Rspca accosted me about prosecution: unable to care for pet rspca took him

I've been having a really difficult time lately, mentally, financially and physically. My partner left me, I lost my job, not entitled to benefits, and was therefore unable to afford to properly care for my pet.

I won't detail my pets state as I feel guilty about not taking him to vets, mainly for financial reasons.

I rang all the catteries in my area, all full, so naturally I rang rspca as last resort.

The woman came round, gave me a lecture, and tried to imply that if when they took him to vets and they find out he suffered longer than neccesary an inspector will ring me back.

I was made to feel criminal, like I willfully intended to be cruel to him. My mum was with me luckily, and supported me and said my cat has always had allergies which has been exacerbated by him not getting to vets. But said if I was truly been cruel I'd have put him on streets.

She told her I lost my job, that I can't look after myself at this point.

The officer shrugged and said "well, it is by law his responsibility as owner".

I was made to feel awful for been poor and broke, and I did all I could, I fed him I did all I could but some people have no understanding or compassion for circumstances. I'm not a cruel person by nature and anyone that knows me will tell you that I'm a good person.

Do you think they'll prosecute me?

................

Except PDSA will treat your pet for reduced cost or free depending on your circumstances/benefits. So there's no excuse.

https://www.pdsa.org.uk/taking-care-of-your-pet/eligibility

You can't hide behind the fact that things could have been even worse for your cat, if it was suffering. There are lots of different levels of maltreatment, and just because your's wasn't the worst, doesn't mean it wasn't unacceptable.

What compassion did you show your cat? More than the RSPCA showed you?

You understand, I'm sure, that the animal's welfare is the primary concern. I'm sympathetic to the personal circumstances which led up to the animal being removed, but it's the right thing to do - for both of you. Hopefully the animal can be rehomed to somewhere where it can be looked after properly. I don't really think you have a right to feel sorry for yourself regarding 'how the RSPCA officer made you feel'. I, and I think most people, couldn't give a stuff about that. The relevant fact is that an animal suffered at your hands because you didn't make proper arrangements for its veterinary care. What about the PDSA? What about approaching your local vets and explaining the situation? Anything but just leaving the poor thing to suffer. It can't take itself to the vets, can it?

It's not really possible to tell you whether or not you'll be prosecuted or not. It depends on the RSPCA's assessment of the severity of the of the neglect, and the harm the animal has suffered. I don't want to know the details. As you've probably read in the media, the RSPCA is usually fairly willing to take legal action against neglectful owners where they feel there is a valid case, so it is perfectly possible that you will receive a court summons.

Except PDSA will treat your pet for reduced cost or free depending on your circumstances/benefits. So there's no excuse.

https://www.pdsa.org.uk/taking-care-of-your-pet/eligibility

You can't hide behind the fact that things could have been even worse for your cat, if it was suffering. There are lots of different levels of maltreatment, and just because your's wasn't the worst, doesn't mean it wasn't unacceptable.

What compassion did you show your cat? More than the RSPCA showed you?

Don't feel bad.
The rspca always do this to make low income & elderly pet owners feel bad.
They do it to try to bully owners to voluntarily handing over their pets to the rspca- to be killed or sold.

You are unlikely to be prosecuted.
You rang the rspca asking for their help, have mental health issues, limited funds available and have not been proven to have committed any crime.
Not being able to afford any vet treatment and choosing not to have a pet killed are not against the law.

Except PDSA will treat your pet for reduced cost or free depending on your circumstances/benefits. So there's no excuse.

https://www.pdsa.org.uk/taking-care-of-your-pet/eligibility

You can't hide behind the fact that things could have been even worse for your cat, if it was suffering. There are lots of different levels of maltreatment, and just because your's wasn't the worst, doesn't mean it wasn't unacceptable.

What compassion did you show your cat? More than the RSPCA showed you?

PRSOM.

A vet will never let an animal suffer if its owner genuinely can't afford treatment, so exactly as you say there is actually no excuse for this type of behaviour.

No they won't let them suffer, but they'll send you the bill afterwards.

Thanks for your compassion, its a shame others seem to think I should be prosecuted for this. There is a difference between people that beat animals, deliberately starve them and what not, and those who have no money, suffer mental health issues. It isn't morally right to prosecute vulnerable people, simple.

What a judgemental post this is. All black and white, no shades of grey. Life doesn't work like that does it?

I understand you might take it personally, you might even be disgusted, but it is not right that you should tar me with the same brush as those that deliberately starve, beat and wilfully neglect, and, although there are differing levels of neglect/abuse, that doesn't mean to say I should be prosecuted for this.

Of course, if the RSPCA wants to prosecute me, I will defend myself, and present my case. If it goes public, and actually ruins my life, I will take action against this. I don't see how prosecuting and publicly shaming me would be in the public interest, given my wellbeing at the moment.

I understand that my Cat may have suffered and I am sorry for that. The problem comes when, you lose your job, and your income, and you cannot afford to look after him at all. I took the necesarry steps, I rang catteries, all closed.

I ended up ringing the RSPCA. Perhaps if a Cat shelter had taken him in, I wouldn't be so intimidated by prosecution, it seems the RSPCA jumps to prosecute people, despite circumstance.

Under mental health problems you can get away with a lot.

You've ultimately done the right thing by giving the cat up. Maybe should have done it sooner, but no one who loves their pet will give it away at the first sign of hardship.

If you keep up with animal rescues you'll see animals in dire condition are are given up constantly. Probably much worse than yours, prosecution rarely happens.

It does where the welfare of lives you are responsible for is concerned.

There is a fixed threshold for a crime, the punishment then varies with the severity. You get a fine for speeding, the amount of the fine varies depending on how fast you were going. You understand that thumping a child is abuse, even if it isn't tying them up and stuffing them in a cupboard and starving them? I tarred you with nothing, the RSPCA did - and check out what their name is.

You can't take legal action against being found guilty of a crime, even if it 'ruins your life'.

So it's the catteries fault then? Maybe your legal action should be aimed at them for not being there for you?

Cat shelters - such bloody inconsiderate *******s!

Stop blaming other people. Stop seeking approval for something you know was just fundamentally wrong. You screwed up, and the RSPCA made that clear to you. Don't expect to come online and find hordes of people giving you approval for what we all know was wrong, regardless of your circumstances.