Has the charitable RSPCA lost its way?

I HAVE been a committed supporter of the RSPCA for the past 60 years and have spent a week with an inspector in an inner city borough seeing the wonderful work this charity does.

So I am devastated to read that this oldest and wonderful animal welfare charity is going through turmoil (Mail). It would seem that the 25-member ruling council is far too big and reforms need to be put in place to win back the many supporters who have left.

I am disturbed to learn that chief executive Jeremy Cooper, who seemed the right man for the job, has left so suddenly. Though I am no militant animal rights activist, I do agree with those on the council who want to shut down pet shops, make halal slaughter illegal and ban foie gras, fur being used by the fashion industry and traps that use glue to catch mice and rats.

ANGELA HUMPHREY, LONDON NW3. LIKE any organisation, the RSPCA has it faults, but who else would you call on to report animal abuse and cruelty? This organisation is full of hard-working people with the very best of intentions. What is so wrong with having compassion towards animals? The charity’s good work is reliant on donations, but if public confidence is rocked by revelations of bad practice and a waste of money and resources, who will suffer? Innocent animals.

Name and address supplied. THE article on the RSPCA seems to have missed a salient point: the ‘P’ is for prevention of cruelty.

Therefore, surely it is only right and proper that it speaks out forcefully against the cruelty that is part and parcel of factory farming, dog and horse racing, game shooting, fox hunting, vivisection and puppy farming.

The RSPCA is not just there to advise people on how to care for their fluffy bunnies and kittens. B. CROFTON, Weston-super-Mare, somerset.