SCOTTISH SPCA

[Janis]

I HAVE JUST SIGNED UP TO DONATE £3 A MONTH TO THIS CAUSE!

IF ONE LESS BURGER A MONTH FOR ME HELPS A DOG THEN SO BE IT!

EVERY LITTLE HELPS! NOT ALL PUPS ARE AS LUCKY AS OURS!

http://www.scottishspca.org/spca-home.aspx

[Eleanor]

Good for you Janis

I've been doing this for a while now, it's worth it I feel


Eleanor

[Janice]

It was only a few years ago I realised that giving to the RSPCA didn't help in Scotland. The SSPCA is quite separate and it seemed to be in a lot of trouble for a while. I support it because I feel I'd spend so much on my own dog if it needed anything that other animals deserve to be looked after too.
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Janice and Dale

[shirley c]

I donate to the Dogs Trust, have done for years, I do it direct from my wages. This year im adding WSPA the world animal charity, they do a lot of fighting for the mares in the Premarin hormone production and the dancing bears and japenese bear parks, bullfighting and all the other horrible things

[John Thomson]

Sorry to be a bit cynical..........but the top people of RSPCA and SSPCA both earn over £70,000 a year running these 'charities'...........plus this is a part time job for them...so you can only deduce that the first £70,000 collected goes to their wages and not to help animals......then everyone else will be paid and the fancy TV ad,newspaper ads....etc...........leaving not quite so much to help the animals.
Google it to find the info if you want. This is a business not a charity....be aware of what most of your money will spent on.

The wife of an ex customer of mine ran The Scottish Foundation for Kidney research........she drove a new porsche..........nothing wrong with that..........until a tv expose worked out that for every pound they raised for charity 12p went to their cause'.....88p went on 'admin'..........an exellent business to be in!

Do your research and find out where your hard earned cash will go before you part with it.

That is why I think the food collection for Dogs Trust is a good idea rather than hand over money.
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John Thomson
www.cumbernaulddogtraining.co.uk

[Lindy]

I'm a believer in practical help as apposed to money as many of these charity's the moneys goes to staff and not the cause just a John said. I am not a lover of Scottish SSPCA as I have had a bad experience with them and heard first hand story's from friends who volunteered there and they done all the work while the staff done nothing and the dogs did not get walked. However the bottom line is personal choice and if you believe and want to donate to particular charity's well done

[kirsty]

Well pointed out John

sorry to offend those of you who donate but the PCA's are my pet hates.

[Janis]

i take your point on and fully understand where you are coming from john, and probably your very right as i haven't researched it!

however i will continue for the time being and still donate dog food until i change my mind!!

[Mary]

I also donate each month although I nearly cancelled the whole thing. One Friday night about 8.30 a female with an overseas accent called and gave me a load of guff as to how generous I was, how grateful they were and would I like to contribute more!!!! I was furious. I wrote to their head office and received a very apologetic letter telling me it wouldn't happen again -nor has it. It makes me smile to think of exactly what note or signal comes up on my file when they get the urge to ask for more......

I did not cancel it because of the animals - but I will if they cross my line again.
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No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as the dog does - Christopher Morley

[John Thomson]

[Janice]

Regarding your query about the resources used to help animals: I am delighted to provide the following information and am also happy for you to pass this on.

In 2006, the Scottish SPCA spent £9,070,000, of which only £357,000 was spent employing our entire administration team. That's only 3.9% of our entire expenditure, meaning more than £2.88 of the £3 per month most of our members donate is used to help animals (although a case could be made that even our administration team are in their own way 'helping animals'). I am sure you will agree, this is an extremely healthy percentage.

Our administration team is required to support the Scottish SPCA's extensive remit. I feel it is the case that the Society often suffers from unfair comparisons with charities that provide a vital service but essentially only care for animals. I have rehomed two dogs from small animal sanctuaries and will be forever grateful for the care their volunteers gave them.

Caring for animals in our 12 animal welfare centres across Scotland is indeed a major part of our work. Last year we rescued, rehomed and released more than 12,000 animals.

However, as I am sure you are aware, the Scottish SPCA also has a dedicated Inspectorate, with 50 Inspectors supported by 14 Ambulance Drivers and 8 Auxiliary Inspectors. Unlike any other animal welfare organisation in the UK, Scottish SPCA Inspectors are recognised by law as reporters to the Procurator Fiscal, a status earned by 168 years of outstanding animal care and cruelty investigations and one which effective makes our Inspectorate Scotland's animals' emergency service. Last year our Inspectors attended more than 31,500 incidents and conducted more than 9,500 investigations.

As I am also sure you aware, last year a new Animal Health and Welfare Act came into being in Scotland and the Scottish SPCA can be justifiably proud about the role both our Inspectorate and Parliamentary Officer played in working with Scottish Minsiters to ensure modern legistlation that enshrines the rights of animals in law made it through the Scottish Parliament. The Society has also recently been asked to provide evidence to Ministers during their consultation on electric shock collars. Successfully delivering on this remit does, I'm sure you'll appreciate, require a support network. Every effort is made to keep the costs of this network as low as possible.

Regarding further expenditure, the Society's Education Officers run classes and activities in schools and at our animal welfare centres, which are delivered free of charge and provide a vital service by teaching Scotland's youngsters to respect and care for animals. In 2006 alone, we taught over 22,000 pupils. We also work within communities and hold courses for adults.

Our Parliamentary Officer works tirelessly to ensure that animal welfare remains on the political agenda. Our recent campgains include the misuse of airguns and fireworks, snaring and First Strike Scotland, which raises awareness of the links between animal cruelty, domestic violence and the fact that abusing animals early in life is often a precursor to violence towards humans.

The Scottish SPCA does indeed also pay for advertising, which is vital for two specific reasons. Firstly, only by investing in the future and by appealing for new members will the Society be able to continue to care for Scotland's abused and abandoned animals in the years to come.

Secondly, the Scottish SPCA needs to continue to raise awareness of the fact that the RSPCA does not operate in Scotland. The RSPCA's work is restricted to England and Wales and therefore all donations made in Scotland to the RSPCA do not help Scotland's animals. To demonstrate the seriousness of the situation, 66% of Scots asked which organisation they would contact upon discovering an animal in distress answered the RSPCA.

I hope this fully answers your question and puts your mind at rest that your donation is both vital and used to its full potential. I can assure you that the Scottish SPCA's staff work extremely hard to ensure this remains the case.

Many thanks for your support,

Ben


Ben Supple
Scottish SPCA Publications Editor
Braehead Mains
603 Queensferry Road
Edinburgh
EH46EA
0131 339 0222


I asked the SSPCA about their use of donations as i'm aware that some charities do spend a lot on admin. and I thought I'd checked out the proportion spent by the SSPCA before we began to denotate but you never know.... Anyway this is the reply. Everyone has their own experience and i must say ours has been good.
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Janice and Dale

[kirsty]

Entirely respect you have informed views Janice, but I have known of too many incidents where the German Shepherd rescue have asked the PCAs including the SPCA for help where dogs are being kept in appalling conditions and they have refused, I am attempting to attach an example of an article, one of many, that we have had on the gsr site - dont know if it will paste in ok - here goes


nope cant get it to copy. if any one is interested - they can go on to www.germanshepherdrescue.co.uk and go into news and events. There is a link to GSR on the dog training site.

For this reason I just would never give either PCA a penny