Spca Suck Imo

fguihen

Ok, so I found a kitten in the middle of the road outside of my workplace yesterday. He looked ok, but was having a bit of trouble standing at times, and had an infected eye. I live in an appartment with my landlord, and he doesnt like cats( and has a dog) so there was no chance me keeping it, even for the night. I rang directory enquiries and they gave me the number for the SPCA in Ballinteer. It took me about an hour of ringing the emergency line to get through, and the guy did not want the kitten. I told him my choice was give the kitten to him, or put it back where i found it. He gave me 25 minutes to find the place, until 8pm.

We raced from sandyford up trying to find the place, and we were outside the place at 8:05, yet he wouldnt answer his phone!!!!! it was turned off, even though he new we had raced to find him and be there as soon as possible.

Luckiky we got onto a kindly garda, who let us leave the kitten in Dundrum Station overnight and he said he would drop it up tomorrow.

The fact that we told him that if he couldnt take the kitten we had to set it free, and that we travelled quite a distance to meet him and he still just disregarded the whole issue and wouldnt answer the phone has given me a terrible opinion of these guys.

Sure they will help animals out, if its within business hours. Im thinking of ringing into the last word on the radio and complaining about this.

What do you think, honestly?

fits

there are a few rescues that could have helped. www.kittenadoption.ie is a good one.

Rescues are only as good as the people in them, but I wouldnt condemn them all on the basis of one bad experience.

Our man in Havana

Next time hun - contact local rescue groups not the spca! Lots of details on pets Ireland post a message there & some one would have helped.

Demonique

Complain, I would

The SPCA do suck, my friend (who is on Disability Allowance) took her swollen cornsnake to their mobile clinic in carpark of that big cinema near Coolock and was informed 'we only deal with domestic animals'. I informed her 'snakes ARE domestic animals' and she then said that the vet didn't have any experience with reptiles. She wouldn't even let us see the vet (maybe he could have learned something about snakes by looking at Frodo?).

That night we found out about the Blue Cross and then went to their mobile clinic the following night. The vet didn't know much about snakes, but had a look at her away and he said the swelling (which was in almost her whole back half almost to her tail) seems to be comprised of bumps and said that his best deduction was that she was full of eggs.*

The Blue Cross vet, even though he wasn't experienced with them, agreed to at least see the snake whereas the sour-faced bint manning the SPCA clinic refused to even let us see the vet. I wonder who my friend will be seeing if her non-reptile pets take ill? (Certainly not the SPCA).

My advice to the SPCA:

*Send your vet to get some training with reptiles and birds
or
*Replace him with a vet who actually does know about reptiles and birds
or
*Pay for people to see an exotic vet like Bairbre O'Malley (who worked with the RSPCA's Harmsworth Hospital in the UK (if the RSPCA can deal with exotics why can't the DSPCA?)) or John Bainsbridge (he's the vet the zoo uses)

fguihen

Thanks for the info guys.

I really tried to find some local groups, but the only local cat shelter in the area ( cant remember the name at present) was also closed for the evening! I done a search on google, rang a few numbers but kept being directed back to the SPCA.

I know that back home, ( Connaught) there are many shelters, and almost all will take in animals at any time of the day or night. One such shelter took in my dog once when it got spooked by a banger at halloween and ran away. Apparently a local noticed he wasnt a local dog ( he ran quite far!) and brought him to the shelter at 10pm one night. they had no problem taking him in!!

Im sure the SPCA do some good work, but when an emergency number is provided, and the phone stil is not answered, the person holding that phone has to ask themselves why they are doing the job they do. There is no point going into this half arsed.

Im wary of spotting another kitten on my way home from now on, as I couldnt leave it to die, and its quite difficult to get it taken in somewhere!!!

Nala

Demonique wrote:

I informed her 'snakes ARE domestic animals'

No they are not. Snakes are exotics. Not every vet is trained to treat them. Many are only trained for cats, dogs and farm animals. Would you go to a bricklayer to get your walls painted? With your logic, it's manual labour, so it must be all the same????

You seem to prefer a vet that will look at the snake despite the fact they know nothing about them. So if they decided to give it medication that turns out to be harmful to snakes, who would you blame? Would you blame the vet, or would you blame yourself for bringing it to a vet that didn't know how to treat it?

Myself, I would rather bring an animal to a vet that was experienced with that species than complain that a vet that knew nothing about it admitted they would not be able to treat it.

Demonique wrote:

the sour-faced bint manning the SPCA clinic refused to even let us see the vet.

So she wouldn't let you waste the vet's time and possibly harm the snake by bringing it to a vet who didn't know how to treat it properly? God, what a bitch. She could have at least given the vet the chance to <swear word deleted> up!!!

Our man in Havana

Nala banned for 48 hours from attempting to circumvent swear filters. See new sticky for more details.

Leeby

Demonique wrote:

*Pay for people to see an exotic vet like Bairbre O'Malley (who worked with the RSPCA's Harmsworth Hospital in the UK (if the RSPCA can deal with exotics why can't the DSPCA?)) or John Bainsbridge (he's the vet the zoo uses)

What? WHy should the SPCA pay for you to go and see a vet? If your friend can't afford to bring their snake to Bainbridge then maybe he/she should rethink the cost involved before getting any more animals/reptiles.

Demonique

Why should people on benefits who have exotics have to pay to see a vet when people who have furry pets can get free vet care?

Leeby

Demonique wrote:

Why should people on benefits who have exotics have to pay to see a vet when people who have furry pets can get free vet care?

Why should anyone get free vet care? If you can't afford to look after a pet, don't get one. What's the story with SPCA giving free vet care anyway? Is it just for people on benefits or is anyone allowed avail of it?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I think you should not keep a pet that you can't afford to look after properly. Volunteer organisations are doing well to provide free clinics for pets without you complaining that they won't deal with exotics. Pay a vet to look after it or don't keep expensive pets.
As for the SPCA - don't knock them for one incident

SuzyS1972

I'd be the 1st to admit that SPCA's here are less than ideal. I think tho people watch the UK shows and expect the same service.

They run on shoestring budgets and do their best with the time and resources they have.

I work in a shelter at weekends and am always suprised at the things people expect you to do ( not aimed at the OP btw ) from collecting their dead dogs to driving out to help people catch a stray dog.

Opening hours are set at our place for a reason yet people think they can turn up and drop off dogs , adopt dogs anytime they like.

I'm not being funny but I feel like saying to them would you expect Ben Dunne to open up for you if you got to Dunnes half an hour after closing.

cowzerp

SuzyS1972 wrote:

I'm not being funny but I feel like saying to them would you expect Ben Dunne to open up for you if you got to Dunnes half an hour after closing.

YES-thats the same as some eejit who knew that the kittens life depended on it, and still left knowing the op unselfishly rushed over on his own time to try and do good for the kitten, dunnes sell clothes and milk and dont save lives. ben dunne is right to shut on time as people been late is just there choice, kitten in need is not.

SuzyS1972

I said it wasn't aimed at the OP and I'm not condoning his behaviour.
I wouldn't flip off if I was waiting on someone - not by a long shot.

My points were more related to people giving out over stuff the SPCA's DONT do like looking after reptiles etc.

I agree it wasn't the thing to do

bigpinkelephant

Demonique wrote:

Why should people on benefits who have exotics have to pay to see a vet when people who have furry pets can get free vet care?

Why can't these people pay for their own vet care and stop complaining because others won't?

Our man in Havana

Lads, if you are really not happy with the services of the SPCAs complain to them. The thread is getting personal and now will be closed.