Nearly two weeks ago we were made aware of a worrying change to the Scottish SPCA’s (SSPCA’s) policy regarding the taking in of small mammals and birds. Where before they would, in theory, take in all wildlife cases needing help, the decision has recently been made by the SSPCA to no longer take in birds or ‘small mammals’. This is very worrying indeed.
The advice from the SSPCA is now to take wildlife in need of help to veterinary practices, but these centres are businesses for domestic animals, and by their own admission rarely have the facilities or expertise to deal with wildlife cases. We, other organisations, and vets we have spoken to, are incredibly concerned that if this change is permanent, this will lead to the death and suffering of thousands of wild animals every year, effectively forcing vets to put healthy animals to sleep. We have also been told that they received no forewarning of this decision (which is understandable, because of the sheer number of vet practices all over the country), and have suddenly been thrown this curveball. A veterinary assistant we spoke to told us that wildlife is already coming in in great number and being euthanised at their practice.
At this time of year especially, this will mean the death (through incorrect care or euthanasia) of a very high number of chicks, fledglings, adult birds, and mammals such as hares, hedgehogs and even bats. According to the SSPCA’s own website, they care for approximately 10,000 wild animals a year. We can only guess how many cases are therefore now being pushed onto vets and independent centres, but over the course of the year we would expect it to be in the high thousands.
What may be even worse than euthanasia for such cases is the likelihood of members of the public taking matters into their own hands, with the best will in the world, and ‘self-projecting’ once they’ve been told that the SSPCA can’t help. From experience working in wildlife rescue, and as many wildlife rehabilitators will tell you, ‘self projecting’ leads to much suffering and the death of wild animals every year as it is. Examples of this include people feeding animals the wrong diets or feeding them too much or too little, housing them incorrectly, treating them as tame pets, and endless other mistakes, with patients often then arriving to centres dying or dead. We have personally seen this dozens of times and it is very upsetting and frustrating. We strongly believe that the SSPCA’s decision to remove themselves from the process will increase the likelihood of people choosing to ‘self project’, something which, as we say, is already a huge problem leading to wild animal suffering.
Furthermore, speaking of wildlife rehabilitators, we know that the SSPCA’s decision has already put a strain on independent rescue centres, some posting about the need for patience at this busy time as a result of the change. Centres already feel the strain every summer from the vast increase in casualties needing to come into care. With no more funding, and more animals now coming their way, the strain is incredibly great upon centres already feeling the physical and financial burden. Yet, the SSPCA’s wildlife pages still ask for donations without making clear the change in policy. Independent rescue centres need our help more than ever as a result of this, and many vets will feel the real ethical, time, and emotional pressures of having to take in wild animals that they don’t know what to do with. Even the greatest, most caring of vets lack aviaries and release facilities that are needed, and while some work with the very small number of independent wildlife centres in the country, this only adds to the immense pressure on wildlife rescue centres that we have already highlighted. This isn’t even to mention the strain that independent rehabbers, running operations out of their own homes, will no doubt be feeling now or soon as, again, demand increases with no extra capacity or finance coming in to cover it.
Something has to give, and it will be animal life, animal welfare and small charities and rehabilitators which suffer the most.
We are urgently calling for the SSPCA to reverse this highly dangerous decision of theirs and to open a dialogue with concerned members of the public and veterinary surgeries to make it clear what is going on. This is a dereliction of their duties, and far worse that they are doing so quietly, temporary or not.
What we have been told wouldn’t be reason enough to refuse to take in a vast majority of the individuals they now won’t be taking in, so there may be more to the story, or the change may be unnecessary. We call on the SSPCA to respond openly and in full to the many concerned people around the country.