A feature of the recent updates to this petition has been the willingness of many readers to make enquiries regarding the situation with the last remaining cat at Camp Kitty. Carmen is one such person and she emailed both Cowra Council and the RSPCA NSW.
Both organisations replied with non committals.
The photo in today's update shows the response I got from the RSPCA NSW in 2014. Yes, 2014 that is not a misprint! It came from the Chief Inspector of the RSPCA NSW. At that time this organisation was saying that `there were no welfare issues’ at Camp Kitty. After Prime 7 news made a television segment on what was going on at Camp Kitty 10 RSPCA vans arrived 2 days later and virtually all the cats disappeared. I asked what had happened to the cats, and their response was that they could not comment as there were legal issues, and they still do not tell anyone what happened to those cats. Please remember RSPCA NSW has a 48% euthanasia record for any cats that come into its possession.
Carmen asked the RSPCA - `All of my emails to the RSPCA have been over my concern for the cat only. But no one will ever give me a reply, when I ask what I need to do to get this cat. All I get told is that they will let the inspector know’.
Carmen was then told `Thank you for contacting the RSPCA with your concerns over animal welfare. Due to the NSW Privacy Act we are unable to provide feedback on reports however we can assure you that your concerns have been recorded’.
In my opinion it’s a disgraceful response, however in hindsight is it any more disgraceful that the platitudes I received in 2014?
Readers should remember that the NSW State Government gives the RSPCA NSW over a million dollars a year. It would seem that they are totally unaccountable for the funds that it receives from the Government. The RSPCA NSW is a public company, and I am highly suspicious that this organisation is much more concerned with money than it is about animal welfare.
The situation of animal welfare in NSW is just awful, remember this is the State that gave the world a live baiting scandal with greyhound racing, where some greyhound owners allowed the greyhounds to chase a training wire to which had been attached a live animal, and of course when the greyhounds caught up with the bait the animal was ripped to pieces. With an organisation like the RSPCA NSW handling animal welfare issues maybe, just maybe they could be a bit more compassionate for animal suffering!
Readers please remember I have offered to find a new home for this solitary cat. I will pay for a vet check up and a lady is standing by to give it a good home. However no one can get a guarantee from the RSPCA that they will help to do this. Can anyone? I have tried, Carmen has tried and so have many others.
Carmen will not email the RSPCA again because she rightly fears that this poor animal will be destroyed. That is also my fear.
My thanks to all, and especially to those readers who have tried so hard to get a result. Keith