IN reply to John Newman’s letter (Charities not welcome, last Tuesday’s Oxford Mail ViewPoints) the RSPCA has looked into the concerns raised.
We can confirm that while we do have the permission of Tesco to raise money and collect food for the many cruelly-treated animals in our care at its stores during RSPCA Week, we always conform to charity collection regulations and do not ask shoppers to donate and certainly did not beg.
A trolley was left at the doorway of the Didcot store for people to leave food if they wished. It proved a huge success for our Oxfordshire branch, with many people preferring to give food, rather than money.
The money collected in the Didcot store was solely for the care of abused and mistreated animals by our Oxfordshire branch. Without the help of our supporters during RSPCA Week and year round, the branch and the animals in its care would suffer.
In response to Mr Newman’s point about prosecutions, we have a duty to prevent animals from suffering and have zero tolerance for those who abuse animals for pleasure or profit, whatever species they happen to be. We undertake prosecutions under the Hunting Act in just the same way as we take other prosecutions under animal welfare legislation. Prosecutions do cost the RSPCA money and we view them very seriously.
Any decision to prosecute follows from rigorous investigation of the offence, examination of evidence by a senior team operating to Crown Prosecution Service standards and separate assessment by external solicitors.
We would like to thank all those who gave their support during RSPCA Week 2012.
SOPHIE WILKINSON RSPCA regional media manager Wilberforce Way Southwater, Sussex
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