Posted on 01/24/2009 5:54:37 PM PST by TornadoAlley3
The RSPCA has seized two dogs from their owner after she was accused of feeding them too much.
Overweight Labradors Rocky and Chubby Photo: Geoff Pugh
Marie Davidson, 48, has not been allowed to see her animals for three months Photo: Geoff Pugh
The Labradors were taken from their home by an inspector from the charity who said they were just going to be weighed.
The organisation has not allowed Marie Davidson, 48, to see her animals, or even told her where they have been kept for the past three months.
The only correspondence she has had from the society has been two letters, both received in the last fortnight – one to say that its investigation is continuing and another detailing its complaints procedure.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
I thought it was normal for dogs to resemble their owners.
Under what legal authority do they seize people’s animals?
Early 2008, an RSPCA inspector called at Miss Davidson’s home in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, after an anonymous phone call about the animals.
The official carried out an assessment of the dogs, Rocky and Chubby, and said they were overweight. The inspector gave advice on how their weight could be reduced.
Miss Davidson, who works for Hertfordshire social services and who has owned dogs for more than 20 years, followed the instructions and managed to bring down their weight.
However, she had to cancel three vets appointments to have her pets weighed, after her mother fell ill and she had to care for her.
“There was a dramatic weight loss,” she said. “It was working, although I admit I did lapse for a bit and start to give them a few titbits again.”
After the missed appointments, an RSPCA inspector returned to her house in October while Miss Davidson was at work. The inspector asked her partner, Terry Shadbolt, for permission to take the animals to the vets.
“The inspector just asked if she could take them to get them weighed, and he said yes,” said Miss Davidson. “When I got home, I rang the vets, and the RSPCA inspector said that under the guidance of the vet, the dogs were not coming home.
“Three days later, the inspector came to interview me. But since then, I haven’t been able to find out anything about the dogs.
“I am absolutely distraught. I have been put on antidepressants as a result of this.
“I do realise it was not good to let them get so big. But I love those dogs. At no point did anyone, the vet or the RSPCA, tell me about the devastating consequences of the dogs not losing weight. I was doing my best to sort the problem out.”
Miss Davidson is registered disabled. Although she can walk, she cannot take the dogs on long walks.
“They could have suggested I get a dog walker to help me, and I would have done,” she added. “But they suddenly seized the animals without warning.”
When the dogs, who are three and half years old, were initially inspected, Rocky weighed 73kg and Chubby 60kg, according to Miss Davidson.
She claimed she had managed to get Rocky down to just over 50kg, and Chubby to about 46kg, although their weights had increased again.
According to the RSPCA, when they were taken, Rocky weighed 63kg and Chubby 52kg. The organisation says a healthy Labrador should weigh no more than 34kg.
Research last year revealed that around two million dogs in Britain are overweight.
“Following an examination of the animals, the independent vet contacted the police, who after viewing the dogs and listening to the veterinary advice, made the decision to seize the animals under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Hertfordshire police confirmed a constable had authorised the seizure.
If Miss Davidson is prosecuted under the Animal Welfare Act she faces a fine, a ban on keeping animals, or even a jail term. If she is not, and the dogs are returned, she could be asked to reimburse the RSPCA for the cost of keeping them in kennels.
Coming to a town near you.
Sad.
Not near me. Not ever.
That’s quite the “charity” that seizes you pets, and can levy charges which can jail you or force you to pay for care they provide. Charity indeed.
Just another government agency justifying its existence and wasting tax payers money.
JB
Maybe we should start a charity that seizes the ‘fat cats’ in Washington, DC.
ping
The dog's doing fine, but you know, the wife has packed on a few pounds.
Relax, j/k
They’re either teaching to, or being taught by, various Child Protection Services of the USA. The snatch n’ grab mentality and subsequent bullying are identical.
But there are NO old, fat big dogs.
The French only feed their dogs 5 or 6 days a week, the reason being that canines in the wild don't make a kill every day and their systems developed to handle this fact.
You should be able to see the rib outline on a fit dog.
My Lab would prefer that I didn't. And does her best to eat as much as she can find on an daily basis.
Last year we were at the vet and this couple (large couple) brought in this Terrier that was so fat it could not walk... The vet was having them bring the dog in for weekly weigh ins.
What kills me is that the woman was successful in getting the dogs to lose weight, but the nanny state took them away anyway.
In a fair society she should be able to sue these jackboots.
Exactly! We have friends who had two of their three dogs way over weight... problem was they had large bowls for the dogs and mentally you fill those bowls to the brim, no matter the size of the dogs... I got them smaller bowls and a measuring cup, also got them to switch to a food that didn’t contain grains and the dogs have slimmed down nicely... we do not have fat dogs at our house, we love them to much to allow them to get fat and shorten their lives.
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