This letter was sent to the RSPCA NSW and to date no reply has been received. Mon 16 February 2015 The Board of Directors RSPCA NSW: Dr Peter Wright - President Graham Hall – Vice President Doug Dean – Treasurer Stephen Coleman – CEO Paul O'Donnell Wendy Barrett Sarah Cruikshank Carol Youdan Andrew Givney Don Robinson Re: Camp Kitty, 230 Conimbla Road, Cowra, NSW 2794. Dear Directors SHAME ON THE RSPCA NSW For over three years RSPCA NSW has been aware of ongoing concerns regarding the maltreatment that the cats at Camp Kitty experience on a daily basis. Concerned neighbouring residents have repeatedly notified the RSPCA (by telephone and by email) of the suffering of these felines yet to date the RSPCA appears to have failed to effectively manage the situation and therefore the maltreatment continues. On the 18 November 2014, I saw a dead cat in the rear enclosure of the property 230 Conimbla Road, This dead cat remained on the ground of the enclosure and in full view from my property for approximately 8 weeks during which time the owner of Camp Kitty failed to notice that the cat had died. The residual pelt of the dead cat was only removed after I provided the owner Richard McCudden with a photograph of the dead cat and threatened to report him to the World League for the Protection of Animals, the police and The Cat Protection Society. During the time the cat remained rotting on the ground, other cats were observed to eat the entrails of the decaying cat corpse. The RSPCA Inspector did not visit during the time that this feline lay dead, however an Inspector did visit on 19 January 2015. During the Inspectors visit, I tried to raise my concerns with her, however she dismissed my concerns. In my presence, the Inspector directed the person who was cleaning up to wash down the cattery area. When I asked the Inspector if she had the authority to encourage contamination of the soil and pollution of the environment, the Inspector told me that she had told him that “he has to wash down the areas every day otherwise the odour would be worse”. She added that “it is not your property, too bad, you will have to put up with it”. I asked her why she was encouraging pollution of the environment knowing that Mr McCudden did not have proper waste management, she replied “I don't have to talk to you”, she then walked away. When another resident (Mr Ward) tried to discuss his concerns with her, he got the same treatment. I immediately informed Cowra Council of what had transpired during the Inspectors visit. Mr O'Shanessy, RSPCA Chief Inspector reportedly said (in the Cowra Guardian 23 January 2015) that the situation at Camp Kitty is “not ideal”, he is further reported to have said that “hygiene issues caused by the cats to surrounding neighbours is out of the RSPCA's jurisdiction”. Mr O'Shanessy is being economical with the truth when he made this statement. The resultant odours are as a direct result of the Inspector instructing the wash down of the cats excreta onto the ground. The Inspector is fully aware that there is inadequate waste management for the cats excreta at Camp Kitty, therefore the RSPCA through its Inspector knowingly contributes to the adverse hygiene issues the neighbouring residents are subjected to. Since the last RSPCA Inspectors visit, I have evidence showing cats with their eyes encrusted with dried pus, cats with eye injuries, a cat with a bleeding nose, cats excreting into the soil of the ground of the rear enclosure because there are no litter trays in that area, numerous cats sneezing, coughing and scratching themselves repeatedly. Also I have photographs of a dead cat in the grass of one of the front enclosure areas. In spite of all the evidence, the RSPCA appear to have deemed Camp Kitty a satisfactory place for in excess of 185 cats to live. It seems inconceivable that the RSPCA appears to have come to accept that it is reasonable for Camp Kitty to have cats living in abject misery. When it rains I have observed cats in the rear enclosure huddled together around the inadequate shelter trying to keep out of the rain and to keep dry. They seem to be there in that enclosure only to suffer. I strongly suspect that the RSPCA NSW: through its Inspector is demonstrating dereliction of duty, is not affording the cats at Camp Kitty the duty of care that they deserve, through its Inspector is actively encouraging contamination of the environment knowing that waste management at Camp Kitty for the cats excreta is non existent, in the matter of Camp Kitty, is complicit to animal cruelty, is accepting donations under false pretences, in relation to Camp Kitty, is failing to act in a manner that is consistent with and complies with its own charter for caring for animals. It appears that the RSPCA with all the donated funds that are accepted from the public and the NSW Government, is reliant on other organisations such as Animals Australia to undertake thorough investigations that the RSPCA should be undertaking. Why is this? Why do the RSPCA NSW repeatedly give the impression that for their convenience, they are prepared to condemn the cats at Camp Kitty to a life of misery? I should like to suggest that rather than the RSPCA accepting donations then appear to fail to take adequate measures to protect all animals, that the RSPCA redirect the donations to the other agencies who have proven track record in genuinely caring for all creatures great and small, and have been able to undertake good investigative activities with much smaller budgets than the RSPCA NSW has. I await your observations on the matters that I have brought to your attention. Thank you for the time you afford me. M. Riley