How are Rescues monitored?

[roninnorfolk]

I'm just wondering how are rescue centres for any animals monitored or controlled?
I'm not knocking any one as my chaps are all rescue and i'm fostering at the mo!
But seeing post about small indoor hutches advertised froma rescue makes me worried about how easy is it to set up and who says you can't?

 

[summerleaze]

As far as I am aware there is no monitoring, anyone can set up a rescue.

If you board animals it has to be licensed by your local authority and obviously if you have a large rescue open to the public then again it has to have all the usual permission from them too. I think though they are more concerned with Health & Safety for visitors though than the welfare of the animals.

Sadly we are seriously lacking as far as I can see, it's down to individuals to report concerns to either the LA or to the RSPCA. What happens after that seems very random and varies from one area to another. Unfortunately by the time concerns are expressed it is often too late for the suffering animals. And as we all know it can just take forever to get any real action.

I did a home visit last week to a home that had originally had 3 sows and were looking for another "third" as one had recently died. The hutch was only 3' x 2', I declined the home on account of the hutch being too small and was told that the original 3 had come from a guinea pig rescue in London AND they had given them the hutch too. As the hutch had come from the rescue they assumed it to be satisfactory > >

So in answer to your question how are they monitored, well I'm afraid they aren't monitored at all. I run a small rescue from my own home and don't suppose anyone "in authority" even knows I exist !

 

[sgprescue]

There was talk at one time about rescues being licensed when the animal welfare act was brought in but sadly this still hasnt come to anything. I have seen some awful rescues (lots of good ones too though O0) in the last few years and the attitude of the people that run them makes me ask why they are doing it in the first place ? My local council knows about us and lets us continue as a rescue, although having said that it was only because of complaints from the neighbours (noise from our birds : that the council even bothered to visit or find out about us in the first place. There should definatly be tighter regulations for rescues as I dont think everyone is cut out for it.

 

[Deleted member 1169]

I know i was also shocked at how i found them hutches belonged to a rescue :o :o :o I cant believe anyone can just be a rescue :-\

 

[roninnorfolk]

so is thier a specific Guinea pig charity that can set a standard or some sort of affiliated something or other that Rescues have to go by to be an official rescue?

 

[sokel]

There is no control on who sets up a rescue but to set up a good self funded rescue takes a lot of money.
I have spent over £400 on chinchilla cages and i have spent £250 on hutches for the piggies and i am planning on getting a new shed and firring it out with fitted hutches.
Most rescues that are advertising cages are advertising cages that animals came in with.belive it or not but i have 7 indoor cages that are now in my loft as when the piggies came in i upgraded them to bigger hutches so the smaller ones are not used.

 

[summerleaze]

so is thier a specific Guinea pig charity that can set a standard or some sort of affiliated something or other that Rescues have to go by to be an official rescue?

I don't think there is such a thing as an "official rescue" they are just rescues, run entirely differently by different people up and down the country. There is no official body operating a code of practice, it is all down to an individuals and their own beliefs and standards.

I am very fortunate that I am self funded, simply doing it for the love of animals but have spent many hundreds of pounds having hutches made for me, vet trips, food, bedding etc. I have my own standards and any one who knows me knows that I am extremely fussy, and very very piccy about homes but that is more to do with me than any guidelines.

The National Cavy Club appears to be wholly there for the benefit of people who show, collect or breed guinea pigs. I sent off for their literature when I joined and it has been consigned to the back of the filing cabinet, I have never referred to it. The word "pet" or "welfare" seems to be offensive to them so no good looking to them for guidance either.

 

[roninnorfolk]

what about the Cambridge Cavy Trust (CCT?) i have heard of are they just information?
(Don't worry Cheryl! i'm just intriged )

 

[daftscotslass]

There was talk at one time about rescues being licensed when the animal welfare act was brought in but sadly this still hasnt come to anything. I have seen some awful rescues (lots of good ones too though O0) in the last few years and the attitude of the people that run them makes me ask why they are doing it in the first place ? My local council knows about us and lets us continue as a rescue, although having said that it was only because of complaints from the neighbours (noise from our birds : that the council even bothered to visit or find out about us in the first place. There should definatly be tighter regulations for rescues as I dont think everyone is cut out for it.

Legislation for animal sanctuaries/rescues is still due to come in as secondary legislation under the Act which means it will (probably) still happen.

Personally I think that if anything was ever going to happen, there should be some sort of legislation in place to regulate breeders as the numbers some have are just ridiculous.

 

[MemberX]

I agree with you DSL. I think anyone wanting to start a rescue has their heart in the right place. I wouldn't say I like the word monitored but rather support would be better. I would like breeders to be regulated and pet shops to stop selling animals, never happen of course but pet shops could survive with just selling supplies and I for one would feel better about shopping in them if there were no animals on offer!

Louise

 

[roninnorfolk]

I agree with you DSL. I think anyone wanting to start a rescue has their heart in the right place. I wouldn't say I like the word monitored but rather support would be better. I would like breeders to be regulated and pet shops to stop selling animals, never happen of course but pet shops could survive with just selling supplies and I for one would feel better about shopping in them if there were no animals on offer!

Louise

Totally agree was at P@H yesterday always worry about the animals their. But they have a good supply of food and things especially for spoiling dogs!