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I was just sixteen years old, with my whole life in front of me, bursting with ambition and the burning passion for animals, that had been growing with me, for as far back as I can remember.

 

Having left school with the appropriate qualifications to commence my chosen career within the animal world, and with the knowledge that I was slightly too young to commence said course, I decided to take a job with a well known animal charity, to gain as much experience as possible, with as many different types of animals as I could; after all any knowledge is “grist to the mill”, and no knowledge, I felt at that time from my “lofty pinnacle” of youth, could ever be “bad”

 

How wrong I was to be proven, and how horrific and traumatic the journey ahead of me would be, was just about to unfold.

 

Many years and much more knowledge of both people, animals, and life were to flow down the rivers of time, before my story would be heard; this time is now, and this story is not essentially about me, but about how a particular charity, was to criminally, physically, mentally, emotionally and morally abuse the animals in their care, on a relentless ongoing basis.

 

This story is based on total facts, gathered throughout those years, from numerous sources, all telling the same tale.

 

I would like you to hear this account of misery, abuse and cruelty, perpetrated upon our trusting loving animal friends, by the lowest of the low, unscrupulous, corrupt human beings in the name of a charity purporting to exist purely and simply to prevent such suffering to animals, and to prosecute those who carry out atrocities in any form against any animal, bird or reptile.

 

I would like all humans who read this account, to hear it on every level, from every angle, and with an open unbiased mind, for the animals' sake

 

As I am sure you will agree, this is no less than their right.

 

These sickening practices, still abound within this charity to date!

 

So there I was at the age of 16, “bright eyed and bushy tailed”, with my whole being geared with energy and enthusiasm to defend the rights of animals, and to ensure they had the best care possible, until excellent, suitable new homes were ultimately found for them.

 

The world and I were shining, and more than ready to join this team of people I was to work with, in making the world a better place for animals; “yes, I can make a difference!” I thought. I have never been afraid to speak my mind, or been intimidated by size, physical or metaphorical, so armed with my love and passion for animals, off I went! 

 

I cannot pinpoint, in linear time at least, when the first curling tendrils of disillusionment set in.

 

Perhaps it was looking in disbelief at what the animals, (regardless of type or breed), were given to eat; visually, it strongly resembled pig swill, but I can tell you, no self respecting pig would have eaten it, nor any caring farmer have expected them to!

 

I queried this fact, for having taken nothing for granted my whole life, asking questions always until I received an acceptable answer, and having always championed “the underdog” of any species; the answer I was fobbed off with was a very shifty evasive mumbled reply, along the lines of “oh well, it’s good enough for them”  

 

My impassioned rejoinder that numerous individuals and companies, regularly donated money to this charity, for the animals to have the best of care and food, merely generated another uncaring shrug.

 

I was horrified, and retired to the staffroom to mull over this attitude, and think what, if anything, I could do to alter the course of this situation.

 

I returned to my duties, with a more wary view point, beginning now to look for, and seeing, this uncaring cruel attitude seeming to permeate like a cancer, throughout the whole of this establishment, with all employees and employers, save for a handful like myself, of genuine animal carers, taking the same attitude; the higher rank these employees were, the worse their behaviour towards these innocent animals entrusted to their care.

 

This was appalling; what could I do?

 

At that time, on a physical level, very little, but now, I can make sure you are all made aware of the truth, for then that which should never have happened, and which to this day is still happening, may turn from the secret it has always been, kept sometimes by dint of veiled threats to those “in the know”, to an open secret, where those, (yourselves) who will now be the people “in the know”, will be able to choose how you feel about these appalling true facts, and choose what to do about them!

 

Read on, for I have only just begun!

 

Hard on the heels of the subject of the animals’ appalling diet, came into my knowing, that what “knocked that situation into a cocked hat”, and that was the subject of euthanizing animals, i.e. “putting them to sleep”; not too unreasonable you might think, if an animal was incurably ill or injured; that could be considered “humane”, and the right thing to do, but, these animals were young, fit, and healthy.

 

As I very strongly questioned the fact of these occurrences taking place, on the grounds of the charity in question purporting to always find new, (inspected), homes for all healthy animals, I was told, “don’t listen to that rubbish love; they do what they want here!”

 

“They” were, as I was increasingly to find, the higher ranking staff within this establishment.

 

“How appallingly shocking” I thought, never dreaming that the situation could get worse, as I was to discover that these animals were not kindly and sensitively euthanized by means of an overdose of anaesthetic, allowing them to drift peacefully away, with the respect they deserved, but were electrocuted!

 

Imagine if you can, my horror and revulsion upon discovering this atrocious practice; it was bad enough that euthanasia took place unnecessarily, but to discover that it happened in this

barbaric way was something that my mind and brain could not encompass or balance.

 

At my outraged challenge of these horrific deaths, (and they were horrific), I was informed that it was cheaper this way.

 

Cheaper! What about all the money that flooded into this charity like a golden river, for the good of the animals! I cried, only to be told in a patronizing tone by a member of “Middle Management”, that it would be better all round, if I just kept my mouth closed, as accidents did sometimes occur when animals were electrocuted!

 

Was this a threat? I will leave that for you to decide.

 

At this point I truly felt like walking out and not returning, but that would be just what these appalling people wanted, and who, except myself, and a handful of other dedicated animal workers, would look out for the animals at all, if I left, so I stayed.

 

I became a thorn in the flesh of these sickening people, but my staying, made them more than a little wary, inducing them to think a little more about what they were doing; small grains of sand indeed, but grains make tons, and a huge abundance of sand could cause an irreversible landslide!

 

The cruelty I witnessed rolled on like a well oiled steam roller, crushing everything, (or almost) in its path.

 

Very soon after that first horrifying discovery, came another revelation; smaller animals, i.e. puppies, kittens, and other small animals and birds, were not even given a quick, if horrific exit, but were put into a “gas box”, to die a slow painful death over several hours; at this point, I felt it surely could get no worse, but it did!

 

The next thing I became aware of, was the fact of healthy animals being euthanized, but the “sick” ones, were used as “guinea pigs” for ignorant, totally medically unqualified members of staff, to attempt to find a “cure” for whatever ailed these animals; they never did of course, but kept them alive suffering dreadfully, until their bodies could hold out no longer, and they died in agony, being then thrown onto a pile of other euthanized animals, disrespectfully, and callously, to be “disposed of”

 

It defies belief, does it not, but it happened, and it kept happening, and still I “hung in there” in the hope that at some time, in some way, I could play a part in redressing the balance within this sordid inhumane pantomime.

 

Couldn’t seriously get worse I thought, but what I saw early one morning, proved that indeed it could!

 

I arrived at work on this particular morning, to hear the most horrendous howling screaming noises, coming from a part of the establishment which was slightly separate from the main building; I followed this noise in increasing alarm, and was stopped dead in my tracks, with the feeling that my breakfast was unlikely to stay with me for much longer!

 

What I saw then, will haunt me forever.

 

Standing on a balcony, high above a concrete animal pound were half a dozen “charity workers”, and what they were doing, at first eluded me, for my brain would not register what my eyes were seeing!

 

These people, though one can hardly bear to give them the title of human being, (at least my perception of such), were shooting a number of dogs milling round in the pound, looking up at them trustingly!

 

I hear you asking, “what the hell for!?”

 

That was my first outraged question, although in my asking, I “forgot I was a lady!”

 

I flew at the first available person, a male, and screaming the question, “What the hell do you think you are doing?” wrenched his weapon from his hands, and pointed it at him!

 

“Whoa, steady”, were his first shaky words, “it might go off”

 

“Well, perhaps I might just let it!” I roared at him; you’d better have a good explanation for this, and the rest of you!”, I finished, my voice cracking with anger and outrage, for this was so far beyond any form of cruelty I might have been able to previously conceive, that my mind and brain would not take it in, and shaking my head to clear it, I continued, “Well, I’m waiting!”

 

I can hear you thinking to yourselves as you read this, that barbaric though it may have seemed, there surely was an explanation; perhaps those dogs were terminally ill or injured, and perhaps they were too “vicious” to approach, to euthanize them any other way, (not that their way was humane to start with!) 

 

Oh yes, there was an explanation, and I hope you are sitting down when I tell you what it was.

 

Those dogs were the subject of “target practice”.

 

Yes, you heard correctly! Target practice on healthy animals, from a distance, in order that if any of these charity workers should ever need to euthanize an injured animal in public, they would not miss!!

 

They were missing these animals though; they were not even killing them cleanly; there were dogs in that pound, with smashed faces, noses, legs, and multiple body wounds, screaming in agony, and still this appalling practice was taking place!!

 

I don’t trust myself to tell you exactly what I hollered at those excuses for people, demanding that they immediately go and find someone to put these animals out of their misery; misery that human beings had wilfully caused.

 

I then told them in no uncertain terms, that I would be going to a higher level of administration, to report them.

 

One singularly stupid, inhumane person, had the audacity to laugh as he said, “Wise up love; who do you think tells us to do this?

 

He walked away with no smile on his face however, but holding a handkerchief to his nose, at the same time as clutching his midriff; a small blow to be sure, but nevertheless one for the animals!

 

To this day, and as I am writing this, I am finding it difficult still, to believe that this, and many other atrocities occurred, and I wish I could have done more at the time, though I have

never stopped fighting for justice for our animals in every way, and yet, even from the position I am in today it will never be enough, though we must keep reminding ourselves, all of us who care, that many droplets of water comprise an ocean, and between all of our droplets, we will go ever forward and form the tidal waves that oceans bring about even though it feels so little at this time!

 

For the length of time I was at this appalling establishment, I continued to be a thorn in their flesh; they were not quite so eager to undertake these and other inhumane and atrocious tasks; I had made many of them feel uncomfortable, and that I felt, was positive.

 

When the time came for me to move on to begin training for my chosen career, I vowed always to follow the journey of this, and other animal charities, down the years, and I have done so, hoping at first that this particular establishment was a “one off”, and that others within this particular charity might not behave in the same manner.

 

Sadly that was not the case, and over my considerable time spent working with and for animals, I have been involved in many episodes, and situations, within which abound animal cruelty, many, though not all of them, down to this particular charity!

 

I have seen numerous cases of gross negligence and cruelty, from the very people who purport to exist for the good of all animals.

 

I have numerous colleagues and friends, who have come across this charity, in one way or another down the years, and I hear still, to date, the same sad stories, but we are not just sad, we are angry and appalled, and we will never give up on fighting and helping our amazing animals, who love and give to us, unconditionally.

 

I say again, as I have said many times within the course of my work, and doubtless, will say so again time without number, how much we humans could learn from these most selfless of creatures, if we would only see and hear!

 

I feel I must say here, that as bad as many of these so-called animal charity workers behave, there are twice as many good caring workers, who love and respect animals, and realise that loving an animal, comprises giving that animal what it needs at the time it needs it.

 

These good, caring, experienced, and many specialised, animal workers, do work unconditionally, with not a thought for lining their own pockets, and hopefully, as we all press onward, we will start to “weed out” the despicable people holding positions of trust within animal charities, exposing them for what they are,  “naming and shaming them”

 

You people know who you are; you cannot hide from yourselves, and you are now beginning to be unable to hide from the rest of us.

 

You and your sad blustering excuses, cruelty, deception, and corruption will be tolerated no longer, from those who see you for what you are.

 

We will “weed you out” and deal with you!

 

The truth, in the form of more public awareness than ever before, along with increasing accountability from all animal charity workers, will very soon, set our animals “free”, and afford them the love and respect, that they without question, afford us!  

 

No longer then, will our animals suffer from the type of people they have had to tolerate, in the name of “charity”

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