I've seen a few posts on this forum lately that have shaken me a bit regarding charities. The RSPCA telling people to just leave suffering animals on the streets. The CPL refusing cats to people who are going to keep them indoors, even if the cat they want to adopt has previously only ever lived indoors and probably wouldn't be safe outside.

When I lived in the UK, I had a monthly standing order to the RSPCA, but stories like this make me doubt the wisdom of giving money to big charities. Do they just get too big and institutionalised? Is the care that led to these charities being formed lost somewhere in the system? Or are these things that make me uncomfortable just small and isolated incidents?

Our local animal charity never turns an animal away. They're struggling because they've got several kennel and cattery type rescue centres already at capacity, and fosterers who can't take any more animals, but they're constantly searching for more fosterers, and they always manage to find a place for an animal in need. The woman who started it and still runs it is hard and I find her difficult to get on with, but I think you have to be like that to deal with so much suffering and not fall apart. She doesn't employ anyone - everything is done by volunteers.

All this makes me wonder about the wisdom of supporting large charities when the smaller ones have less costs, better local connections, and maybe they care more as well. I know it's very complex, and I'm kind of "thinking aloud" here, but just wondered if anyone had any thoughts.

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Proud Mummy to:

Sam (born June 1999, found August 1999)
Milly (born May 1999, adopted September 1999)
Eva (born 2010, adopted us August 2011)

Also something to think of is that some local RSPCA charities do not receive funding from the main charity. SO if you want to help your local RSCPA - donate locally to them! My local one does a fantastic job!

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I wanted to second what EAC has said. My local RSPCA is not centrally funded even though it has the RSPCA name. The volunteers and staff are fantastic and are genuinely concerned about the welfare of animals and will do whatever they can to assist.

Our local CP is also fantastic and will not refuse placement of cats purely on the basis on wanting to keep cats indoors. The

I am very saddened that the RSPCA and CP have been tarnished by a few uncaring branches/central office as it spoils the brilliant work of my local branches and other like it.

I donate food/toys which I order each time I order for my cats to the local CP rather than funding the central office, and I donate money from the easy fundraising site directly to the North London RSPCA branch. This is done jointly with supporting Kelly-Joys Animal Lifeline UK, which is also a small charity.

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Totally agree with EAC. My CPL has no problem with indoor cats or not having cat flaps or any of the other things in the horror stories. I would happily support them and would donate to them to help their work.

I think anyone who gives to any charity should really research where that money is going and the ethics and practices of that charity.

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I once saw a list detailing how long each charity could carry on functioning if funding stopped. The list was topped with Guide Dogs for the Blind which could have carried on for over 30 years if nobody gave another penny whereas some very good charities were surviving week to week. At the time it was a very useful guide as to where my donations were most needed. Nowadays top execs can be paid six figure sums and employees paid to accost people in the street to try and get their bank details so not so easy to work out who deserves the donations. At least donating blankets and food to local shelters means you know your donation isn't being spent on something you wouldn't be happy with.

I donate regularly to Oldham cats where I adopted Moriarty and Tabitha from. They are amazing and do so much for cats in need.

When cats have been there a while without being adopted they turn them free within the rescue to become residents. Some residents have medical problems and always get the medication they need.

I personally haven't had any trouble from my local RSPCA branch. But I know how much they are worth and how much actually gets to the animals. It is not a good percentage. I know this as I knew someone who worked for them.

Donating to local charities to me feels more rewarding. I know the staff there and feel conected to them more than I would a large faceless company who are just interested in bank details.

I had a call recently from the RSPCA asking for a regular donation and I explained to them that I donated to a local rescue and they made me feel terrible for not donating to them instead.

I also have issues with their new offer to come and get your pets when you die and they will re home them for you. If the pet is old and hard to get adopted then it may well be put to sleep. When you do this with them they ask you to consider leaving them some of your estate. So basically you leave them a load of cash to kill your pets. Not right at all.

Em xxxxxxxxx

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I feel there should be a limit on what these bigger charities can pay their top execs. I think if you can support their local branches so much the better and perhaps by giving food, toys, blankets etc rather than money is better in at least you know your money isn't going to pay some over inflated wages of those at the top! I think if you can help the smaller more independent rescues - so much the better - and the most valuable commodity you could offer any rescue is a few hours of your time!

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Kaz

For kittens, joy is for the asking and smiles are for the giving

What bothers me about the big charities is that the bigger they get, the more involved they get in what they call "advocacy". I have seen it with the large anti-poverty and HIV charities as well. Real hands-on projects are difficult to implement and are not always very "sexy", so it is easier to use the funding they get for "advocacy" work, which entails hobnobbing around attending conferences, issueing politically correct press statements, printing posters and boichures, lobby work and hanging around celebrity charity events. Coupled with this, the larger the charity becomes, the more overheads they have, like office premises, salaried staff, fleet cars, travel expenses etc etc.
Hence, the little bit of spare money I have, I use to feed my own feral colonies, pay for sterilisations, etc. I am one of a group of women that do this out of our own pockets, we are not even an organisation, we don't have a name or anything. This way, I know the effort, time and money I put in, goes straight to needy cats.

I used to donate to the RSPCA via monthly direct debit, but something they did, I forget what exactly, disguted me enough to cancel and that money now goes to my local cat rehoming centre.

I still get calls from the RSPCA, some 3 years after cancelling asking/begging me to reconsider, the last one only a month or so back. I told the caller in my first few words that I wouldn't be donating again but they went into the usual *this is what we're doing atm/why we need the money* spiel anyway, with a request for ever smaller donations thrown in every few minutes.

It's not so much them not taking no for a answer, more that it isn't the RSPCA themselves calling, they waste money on, if IIRC, the company involved this time would be paid £70k, employing third parties to beg on their behalf.

At one point the caller said the local rehoming centre must be grateful for my support, but could they ask why I'd switched to them? I said they were grateful and had one major advantage over the RSPCA, that was they didn't phone or come knocking on my door if they hadn't heard from me for a while.

Even my repeated requests for the RSPCA not to call again as I wouldn't change my mind have been ignored.

Ian

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RIP Black Tom and Beckett, not just cats, they were my cats and the best ever.

If they don't stop then you should ensure you get a name and organisation. Remind them of the laws surrounding harassment and make it clear that their calls are causing you distress. Almost all of these chugger call centres record all calls and you will be able to refer to it later when and if you choose to report them to the police.