Animal Welfare Act

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jillybean
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

Jillybean

My local petshop had a load of RSPCA leaflets on its counter. For anyone who hasn't seen them, it says, roughly:

Did you know ... the law that protects pets is changing? If you keep pets, or are thinking of getting a pet, you will have a legal responsibility to meet their welfare needs. These include: A proper diet (including water); somewhere suitable to live; any need to be housed with, or apart from, other animals; allowing animals to express normal behaviour; protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease.

The penalty for failing to care for a pet could be a fiine or even a prison sentence. [/color] There's a website address ; www.rspca.org.uk/petcare & advice phone no. 0870 33 35 999 (BT calls max 8p per min; costs from mobiles etc vary).


There is a picture of a cat and dog on the front, think it would have been good to include smaller animals too but still, a step in the right direction, hopefully ...
 
Sorry, didn't word it very well. I meant they should have included a picture of smaller animals too so that everyone knows it's not just cats & dogs.
 
Well, from some of the very sad tales Amanda at RSPCA Medway was telling me, I really hope it makes a difference - but we shall see.
 
Its an excellent thing.

It has to be enforced though...
 
The RSPCA leaflet is very good basic info. I think its going to mean a lot more unwanted animals but hopefully will educate those who are just starting to buy animals. Unfortunately its so easy to buy them and get overrun. Hopefully Inspectors will be able to get the animals sooner, that will mean more in rescue though and the need to promote rescue guineas (cos we don't do that already do we?!)

Wait and see job ::)
 
The main thing is that it's against the law not to act when your pet is sick. Under current laws and the new ones you can be prosecuted for cruelty if you don't get a pet the medical care it needs when it's ill. This includes treating yourself or getting a non-veterinary professional to treat when an animal is seriously ill.

The law came into force last year in Scotland and to be honest I really don't think anything has changed.
 
I think it will only make a difference when people are reported to the RSPCA. Its incredibly long and I need to really go through it.Animal Act Have a look at this.
 
:) I think the finer points of pet shops are still being reviewed/looked at.
 
With regards to pet shops the RSPCA/SSPCA have less clout than local authorities - they are the ones that issue the licences for the shops to trade.
 
:) Phone the council; and ask for Environmental Health (UK). :)
boureki said:
http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Sat...lAnimalsCare&marker=1&articleId=1154077755508

Quote:

''Companionship - to be with other guinea pigs. The widespread practice of keeping guinea pigs and rabbits together is not recommended. ''

I think I may print this web page out and take a couple of copies up to the local pets at home store.
Click to expand...

This is good and they have been recommending Buns and Guins be kept seperately since 2002 but its not law and even some branches of the RSPCA still rehome the two together, in what they call 'exceptional circumstances'.
 
Hopefully the act might help stop some owners who prefer to tinker on at home treating their guinea pigs rather than pay vet bills?

Obviously a lot of minor health problems can be dealt with by owners, but I've read some awful posts (not here thankfully) where guineas have been passed on to others to treat :'(

Barbara
 
cavykind said:
Hopefully the act might help stop some owners who prefer to tinker on at home treating their guinea pigs rather than pay vet bills?

Obviously a lot of minor health problems can be dealt with by owners, but I've read some awful posts (not here thankfully) where guineas have been passed on to others to treat :'(

Barbara
Click to expand...

Under the act, if an owner has been found to have done this to the detriment of the animals' health, they can be prosecuted for cruelty.
 
looks like a fine line between us more knowledgable owners who have self medicated for years and people like Vedra and peter Gurney who find ways of succesfully treating their pigs and people who just try anything, think i'll just carry on as usual as my vet knows about me and my pigs anyway and he knows i see him if in any doubts , think most of you in same boat would do the same, vet bills have never been a reason for me negelcting my animals, I'd rather go with out then them go with out treatment , if I thought i couldn't see a vet then I wouldn't have so many pigs, my family are animal mad and if for any reason I couldn't afford bills they would most certainly step in, obvioulsy we are not all so lucky,

so how about a fund for people who need vet treatment who cant afford it maybe make some funds available by raffles and auctions and just plain donations, say for instance like the calenders next year ( please) add another £2 on for the fund, I often feel awlful when some one says they cant afford it for some reason or another ,sometimes its people who normally cope but the bill is way out of their abilitys to pay, what do you think?
 
michellemuffin said:
so how about a fund for people who need vet treatment who cant afford it maybe make some funds available by raffles and auctions and just plain donations, say for instance like the calenders next year ( please) add another £2 on for the fund, I often feel awlful when some one says they cant afford it for some reason or another ,sometimes its people who normally cope but the bill is way out of their abilitys to pay, what do you think?
Click to expand...

Nice idea but my own vet bills are big enough :-\
I also support a couple of chosen charities dear to my heart and take in a few rescues.
I can't see that this would work as surely we all may struggle at times and what makes any one of us more worthy than another?
How would we/could we allocate funds if it went ahead?

There is the PDSA for those in receipt of benefit.

I think that it is up to the individual to save/budget for their animals care :)
But it's a very sweet thought and maybe others might be more willing to consider this. Good luck if you decide to go ahead Michelle :)

Barbara
 
I can always dig deep in my pocket no matter what to help others out when it comes to their pigs, I dont mean anyone who has loads of pigs that neglects them but some one who for instance has to chosse between a big bill to save their pig or them being PTS just becasue they cannot afford it AT THAT TIME, we must have all been there some time, I dont run a rescue but do take in pigs for life, but I do still feel sorry for ones that happens to , and as for charitys I like to know my money goes to what its intended for at least this way I know it would, no ones more worthy then anyone else but the pigs are worth more then anything to me, a commitee of say 4 could deciede whats spent and where,
and not everyone has a PDSA we didn't when we lived in Essex and we still dont now I live on the Isle of wight ,
 
michellemuffin said:
and as for charitys I like to know my money goes to what its intended for at least this way I know it would, no ones more worthy then anyone else but the pigs are worth more then anything to me, a commitee of say 4 could deciede whats spent and where,
Click to expand...

I agree with you wholeheartedly about knowing where your money goes re charity and that is why I primarily support local ones, I can see the money being put to good use to help in my area.

My concern with your lovely idea is that how would you know who is genuine and who isn't? And if you were seen to be helping people you personally new or were "pally" with on this board, that might not look good to the people who donate :-\
I don't think I've come across anything like this before for guinea pigs, though I believe a local animal charity used to do something like this, it was a registered one, so everthing was above board and I'd guess well regulated? I'd still guess that people would be expected to be on low income though who applied :-\

For people faced with unexpected bills, most vets will allow you to pay in installments if it is a big bill or there is always the old credit card ::)
Maybe if you go ahead, it might be "doable" locally? Perhaps you can drum up some enthusiasm among your friends a and get this up and running on your island :)

Again, good luck :D

Barbara
 
I use a credit card myself but the only people who I am concerened with helping are people we get to know on this forum who we know not just anyone who comes on for money or handouts but on occasion some have said they are worried about bills and maybe it would be best to PTS the pig rather then try for lack of money,
not necessary on the Island as our vets are pretty ok but I dont really care if it was anyone I got along with as they are more likely to be telling the truth, and to be honest most of us on the forum know each other and know we can vouch for a lot of them, and a commitee of 4 people would make the decision not just one person.
it was just an idea for those who fall on hard times, but thats me kind hearted to a fault ;)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top