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    RSPCA was not deceitful
    Gangotri: the RSPCA says animal welfare must be its 'first consideration'
    Gangotri: the RSPCA says animal welfare must be its 'first consideration'

    In response to articles and letters in the Borehamwood & Elstree Times, the RSPCA feels it must clarify its involvement in the case of the cow Gangotri at Bhaktivedanta Manor.

    The RSPCA is sympathetic towards the representatives of the manor, however animal welfare must be our first consideration.

    It is sad we had to take this action but the most important thing was that the animal was suffering.

    The RSPCA acted on the advice of three independent veterinary surgeons, all of whom concurred that the animal was suffering and should be euthanased immediately.

    She was not, as has been stated, getting better every day. The cow was put to sleep under veterinary supervision and the method used was completely humane, causing the cow no extra suffering.

    It is incorrect to say the RSPCA duped police. The police carried out an assessment to measure the impact of any action on the community and to ensure the action did not conflict with religious worship.

    We categorically deny any deceit - we'd had meetings with the community saying this cow's suffering must end.

    We explained the urgency of the situation and that the cow had to be put to sleep. We found staff on the site and told them what we were doing before action was taken.

    We never want to cause distress, but it would have been against the law and veterinary evidence had we allowed the cow to continue to suffer while the case was debated.

    Sophie Wilkinson

    RSPCA senior regional press officer, East region

    4:46pm Thursday 7th February 2008

    Print   Email this   Comment
    Posted by: SURICATE, East Region on 8:15am Fri 8 Feb 08
    Deceitful ? Yet another case for question. How can an Animal Rights political Charity be given carte` blanche` over animal husbandry and allowed to act solely in its` own interest ? Another case thrown out of Court recently highlights the urgency to see prosecution status removed from the RSPCA and seen for what they are. A once well loved animal charity now just a callous police force that has forgotten the basis it was founded on.
    Posted by: Jaime, Salisbury on 10:04am Fri 8 Feb 08
    Well, obviously if a senior press officer working for the organization accused of deceit says there was no deceit, it MUST be true.

    I don't think that the police need to be duped, they seem to go along with whatever the RSPCA tells them regardless of the circumstances. I think the main issue was the duping of the religious community involved. If the RSPCA had any respect at all for the people involved, or the courage of their convictions, their behaviour would not have been so underhanded.
    Posted by: David Tyne, amersham on 7:20pm Fri 8 Feb 08
    I'm told that the warrant that the RSPCA got was only to "look for" Gangotri and that there were all sorts of other irregularities. I hope that the RSPCA does not "look for" any other animals. They's seen the animal the night before, so they knew where it was all along - they killed it while the monks were praying.
    Posted by: Nick on 1:08am Sat 9 Feb 08
    The RSPCA never want to cause distress???

    They move in to drag elderly animals from the people they love and the homes they know in order to kill them!

    Take a look at what happens to old dogs in RSPCA "care"

    http://www.dogmagazi
    ne.net/archives/334/
    rspca-under-fire-as-
    animal-cruelty-trial
    -collapses/

    Close down this evil and perverted organisation which has no respect for life.
    Posted by: George, London on 9:16am Sat 9 Feb 08
    RSPCA- LAST DITCH ATTEMPT TO SAVE REPUTATION!

    What the RSPCA are not saying is that the cow was under the care of two fully qualified vets who are of the firm opinion that she should not have been killed. The RSPCA are not allowed to interfere with animals under veterinary care.
    The RSPCA's vets were made up of the person who reported to them the cow was suffering and should be killed, and who was strangely the vet who in the end killed the cow and who is even more strangely from the same town as the RSPCA headquarters. A case of judge, jury and executioner.
    The second vet, from DEFRA had decided that no action should be taken. The third vet remains a mystery.
    The police also had a fudged document that wasn't even a warrant and stated there is a cow at the temple.
    They all made an agreement with the monks the day before that time would be given for them to seek legal advice. On leaving the temple they immediately went for a warrant then secretly killed the cow.
    Forget religion, forget the law, forget three vets is this the way to treat other human beings who are renowned for exemplary animal care?

    Posted by: Gerald on 9:56am Sat 9 Feb 08
    SPECISM

    A pandit said “when it comes to animals all humans are Nazis

    Why allow an animal to be killed for having bed sores if you won’t let your own child or mother be killed for the same?
    Why is it humane when it comes to animals and not humans?

    Is the suffering an animal experiences being killed for human consumption considered necessary suffering, especially when so much healthy alternative food is available?

    Wake up. THOU SHALT NOT KILL
    Posted by: Kiron J, London on 10:23am Sat 9 Feb 08
    In Wales the farmers reckon the RSPCA is made up of a bunch of “unreasonable extremists whose main aim seems to be the kudos gained from glamorous prosecutions”. They feel so strongly about the predatory character of the RSPCA’s relationship with the farming community that they have formed a Self Help Group (SHG) to defend themselves.

    The RSPCA is an extremely wealthy and powerful organization, able to draw on vast resources and past experience in any situation. It employs solicitors who are experts in animal law, and appears to have unlimited funds to spend on prosecution costs. Ranks, uniforms and the name RSPCA serve to impress both members of the public and, unfortunately, some magistrates.
    Like any big business they justify there acts for monitory gains, but the law of karma will be upon them, this means for every action there is a reaction (the law of cause and effect). The pain we cause others will sooner or later return back to us.
    Posted by: Anthony Paget, Leicester on 10:53am Sat 9 Feb 08
    How can these statements from the RSPCA be true? I have seen the so-called warrant produced by the RSPCA. It was not signed by a judge or magistrate, only by the applicant, and to therefore present this and pass it off as a proper legal warrant for lawful entry and to kill on it's "authority" was clearly deceitful.

    Further, whilst the Temple's authorities were "kept talking" with no further mention that this act was going to be taken, assurances having been given that no action would be taken without further discussion, and therefore all reason to understand that no action would be taken, the vet responsible for killing the cow Gangotri was secretly doing the dirty work without the temple devotees knowledge. Is this not clear deceit?

    Therfore the RSPCA's statement is, to say the least, extraordinarily unbelievable.

    If the RSPCA actually have the animal's welfare in mind, rather than their publicity-hungry self-promotion tactics, then why couldn't they accept the statements of two independent fully qualified vets who had confirmed there was no suffering, that great care of the animal was being taken and that there were signs of a health improvement? Why clandestinely kill a defenseless animal under the noses of its protectors and carers? Would you do that to an ill child? Surely the cow has a right, as do other animals and humans, to live?

    I am extremely disappointed with what was generally thought to be a caring organisation but which has revealed that it's ethics and "moral stance" is simply a cynical sham.
    Posted by: khem, Watford on 12:23pm Sat 9 Feb 08
    RSPCA if your 80 years old mother is dying will you go and say oh she is sufrring let me do good to her by killing her.have you been to the temple where the cows are taken such a good care.you are not doing what you are ment to do.
    Posted by: Ash Upadhyay, London on 10:37pm Sat 9 Feb 08
    The act from RSPCA is not only dreadful but also shows the true colour of their disrespect and their unjustice towards Other communities in UK. I agree with KHEM from WATFORD that would they kill their mother or father if they are just suffering from illness. what an UNHUMAN thing they have done.. GOD WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS.. may gangotri rest in peace..
    Posted by: Hana, London on 2:08pm Sun 10 Feb 08
    I work with suffering people every day in a community centre. RSPCA, I also would like to see the end of their suffering. Does it mean I can follow your 'human' example? Please, use you common sense!
    Posted by: Pooja, Basel on 7:13am Mon 11 Feb 08
    Now the RSPCA are resorting to lies to defend their heinous act. They have already stooped to deception, and the government's apathy in the issue, astounding. It is true that if this issue had been with any other religious community corrective action would have been taken immediately. It's about time they woke and did something!
    Posted by: Jerri, London on 8:56am Mon 11 Feb 08
    This is unbeleiveable how can a supposedly "respectable charity" stoop to illegal means to enter a property and kill an animal under veterinary care. I urge all decent people to stand up and show their contempt for these mini-Hitlers and stop giving them money to persue their illegal activities!
    Posted by: M chauhan on 4:29pm Mon 11 Feb 08
    You say "it would have been against the law" to allow the cow to suffer.Why, then are battery farms allowed to continue. The poorly v
    based arguements of the RSPCA show their action was inhumane.
    Posted by: Maunish Chokshi, Baroda, India on 11:33am Tue 12 Feb 08
    Killing of cow is a cowardly act. If they are so desperate to kill, then killing the terrorists and the factors spreading terror.
    Posted by: Mandy, Hertfordshire on 3:14pm Thu 14 Feb 08
    The Jewish and Muslim Communities also better watch out. The RSPCA regional representative Timothy Wass has been reported as proclaiming that he was high up in the RSPCA and they are gonna take away the rights for kosher and halal killing. Seems the RSPCA dont have any actual support for any religious requirements be they hindu, jewish or muslim. If this report is true then the RSPCA has some officer removal to do before these gungho ambitious individuals bring further shape on a once respectable charity
    Posted by: T williams, Hemel on 3:20pm Thu 14 Feb 08
    What a slatting the RSPCA are getting and rightly so. Can we believe their press releases? Just see their record on honesty in the various court cases. What really gets me is how this bunch of crooks have got away as representing a reputable charity for so long? How can liers and manipulators and prosecutors of the innocent for publicity reasons get away with this so long. Is it perhaps because they have some high ranking dignitaries in their leadership. What a terrible shame. What a terrible plight for animal welfare in this country if the most innocent are in the hands of such easy animal killers.
    Posted by: Anita, Amersham on 10:20am Sat 16 Feb 08
    Having had a dire experience with the RSPCA I can only comment that I find them very creepy and sly. The contact I had was very strange there was something not quite genuine about the rep I met. Now with this story and so many others I can see why. The reps who know what is going on cant genuinely give their heart to animal welfare because the organization they represent has such manipulative leaders that has other agendas than actual concern for animals.
    Posted by: fogul, milton keynes on 11:06pm Sat 5 Apr 08
    i have been reading the comments on this site with great interest and would like very much to hear about peoples experiences of the rspca as i have been hearing of many alarming stories
    please email me
    thankyou
    Posted by: fogul, m.keynes on 9:25am Mon 7 Apr 08
    email fogulburg@aol.com
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