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A recent article in the Ealing Times mentions that Police Community Support Officers (PCSO’s) in the Acton area of London have been speaking to dog owners about keeping their dogs on leads and muzzled.Since when have Staffordshire Bull Terriers needed to be kept on leads AND muzzled?

Has a new law been passed by government and they have not told the rest of us?

Apart from those legally and lawfully prohibited breeds that have to be muzzled, of which the SBT is certainly not one, the only dogs that have to be muzzled in public are those that have a Magistrates Court imposed control order. These dogs can be of any breed or crossbreed, from a Chihuahua to a Great Dane to a ‘Heinz 57′.

The difference is that a recognised legally composed gathering of Magistrates, Legal Advisor and lawyers have listened to evidence, formed an opinion and reached a verdict based on the evidence.

Where has this occurred with PCSO’s simply ’speaking’ to dog owners about their dogs being muzzled, where is the legally imposed requirement here?

By focusing on the SBT, the Metropolitan Police demonstrates the breed specific targeting of a dog that is not on any prohibited list. However in accordance with the law of the land, like all other dogs in the UK the SBT may be subject to any dog control restrictions in designated areas.

If there is a requirement for dogs to be excluded from a specific place, it applies to all dogs and does not mean, all other dogs apart from your own.

If an irresponsible dog owner fails to comply with such an order, then quite rightly they risk enforcement action for failing to comply.

The specific targeting of one breed of dog by PCSO’s appears to show a breed specific slant towards SBT, do the PCSO’s ’speak’ to the owners of other dogs too?

Until such time as the UK becomes a police state and the police instead of upholding the law start making it, would the PCSO’s of Acton please stick to it and remember that the SBT does not have to be muzzled in public.

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A skinny dog with a horrific leg injury was thrown from a moving car and abandoned by the roadside.

A member of the public came to the lurcher’s aid after he saw it ejected through the open door of the vehicle as it travelled at about 20mph along a busy road in Coventry last Monday (28 April).

Staff at the RSPCA’s Coventry Animal Centre took the dog, which has since been named Storm, to a vet who said that he is underweight and he has a painful sore on his rump which is so deep that bone is visible.

Glenn Mayoll, manager of the Coventry RSPCA Animal Centre, said: “It is disgusting that someone could treat a dog like this.

“At first we thought the injury might have been caused by being thrown from the car but a vet said it is an old injury.

“Storm needed to see a vet for the horrific wound he has on his leg. But instead of being treated he was just chucked out of a car and abandoned.

“Perhaps the owners felt that they couldn’t afford to take him to a vet. But the RSPCA and other charities help animals whose owners are hard-up so there’s no excuse for this.

“The wound is awful and is leaving the bone exposed. Storm is not very well at the moment but we are hoping he’ll make a full recovery and we can find him a good home to go to.”

The dog was thrown from a Ford Fiesta near the traffic lights on Longford Road near Longford Park in Coventry on Monday 28 April between 4.15pm and 4.45pm. Anyone with any information can call the RSPCA’s 24-hour Cruelty Line in confidence by calling 0300 1234 999.

RSPCA Inspector Kate Garton said: “I find it amazing that someone had the nerve to do this at rush hour on a main road. We need people to call us to help us find who did this.”

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Fears have been raised today about a trade in stray dogs being sold after it emerged a company charged with the task of reuniting lost dogs with their owners actually sold a much loved family pet forcing a distraught owner to have to fight to gain his own dog back.

Earlier in the year warnings were given that a change in stray dog laws could spell an animal welfare crisis as councils pick up full responsibility for dealing with lost or strayed dogs.

Now it has come to light that a personal disaster has hit home for Adrian McCollin after his Husky, Kiss, ended up being sold by Animal Wardens Ltd, a firm given a local authority contract to deal with strays.

The sorry story gets murkier.

It is reported that Animal Wardens Ltd actually informed desperate Adrian that they had not found his dog at all when it eventually transpired that Kiss had actually been sold onto another family.

K9 Magazine understands that many pet industry professionals had privately expressed great concerns to the local authorities who had contracted out their dog collection responsibilities to Animal Wardens Ltd, to be aware of this type of incident several weeks before Mr McCollin’s upsetting experience.

Mr McCollin is furious and upset and is seeking legal advice after learning that Kiss was sold to a new family after spending 7 days in kennels. The new family is now unwilling to return the dog.

Kiss went missing on April 10th after being taken for a walk on the beach. She ended up in the town centre of Hastings St.Leonard.
Her desperate owner searched high and low for her and reported her missing to the local council immediately. They were directed to speak to Animal Wardens Ltd who had control of the stray dog contract for the local authority.

“We called the service every day and were told ‘nothing of that description has been in whatsoever’, ” said Adrian.

After a week Adrian spent time and money postering in a desperate attempt to be reunited with his much loved companion. Having seen one of the posters, a town hall employee called Adrian to inform him that Kiss was handed in on or around the time that Adrian says she went missing a week earlier. The town hall employee told Adrian that the dog had been passed on to Animal Wardens Ltd.

“Even after calling them and informing them of the date and location of where my dog was picked up, they still denied having any knowledge of a Husky, Adrian explains”

It was after being told of what had happened to Kiss by a town hall official that Adrian confronted Animal Wardens Ltd again, insisting that they DID have his dog as he had been told as much by someone at the town hall. It was at this time that Animal Wardens Ltd admitted that they did indeed have the dog.

A drained and emotional Adrian revealed, “It has been so stressful, I am constantly thinking about it. I haven’t been able to eat or sleep properly.”

Animal Wardens Ltd is run by Paul Dunne. Mr Dunne has admitted his firm made a catalogue of errors, stating that Kiss was unidentified initially and sent to Viking Oaks kennels were strays are routinely taken. He told the Hastings Observer:

“Kiss was rehomed after the statutory seven day period that people have to reclaim dogs had expired. As Kiss is a friendly dog she has settled into her new home with a woman and her two-year-old child very well and, having purchased Kiss she does not want to give her back. We therefore have a stand-off situation that we are trying to resolve. We have offered recompense for the error but neither party wishes to give up rights of ownership to Kiss. As part of that compensation we have offered to purchase a pedigree Husky pup, but unfortunately both owner and keeper are attached to Kiss. This is a one off error that came about through a series of six mistakes, precautions have now been put in place to prevent a reoccurrence.”

A Hastings Council spokesman is quoted: “This is a very unfortunate incident. We know staff at our contractor, Animal Wardens Ltd, are working very hard to resolve this and we hope they will be able to reunite Kiss with her original owners as soon as possible.”

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The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) has re-launched its internationally respected Concepts in Animal Welfare education programme.

Aimed at veterinary students all over the world, the syllabus has already been adopted by over 250 universities in over 30 countries since it was launched five years ago.

The original 2003 version of the ‘Concepts in Animal Welfare syllabus was the result of a long-standing collaboration with the University of Bristol’s School of Veterinary Medicine, one of the world’s first academic institutions to pioneer animal welfare teaching and research.

New developments in animal welfare, such as the importance of environmental enrichment for captive animals, the welfare of fish, and the welfare implications of inadequate and inappropriate food provision have now been added to this important educational tool.

The revised version comprises 34 interactive modules on CD-ROM and encourages inclusion of specific topics within established veterinary syllabuses. It tackles a diverse range of subjects affecting farm and working animals, wildlife, companion animals and those used in experimentation.

The first version of the syllabus has received endorsement from many professional bodies including the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), World Veterinary Association, Commonwealth Veterinary Association, World Small Animal Veterinary Association, and the Federation of European Companion Animal Veterinary Association.

Key figures involved in this higher education programme have commented on the newly revised syllabus:

John Webster, Emeritus Professor of Animal Husbandry at the Bristol Veterinary School, said:

“The syllabus is comprehensive because it gives regard to science as the route to the proper understanding of animals, ethics as the route to proper respect for animals, and professional training as the route to converting right thoughts into right action. A programme of study in animal welfare, involving formal teaching, practical experience and supervised self-education, is as essential to the veterinary curriculum as a programme in pathology or surgery.”

Dr. Michael Appleby, WSPA Policy Adviser, added:

“Growing interest in animal welfare generally, and the specific role veterinarians play at local, national and international level, have shaped policies and legislation worldwide.”

Jasmijn de Boo, WSPA Education Manager, concluded,

“Animal welfare science does not feature prominently in some veterinary curricula. This resource, however, will help students and lecturers to impart knowledge, understanding and responsible attitudes towards animals, by stimulating critical thinking about issues, not only during formal training but throughout their veterinary career.”

The CD ROM has been sent to over 800 faculties and WSPA has organised workshops for over 450 veterinary institutes around the world since 2000.

For review copies of Concepts in Animal Welfare and/or for further information, please contact: Jasmijn de Boo, WSPA Education Manager: 0207 587 5031, jasmijndeboo@wspa-international.org

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Last night’s BBC One Inside Out featured an investigation into controversial animal sanctuary Westlea Rescue Centre.

You can watch the report for 7 days using BBC’s iPlayer (UK only) - CLICK HERE TO WATCH

For years, the Westlea Animal Rescue centre has enjoyed a reputation as a safe haven for abandoned or abused animals in the Wye Valley.

However, Inside Out West has uncovered evidence of financial mismanagement at the heart of the charity and of conditions at the sanctuary itself that are questionable at best.

Stella Harris runs the sanctuary near Coleford, Gloucestershire, with her husband, George.

They have been rescuing animals for more than 30 years and the sanctuary became a registered charity in 1995.

The sanctuary’s fundraising shop in Ross-on-Wye sells goods donated by the public.

Customers are led to believe the money – about £400 to £600 a week - goes straight to the charity.

In fact, none of it is ever declared in the charity’s accounts.

The money goes straight to Stella and George Harris, who keep it in a box at the sanctuary.

Read full report

The BBC’s report goes onto reveal:

Derek Holland, who is the sole trustee overseeing the charity’s finances, says the money (£40,000 left to the centre in a will but not declared in the accounts) was spent on paying off the sanctuary’s debts and on animal pens.

But he admits it was a mistake not to have declared the income.

He says: “I was doing it under pressure. I didn’t want to get an accountant in just for a one-off situation.”

“It appeared on our expenditure list and we have got cheques and invoices to balance it up so no-one has actually not spent it on the charity.”
Trustee resigned

On being confronted with the evidence Mr Holland said he would stand down as the charity’s trustee.

“If I have failed then it’s my responsibility and I have to say ‘right-ho, I give up’,” he said.

Stella and George Harris have decided to take early retirement and close down both the rescue centre and their fundraising shop.

Arrangements are being made to re-home the animals.

The expose raises concerns shared by many in the animal welfare industry that some shelters and rescue centres are run under less than ideal circumstances. Accusations have been made that a minority of animal shelters are under-regulated and act as a ‘legitimate front’ for animal dealerships or animal hoarders.

What do you think?

Should UK animal rescue centres be more accountable and better regulated?

Have your see on this and any other animal welfare issue by joining the Pet Owners Parliament. It’s free and acts as a positive voice for pets and their owners.

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