Dear All
For the record last year I contacted the Licensing Dept at the Oxford District County Council to be told there is a loophole as the shelter is a charity and there is no requirement for licensing or inspection by the DCC. I was told the RSPCA are currently hoping to change the law. I wrote to Celia Hammond at the Celia Hammond Trust in the hopes I would get support, but no response. I spoke to an officer at the Environment & Health Dept, he said there was nothing they could do as they had no powers to go on site as the sanctuary is a registered charity. Spoke to Trading Standards who took no action. Wrote to the Deputy Lord Mayor of Oxford who was invited by the sanctuary to attend Open Day as guest of honour,(normally the Mayor attends) no response. Wrote to Desmond Morris, President of the sanctuary who subsequently stepped down. Wrote to the Editor of the Oxford Times Group, no response. Emailed and spoke at length to the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes which was formed in 1985 to unite Dog and cat Welfare Organisations in matters of concern and importance to stray and unwanted dogs and cats. They have a Code of Practice and yet no help came from this organisation. Have corresponded with the RSPCA, Ms Suzi Graham, regional manager and Chief Inspector Hartley who was in full agreement with me about the poor conditions and Inspector Davidson, the local inspector who visited the site in January 2012 who in his report summarised that 'The Oxfordshire RSPCA, Blue Cross, Cats Protection would be even more overrun if OAS closed'. Wrote to the FAB and was in communication for months but in the end no action. Wrote to Vicki Halls, cat counsellor and although enthusiastic nothing materialised. Spoke to Martha Cannon, expert Feline vet based in Oxford, who told me that she, the FAB, Vicki Halls, and the RSPCA were going to visit the site, nothing came of it.
I now understand that if the RSPCA refuses to act then there is very little one can do. The sanctuary continues to operate and on my last visit in December I was told by the head warden, that they had over 200 cats. The sanctuary also takes in dogs, rabbits,sheep, goats, horses etc.,
Any further thoughts would be welcomed.
Best Fay