Kent Police and RSPCA remove 100 animals from Kent Wildlife Rescue Service site in Sheerness UPDATE 07 08 25

 A few chats today and had it confirmed earlier that my main info was right that rescue gear was taken away and two partially sighted foxes on welfare grounds and these foxes were waiting for forever homes. A tame fox was left as was a fox awaiting release. Apparently a lot of birds were put down. Oddly, they never shut the centre down and the lady running it is appealing but we have no other details but a lot of KWRS supporters are VERY angry.

I do wonder whether one of the people they allow to visit was actually working for the RSPCA and gathering information as the raid and animal/bird killings were obviously planned in advance. Foxes do not rely entirely on eye sight and in safe homes blind foxes live full lives.

Lacking in real detail the story comes from Kent online

 https://www.kentonline.co.uk/sheerness/news/100-animals-removed-from-property-in-police-and-rspca-raid-327870/?fbclid=IwY2xjawL4cT9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETBHNkZrOEZSelI4SjlDQVBYAR6gN7x-LxRJ94TkXgvflMo3APCkpUQTw01qlGBF9K2sRBaqpY3m0E721-nUqw_aem_lTvXVI3EKQxD-2ctPK5qCQ

The worrying thing is that the RSPCA who have for a couple years now stressed that it is no longer involved with wildlife took part in a raid with police. KWR has been around for a while and the cost of the veterinary work on the fox cub (hydrocephalus?) shows it is serious so why now?

Here is a snippet which explains why I do not grade any UK wildlife rescue above 3 (low). There is a certain 'rescue' that has pointed the finger and made private complaints about other genuine rescues and that has caused problems and preventing wildlife aid in some cases. At the moment we do not know why this raid took place and my main concern is what happened to the animals.

If it turns out this was all down to malicious complaints then it may be time for people to get a backbone and actually state who the accusers were (they know).

Around 100 animals have been removed from a rescue site following a raid.

Police and RSPCA officers visited Kent Wildlife Rescue (KWR) in Victoria Street, Sheerness, on Wednesday last week (July 23).

The animals which were taken away included birds, hedgehogs and foxes.

The RSPCA wouldn’t comment on the reasons for the raid, and attempts to speak to the charity’s founder, Lorraine March, were unsuccessful.

KWR rescues, treats and rehabilitates all species of wildlife found injured, sick, or orphaned and returns them to the wild where possible.

It also helps to educate members of the public on wildlife.

In April 2023, it took in Hazel the fox, who was found lying in the road in Maidstone next to her mother, who had been hit by a car.

The cub, who was just a few weeks old at the time, was taken to the rescue centre where volunteers noticed her abnormally sized head. She later began to have seizures.

Last November, Hazel underwent head surgery – costing a total of around £15,000.

It is not known if she is among the animals taken from the property.

UPDATE 

I was alerted to a lot of messages stating that the RSPCA (which cleaned its hands of dealing with wildlife a few years ago) had actually killed a number of animals in situ at the rescue.  The claims were getting out of hand and so I therefore contacted the RSPCA on  5th August:

 "​Hello.

 My name is Terry Hooper and I am a naturalist and have run the British Fox and Wild Canids Study and several other long term studies. One of my main concerns is wildlife welfare and health (I headed the Bristol Fox Deaths Post Mortem Study) and work with wildlife rescues to improve treatments. 

I am contacting you regarding the "seizure" of 100 plus animals from Kent Wildlife Rescue Service. I quote news reports: " Police and RSPCA officers visited Kent Wildlife Rescue (KWR) in Victoria Street, Sheerness, on Wednesday last week (July 23)."

There has been much discussion about this online and I have been alerted to claims that the RSPCA oversaw the euthanasia of animals in situ at the rescue. I assume that the RSPCA is aware of these claims?

I prefer to operate on facts so wanted to ask whether animals were put down and what were the reasons for the raid considering KWRS has enjoyed a good reputation over the years?   I have had calls from the media and would prefer to give them some sensible facts so if the RSPCA can confirm or deny it would be appreciate.

Regards

Terry Hooper"

 

The considered response was sent on the same day:

 

"Thank you for sending your email to the RSPCA.

If you believe an animal needs urgent help then please call us directly on 0300 1234 999. Our phone lines are open every day between 08:00 and 18:00 from 1st October - 31st March and between 08:00 and 20:00 for the remainder of the year. Alternatively, we will deal with your email as soon as possible and may contact you to ask for more details if necessary.

If you are sending us attachments relating to an incident, please make sure you have included your full name, contact number and the incident number which would have been provided to you by a representative.

If you wish to follow up on your request, please reply to this email.

If you're emailing from an RSPCA Branch or a third party that we work closely with and you have an issue which needs to be dealt with quickly, then please call us on your dedicated number.

Kind regards"

RSPCA National Control Centre

Tel: 0300 1234 999

 

I responded back:

"I made a clear and straight forward request for information on the actions (not any investigation)  involving the Kent Wildlife Rescue Service by the RSPCA to quash a lot of rumours.

I will assume that those rumours are fact unless I can get an actual reply. I am trying to be neutral here but you are not helping.

Signed

T. Hooper"

On the 6th I received this response:

 

"Dear Terry,

Thank you for contacting the RSPCA.

Thanks for confirming your details. I can see from the original incident that the officer is still working on it, and the investigation is still under review. I'm afraid we can't provide you with updates.

Kind regards 

Kerry 

RSPCA National Control Centre 

0300 1234 999  "

Now this is where I have concerns. Were it a case that the RSPCA had “legitimate concerns” and had a vet euthanise animals on site then that is all the response required. The idea of the RSPCA inspectors bolt gunning animals on site before any veterinary examination/assessment is quite literally how they used to treat any wildlife injuries prior to their washing their hands of wildlife.

That the RSPCA “raided” the rescue with police support and making it a very obvious spectacle and with a local reporter tipped off seems to be a high publicity game on their part. They have absolutely no interest in helping wildlife and we know that because they have stated so and injured deer, foxes, badgers and various bird species have all had to be handled by local rescuers whom the RSPCA forward calls to and yet here is one rescue that has responded to calls in the past raided by them.

Not giving out case details is expected, however, to not just issue a press statement
(ie a case is underway but we can confirm no/some animals were put down”) has led to a great deal of wild speculation –or at least I hope it is wild speculation but the RSPCA while doing little for wildlife does seem to consider itself above being open to the public that it expects to help fund it via donations. This is why the organisation and its reputation has fallen so badly over the years and I worked alongside RSPCA inspectors from the 1970s on.

This leaves a very nasty taste in one’s mouth. I did send a final email to the RSPCA today (07 08 25):

"Hello.

Unfortunately that does not alter the fact that the RSPCA appears to once again distance itself from the public and supporters. The rumours continue and while I never expect any legal case details to be revealed a simple "due to their conditions some animals were euthanised" -at the moment the claims are that the RSPCA killed animals actually in the wildlife rescue itself which if true would put the organisation in a very bad light and face risking no further cooperation from wildlife rescuers who respond to calls forwarded by the RSPCA.

I have offered the RSPCA the opportunity to at least stop rumours but the offer has been turned down so the rumours continue and will put this case under a great deal of scrutiny if/when it goes to court.

T. Hooper"