident to the RSPCA and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), which can discipline members for acts of misconduct.
Bush was surprised by the approach taken by both bodies. “An RSPCA official said to me, ‘If he comes to us and expresses remorse, then he may get off with a caution. To be honest, we don’t want to be seen to be going after vets because we rely on vets for goodwill’,” he said. “[Gough] then reported it to the RSPCA, which conducted a very discreet investigation. He was cautioned and it was all forgotten about,” added Bush, who fell out with Gough over the case. Gough has since moved to another practice.
The RCVS took no action against Gough because it decided that he had done nothing wrong.
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Tags: Animal Charities, Animal Cruelty, rspca
Cases like this, their outcome and comments such as “To be honest, we don’t want to be seen to be going after vets because we rely on vets for goodwill’, and ” “I am sure this isn’t the first incident and it won’t be the last,” made by rspca personell highlight that they are not the body that should be enforcing animal welfare laws.
An independent body such as the CPS should assess every case and then, where relevant prosecuted by the legal system and not by a private prosecution from the rspca. The rspca seem to have no structure in regard to prosecutions as has been seen from Phoebe the dog kicked to death, the case mentioned above through to the bizzarre when they persued a police Officer to the limit when he acted in what he thought was the best interest when he killed a badly injured cat, hence stopping its` suffering.
The Government seem all too eager to pass all responsibility and costs into the private sector but with the case of the rspca it is not working.
To be quite honest the dogs belonging to a vet left in a car on a hot day doesnot surprise me I have had a lot of dealings with vets some good some very bad and only care about the money and not the animal. I think it is a disgrace as this dog would have suffered an horendous death and in my opinion that is cruelty and the vet in question should have had a very heAVY FINE and served a prison sentence just because it is a vet does not mean they should get off. Same with the policeman who left two dogs to die in a car it’s an absolute disgrace had that been a person say like me who had done that well they would have been down on them like a ton of bricks I even worry about my dogs when I have to leave them in the house on a hot day and my rabbits guinea pigs and chickens have garden umbrellas in their runs so they can get some shade. If you have an animal look after it or don’t have any. Time the law was changed so people get dealt with very severely for cruelty to animals.
if anyone would know of the dangers of leaving a dog in a hot it should be a vet!vhe should have know better. they shouldn’t have let him get away with it that easily just because he’s a vet.