0:00:02 > 0:00:03Good afternoon, RSPCA Control Centre.
0:00:03 > 0:00:05Is the cat still breathing?
0:00:05 > 0:00:06You don't think it's breathing.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10Every 30 seconds, someone calls the RSPCA
0:00:10 > 0:00:12about an animal that needs help.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16I'll pass this information through to the officers.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20From neglected pets to injured wildlife...
0:00:22 > 0:00:25..for the trained inspectors, every shift is a challenge.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27We're going!
0:00:27 > 0:00:29It's disgusting.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32We can't leave this situation as it is.
0:00:32 > 0:00:37Now, they tell us what it's really like on the animal frontline.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39No day, really, is the same.
0:00:40 > 0:00:41We have piggies!
0:00:41 > 0:00:44It never ceases to amaze me.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47I go to bed thinking about it and I wake up thinking about it.
0:00:49 > 0:00:50What makes a good RSPCA inspector?
0:00:50 > 0:00:53Nerves of steel, a stomach of iron
0:00:53 > 0:00:55and a sense of humour.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11On this episode of Animal Frontline -
0:01:11 > 0:01:14calls to tethered horses feared neglected and abandoned.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21The unwanted dogs left to starve.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23There's a good girl!
0:01:24 > 0:01:27And Inspector Sarah Keith deals with a slippery customer.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29I'm not...big into reptiles, no.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37In Stoke, Inspector Jayne Bashford is on her way
0:01:37 > 0:01:40to a seemingly routine complaint.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42We had a call come through to us
0:01:42 > 0:01:48regarding a cat or cats at the address that were in poor condition.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50But after five years on the job,
0:01:50 > 0:01:53Jayne knows nothing is straightforward.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59The address, on checks through our computer system,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02showed that the occupants of the property had been previously
0:02:02 > 0:02:05prosecuted by the RSPCA.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09'You have to have that information at the forefront of your mind'
0:02:09 > 0:02:11when you get that call,
0:02:11 > 0:02:13but I always try to approach it
0:02:13 > 0:02:15with as much of an open mind as you possibly can.
0:02:18 > 0:02:23We've had a call about a cat that looks really ill.
0:02:23 > 0:02:24Have you got any cats?
0:02:24 > 0:02:28- Yeah, I've got cats, yeah, but... - Anything wrong with them?- No.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30- Can I have a look at them?- Yeah.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33Vicky lets Jayne in.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36She hasn't been prosecuted for animal cruelty before,
0:02:36 > 0:02:38it was her mother and brother, who are both out.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43But the family all own numerous cats and kittens.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45There's three of them.
0:02:45 > 0:02:46- Oh, wow!- There's two of them.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48- There's another one.- Right.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52Oi! Naughty!
0:02:52 > 0:02:55How many cats have you got in total, Vicky?
0:02:55 > 0:02:57- We've got seven.- You've got seven.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02Jayne isn't worried about the numbers, but the cats' health.
0:03:02 > 0:03:07All of the cats are displaying symptoms of having flea infestations.
0:03:07 > 0:03:12You've got the lady who was, she was coughing and spluttering.
0:03:12 > 0:03:13SHE COUGHS
0:03:13 > 0:03:15And then, amongst all her coughing and spluttering,
0:03:15 > 0:03:20you started to notice that individual cats were also sneezing
0:03:20 > 0:03:21and coughing and spluttering.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26A couple of them have got particularly sticky eyes,
0:03:26 > 0:03:29some discharge, they were all displaying symptoms of cat flu.
0:03:31 > 0:03:32I'm just getting a bit concerned
0:03:32 > 0:03:35- that you might have some cat flu in the house.- Yeah.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38Have you lost any cats to any illnesses?
0:03:42 > 0:03:44- No.- Are you sure?- I think so.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47Mmm.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54The problem with cat flu in a multi-cat household,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57it will spread like wildfire.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00Jayne's concerned that there's an outbreak of cat flu
0:04:00 > 0:04:03and the kittens are particularly vulnerable.
0:04:03 > 0:04:04Their immunity isn't great.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07You know, they're still developing their immunity,
0:04:07 > 0:04:09so, to see kittens with these symptoms,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12you just know that something needs to be done.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18They need to see a vet sooner rather than later, to be honest.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20Obviously, we'll take Mum with them
0:04:20 > 0:04:23so that they're not distressed like that.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27If it's obvious that somebody isn't going to take the initiative
0:04:27 > 0:04:30and think, "Right, you know, I've got an RSPCA inspector on the doorstep,
0:04:30 > 0:04:34"I've got these cats that are displaying sings of illness,
0:04:34 > 0:04:36"I need to take them to the vet's."
0:04:36 > 0:04:39That wasn't coming forward from her herself.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41So I had to take the decision to say to her,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44"Look, these animals are raising concerns to me,
0:04:44 > 0:04:46"I need to take them to a vet."
0:04:50 > 0:04:53Jayne's suspicions about the cats are confirmed.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55Have they got flu?
0:04:55 > 0:04:56- Yes, they've all got cat flu.- Right.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59The only one we haven't looked at yet is Mum, so we'll do her next,
0:04:59 > 0:05:01but all the kittens have got cat flu,
0:05:01 > 0:05:03so I'm sure Mum will have it too.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08It's bizarre, isn't it, that you can knock a door and say to somebody,
0:05:08 > 0:05:12"Have you got a cat with a dishevelled tail?"
0:05:12 > 0:05:16And they let you in, and then you discover a whole raft
0:05:16 > 0:05:21of other, far more serious, animal welfare issues going on.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Back at the house, Vicky's mum is home,
0:05:24 > 0:05:27and both now have serious issues to deal with.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33An independent veterinary surgeon has looked at those animals
0:05:33 > 0:05:36and she's confirmed that they've all got cat flu.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40- Is that why their eyes keep going...?- That's exactly what it is.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43Cat flu is going to go through this house like a dose of salts
0:05:43 > 0:05:45and it's potentially fatal, OK?
0:05:45 > 0:05:50The remaining adult cats need to go to a veterinary surgeon
0:05:50 > 0:05:53- within the next 14 days.- Right.
0:05:53 > 0:05:54For the infected cats,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57Jayne has eye drops and antibiotics from the vet's.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00A simple inoculation would prevent the others from catching it.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03If, in 14 days, this isn't complied with,
0:06:03 > 0:06:07I'll have no other option to remove every cat here.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09Jayne cautions Vicky and Janice
0:06:09 > 0:06:12for not taking the cats to the vet's before
0:06:12 > 0:06:14and hopes this time they'll take note.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20This is an opportunity for you guys now to get this sorted out.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25I'm not asking them to perform ridiculous tasks,
0:06:25 > 0:06:27just take your animals to the vet's.
0:06:27 > 0:06:28Don't let me down, guys, all right?
0:06:28 > 0:06:31I'll see you in a couple of weeks, all right?
0:06:31 > 0:06:34- See you then, bye-bye! - Bye, thank you.
0:06:40 > 0:06:45Animal neglect often occurs behind closed doors and goes unreported,
0:06:45 > 0:06:50but when a distressed animal is in clear public view, people react.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59Is it just sort of churned-up mud that he's in?
0:07:04 > 0:07:06It does upset people when they see tethered animals,
0:07:06 > 0:07:08it does restrict where the animal gets to go
0:07:08 > 0:07:12and it's nice to see an animal being able to move freely in its own environment.
0:07:12 > 0:07:13However, when they're tethered,
0:07:13 > 0:07:15they just...they're not able to do that at all.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23And is it, is it wearing a rug
0:07:23 > 0:07:24or anything like that?
0:07:24 > 0:07:25No, nothing.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28HORSE NEIGHS
0:07:28 > 0:07:32In the North East, Inspector Jaqui Miller sees unattended
0:07:32 > 0:07:35and often neglected ponies time and time again.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40We can get calls, anything between two and three calls a day,
0:07:40 > 0:07:43about tethered horses and with no water,
0:07:43 > 0:07:44tethered horses with no blanket,
0:07:44 > 0:07:47tethered horses that are living in mud.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Today's call is to horses on playing fields in Gateshead.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53It's a sight Jaqui knows well.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13There's about four or five different people that have horses on here.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Every single one of them are tethered.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20Recent bad weather has left locals concerned about the horses' welfare.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22The weather had been pretty bad
0:08:22 > 0:08:27and a few of the horses were just in massive, deep...
0:08:27 > 0:08:29Plodging around in mud.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32This has probably only been here about a day.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35It's just because the ground is so saturated and sodden,
0:08:35 > 0:08:37they're just churning it up in seconds.
0:08:37 > 0:08:38Um...
0:08:41 > 0:08:42Tethering isn't illegal,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45but it can cause welfare issues if not done properly.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51There's all sorts of problems with tethering
0:08:51 > 0:08:53and this is why it bugs me so much.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55They can get their legs wrapped round the tether,
0:08:55 > 0:08:58they can get their nails stuck in the actual tethering line.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00They'll get stressed,
0:09:00 > 0:09:04they'll roll around and they get wrapped up in the tether even more,
0:09:04 > 0:09:08you know, and unfortunately, they can strangle themselves with that.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12To me, if you've got a horse, you find a stable and a field,
0:09:12 > 0:09:14then you buy the horse.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17You know, it's the same if you go and get a hamster.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20You buy the hamster cage and the food and the water bottle,
0:09:20 > 0:09:22and then you bring your hamster home.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24Whereas, around here, it's a case of,
0:09:24 > 0:09:27"I'll go down to the horse market and I'll buy a horse for a fiver,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30"I'll get a tether and I'll stick it on a piece of land."
0:09:32 > 0:09:35Thankfully, this horse is tethered correctly.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37That's one sort of swivel clip there.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40This stops the tether getting all curled up and around.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44But the horse at the other side of the field is not.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47What on earth is that?
0:09:47 > 0:09:51It's just gone and wrapped itself round and round and round and round.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53It's just ridiculous.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57Because they were inappropriate chains,
0:09:57 > 0:09:59they've wrapped around themselves
0:09:59 > 0:10:02and they've got literally from about a three-metre-long tether
0:10:02 > 0:10:03down to about a metre.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09So I had to, basically, uncurl the tethers,
0:10:09 > 0:10:12so, at least, I knew when I left they weren't stuck up
0:10:12 > 0:10:13and they weren't screwed up
0:10:13 > 0:10:16and that they could move a bit more freely than where they were.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18Is that better?
0:10:20 > 0:10:24I'm finding it difficult to move, so I'm sure he is as well.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27There's no shelter for any of these horses.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31And some only have trodden, fouled grass to eat.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36But all Jaqui can do is leave a note for the absent owner.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38Just about reminding them
0:10:38 > 0:10:41that he needs to be checking on him at least twice a day.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43And he needs to be changing his tether line
0:10:43 > 0:10:45to something more suitable,
0:10:45 > 0:10:47that's not going to get wound up like that.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49It's just an accident waiting to happen.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53It's frustrating for Jaqui.
0:10:53 > 0:10:59But this is just one of an estimated 3,500 tethered horses in the UK.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04It's a growing problem, but all inspectors can do in these cases
0:11:04 > 0:11:06is check the welfare of the animal.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12In a different area of Gateshead,
0:11:12 > 0:11:16Jaqui visits another horse that's been attracting a lot of attention.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20The story with this horse was that no-one would be looking after him
0:11:20 > 0:11:22and no-one had been attending to him.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25But it wasn't that we'd had ONE call about it -
0:11:25 > 0:11:26we'd had about five calls about it
0:11:26 > 0:11:29from every single neighbour that looked out onto this field.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37The report suggests the owner is not feeding or watering the horse.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40You're probably enjoying the lovely warmth, aren't you, this morning?
0:11:41 > 0:11:44But, on arrival, he looks in good shape.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48Jaqui soon finds out why.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50So what's the story with him then?
0:11:50 > 0:11:53Never seen anybody come to see to him or anything.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56It's my partner who's been moving him around,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59- you can see how many times he's been moved round the field.- Right.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02The locals have been trying to look after him themselves.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08But, ironically, their good deed for the horse makes Jaqui's job harder.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11By filling up his water and by moving it,
0:12:11 > 0:12:15I then can't establish whether or not it's the owner
0:12:15 > 0:12:18who's gone and filled up that water bucket
0:12:18 > 0:12:22or if it's the people who are helping looking after it.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26It's awful, it's frustrating, it's a horrible thing to say,
0:12:26 > 0:12:30- but tethering is not illegal. - I know.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33If he's been here for four weeks and no-one had attended to him
0:12:33 > 0:12:36and he was just left in a big massive circle,
0:12:36 > 0:12:39that's my evidence to prove that no-one is coming to attend to him.
0:12:39 > 0:12:40Yeah.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44And then, all of a sudden, the owner rocks up!
0:12:44 > 0:12:46'And I just reiterate'
0:12:46 > 0:12:47what they need to be doing
0:12:47 > 0:12:49and what that horse needed to be provided with.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52- You need to come down every day, OK?- I've come down every morning and every night.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56- What time do you come?- Eh?- What time do you come?- Eight in the morning and half-nine at night.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Neighbours are saying one thing, he's saying another.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02- What do you bring him?- Nothing, at the minute, he's just eating grass.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05At this time of year, there's not really a lot of goodness in that grass, OK?
0:13:05 > 0:13:08And you really need to be bringing some haylage down,
0:13:08 > 0:13:10some extra supplementary feed, OK?
0:13:13 > 0:13:15With more bad weather forecast,
0:13:15 > 0:13:18Jaqui is keen for the owner to provide shelter for the horse.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20- What's your plans with him? - Just going to the stables.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24- Right. So that's probably within the next week or so?- Hopefully, yeah.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27If you can do that for me, I'll be a very happy lady, OK?
0:13:27 > 0:13:29And I'm sure it'll be a lot better for him as well.
0:13:29 > 0:13:34- No bother at all.- OK, thank you. - Cheers, thanks, see you later.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36Just gave him a bit of advice, you know,
0:13:36 > 0:13:39but he's indicating that the actual pony is getting moved
0:13:39 > 0:13:41in the next week or so to stables for the rest of the winter.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44So, you know, I'll just check up next week,
0:13:44 > 0:13:47just to make sure he's done what I've asked him.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52And after persistent calls from Jaqui,
0:13:52 > 0:13:54this horse was eventually moved into stables.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59But thousands of others across the UK are not so lucky.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04It's becoming more and more common.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09The problem is, it's not illegal.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11Until tethering is made illegal,
0:14:11 > 0:14:13we've just got to work with these people
0:14:13 > 0:14:15and highlight to them what the problems are.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29In Stoke, Jayne Bashford is returning to see Vicky
0:14:29 > 0:14:30and her mum, Janice.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34It's two weeks since she issued them a warning
0:14:34 > 0:14:38to take all their cats to the vet's after an outbreak of cat flu.
0:14:42 > 0:14:43Hiya.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45The news at the house is not good.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52Sadly, some of the cats had either died...
0:14:54 > 0:14:58..or had had to be put to sleep by the vet.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03The cats that died were the kittens and their mother.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06Although Jayne had taken them to the vet's,
0:15:06 > 0:15:08it had been too late to save them.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13- How many have you got now?- Six.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15- You've still got six?- Yeah.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18And how many of those six have been to the vet's?
0:15:18 > 0:15:20Three of them have been...
0:15:20 > 0:15:22No, four, cos Kit's been as well.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24So there's two more that need to go.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26'And it makes you think,'
0:15:26 > 0:15:29"Right, you know, this is, OK, this is going to be difficult, then."
0:15:29 > 0:15:33So, here we are, nearly a month on, and they've still got fleas
0:15:33 > 0:15:36and two of them still haven't been to the vet's, have they?
0:15:36 > 0:15:38- So it's frust... - We're trying the best we can.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41I mean, I'm not forking out on taxis when we're on benefits.
0:15:41 > 0:15:48Right, so why take on so many cats when you can't afford them?
0:15:48 > 0:15:51We can't afford them? We can afford to feed them.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54But you've just told me you're not prepared to fork out on a taxi.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59No, when you don't have to, you're being forced to!
0:15:59 > 0:16:02You've knocked on here cos you've had a report
0:16:02 > 0:16:04of a cat with a mangy tail,
0:16:04 > 0:16:07so now we've got to take all the other cats to the vet's.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10- Yeah, they have been diagnosed with cat flu...- But there you go then.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13But you shouldn't even be knocking on the door!
0:16:13 > 0:16:16MOBILE PHONE RINGS
0:16:16 > 0:16:18Hello?
0:16:18 > 0:16:19BLEEP...
0:16:20 > 0:16:23'When you're in the middle of discussing something'
0:16:23 > 0:16:27that's really quite potentially very serious with them
0:16:27 > 0:16:31and the phone goes and somebody just completely ignores you
0:16:31 > 0:16:35'and drops you in what you're saying and answers the phone...'
0:16:39 > 0:16:43'..and then proceeds to have a lengthy conversation with somebody'
0:16:43 > 0:16:45about money that is going to be spent on presents...
0:16:50 > 0:16:52Don't know.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55'..and then puts the phone down, having sworn about you'
0:16:55 > 0:17:02whilst you're in the room, saying, you know, "Oh, the...RSPCA are here,"
0:17:02 > 0:17:05'it's just... It's just really annoying.'
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Can I just make an observation?
0:17:07 > 0:17:10- You've just told me you've got no money...- Yeah.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14Can I make the suggestion that money is not spent on Emeli Sande CDs...
0:17:14 > 0:17:17- It's for me birthday. - For your birthday?- Yeah.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Maybe keep the tenner for the CD
0:17:19 > 0:17:22to put it towards the treatment of your cats.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29Jayne's exasperated, but she still wants to find a solution.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33So what I'm prepared to do is extend the warning notice
0:17:33 > 0:17:35to give you the opportunity
0:17:35 > 0:17:39to get the remaining two cats sorted out, OK?
0:17:39 > 0:17:42But you can't just get angry
0:17:42 > 0:17:45and start blaming everybody else in the world
0:17:45 > 0:17:50for the fact that your cats did need vet...urgent veterinary attention.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52If I come back next week and you still haven't complied,
0:17:52 > 0:17:56I'm going to have no other option than to escalate it.
0:17:58 > 0:18:06Anybody that knows me out of work knows that...I do have a fiery side.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09However, as tempting as it is
0:18:09 > 0:18:12to really, really let rip,
0:18:12 > 0:18:15there's no point, cos you've lost your argument then.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19All right? I'll see you next week, all right.
0:18:19 > 0:18:24You can get in the van and you can scream and tear your hair out.
0:18:24 > 0:18:25SHE CHUCKLES
0:18:25 > 0:18:26Oh...
0:18:26 > 0:18:30But I won't let them see that when I'm in the house.
0:18:30 > 0:18:31Well, not very often, anyway.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40A week later, Jayne returns to see Vicky and her family,
0:18:40 > 0:18:43hoping the message has finally got through.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46'I'd like to say I'm optimistic that we're going to knock on the door
0:18:46 > 0:18:48'and everything is going to be wonderful
0:18:48 > 0:18:50'and it's going to be cat utopia,
0:18:50 > 0:18:53'but I just feel that we're going to have a few problems.'
0:18:53 > 0:18:57- Hello, my love, please tell me you've got some good news for me.- Yes.
0:18:57 > 0:18:58- Have you?- Yes.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00'Final visit to the address,'
0:19:00 > 0:19:03they still hadn't taken all of the cats to the vet's.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06'But none of the cats now were displaying any symptoms of,
0:19:06 > 0:19:12'you know, flu or coughing or...you know, they all looked to be OK.'
0:19:12 > 0:19:13With the exception of fleas,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16cos they still hadn't sought any flea treatments.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19The big difference I've noticed today
0:19:19 > 0:19:21is that the remaining cats that are here,
0:19:21 > 0:19:25- their eyes are clear, there's no sneezing.- Yeah.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27You don't half like leaving things to the last minute, don't you?
0:19:27 > 0:19:30And don't get me wrong, I am sympathetic to the fact
0:19:30 > 0:19:33that we're all on hard times at the moment, you know.
0:19:33 > 0:19:34But, equally...
0:19:36 > 0:19:39..if you can't afford them, don't have them.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43Nobody comes to you with a litter of kittens
0:19:43 > 0:19:45and forces you to take them on.
0:19:45 > 0:19:50You've got to take responsibility for it yourself.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53'It's a little disheartening when you have to keep coming back
0:19:53 > 0:19:57'and keep on giving advice to people over and over again'
0:19:57 > 0:20:01and I'll come back again in a few week's time
0:20:01 > 0:20:03and we'll see where we're at.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07As long as they haven't filled the house back up with cats,
0:20:07 > 0:20:10then I'll be a happy woman.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18Good morning, RSPCA Control Centre, can I take your full name, please?
0:20:18 > 0:20:22The vast majority of calls to the RSPCA are about cats and dogs.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27But they deal with any animal in need of help.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31No matter how unusual.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05Bemused Humberside inspector Sarah Keith
0:21:05 > 0:21:08is responding to the report of the rogue reptile.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12We just had a call off a lady
0:21:12 > 0:21:16who's called in a collection of a snake.
0:21:16 > 0:21:17So I rung her
0:21:17 > 0:21:19and she's not at home.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22So we're going to go and have a little look.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27There are quite a lot of reptile enthusiasts in Hull
0:21:27 > 0:21:29and people who breed snakes.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32I'm not...big into reptiles, no.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37Sarah has no idea what species of snake is waiting
0:21:37 > 0:21:39on the driveway of the home,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42where it came from or how dangerous it might be.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45She said that there'd been another snake in the area,
0:21:45 > 0:21:48so I thought, "Well, it's someone who's breeding them
0:21:48 > 0:21:50"and they're just, they're escaping out of, you know,
0:21:50 > 0:21:52"the vivarium where they're being housed in."
0:21:55 > 0:21:57Sarah makes a cautious approach.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02When we got there, I couldn't see anything.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05And, eventually, on the ground, there was a little...
0:22:05 > 0:22:07It looked dead,
0:22:07 > 0:22:11I genuinely thought it was dead until I poked it a bit and then it moved.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14The snake is cold and lifeless.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16Sarah thinks it could be an escaped pet
0:22:16 > 0:22:18that somebody might be searching for.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20Whenever we find a stray animal,
0:22:20 > 0:22:23we stick a poster up with the incident number that relates to that
0:22:23 > 0:22:25so if the owner sees the poster,
0:22:25 > 0:22:27they can ring in and get their animal back.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31Hopefully, they'll see the sign, realise they've got one that escaped
0:22:31 > 0:22:34and go pick it up from the vet's.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38The snake is not very active and could be ill.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42Sarah decides it might need veterinary attention.
0:22:42 > 0:22:43I didn't recognise what it was,
0:22:43 > 0:22:47so best thing you can do in that situation is go get it identified.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55Sarah hopes if she can identify the species of snake,
0:22:55 > 0:22:57she can find out where it's come from.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59So what's the story?
0:22:59 > 0:23:02We just found this stray in someone's garden.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05It's been there for a couple of days, hanging around in the front garden area...
0:23:05 > 0:23:07- Honest?- Yeah.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11I know, she rang in and I was, "It's not going to be there." And it was.
0:23:11 > 0:23:16But vet John Levison isn't convinced the snake is anybody's pet at all.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18I think it might be a grass snake.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22He thinks it's a wild British snake.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26The markings on it looked like a native species,
0:23:26 > 0:23:30but the colouring was wrong so, er...we googled it.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34- Oh, look at that.- That...
0:23:34 > 0:23:36It's a grass snake, innit?
0:23:36 > 0:23:39The snake isn't from an exotic country.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42It actually comes from Hull.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44This is a native snake, will not harm you.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48In Hull, I've never had a native snake, I've only ever had escapees,
0:23:48 > 0:23:51- cos I thought it was actually an escapee at first.- Right.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53I thought, "It's only a baby."
0:23:53 > 0:23:56- Well, I do. - We learnt something today.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59It was a grass snake,
0:23:59 > 0:24:01but I discovered since
0:24:01 > 0:24:03that it was actually a grass snake in the middle of its shed,
0:24:03 > 0:24:05which was why it was a different colour,
0:24:05 > 0:24:07so...mystery solved in the end,
0:24:07 > 0:24:08with the help of Google.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18In the capital, Inspector Clare Dew has an urgent job.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22A call has come in
0:24:22 > 0:24:24saying two dogs have been starved at a North London address
0:24:24 > 0:24:26and they're in very poor health.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32But the complainant has waited two weeks to report their concerns.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37I've got to get into this address today,
0:24:37 > 0:24:40because, obviously, this call came in only last night,
0:24:40 > 0:24:43but claims these dogs were in this situation two weeks ago,
0:24:43 > 0:24:46so I can't afford to leave it any longer.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50If the animals were that bad two weeks ago, how bad are they today?
0:24:54 > 0:24:57Clare decides to take a colleague with her for back-up.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59I thought it was advisable that two of us go.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02There were supposed to be a number of young people at the address,
0:25:02 > 0:25:04didn't know too much about the breed of the dogs,
0:25:04 > 0:25:07they were supposed to be emaciated, falling over, near to death...
0:25:07 > 0:25:10That can be quite an inflammatory situation.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16Sometimes, two people are better than one trying to deal with that.
0:25:16 > 0:25:17No dog food.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21Inspector Becky Bedson joins her on the call.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27- Hello.- Hello, mate.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30- We've had a call about your dogs, can we come in a sec?- Yeah. - Thank you.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33Clare and Becky are allowed in and quickly see that the dogs,
0:25:33 > 0:25:37a Staffy and a Great Dane cross, are in poor condition.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40Your dogs are really thin, so why are they really thin?
0:25:40 > 0:25:42What food have you got in the house? Show me dog food.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45It became quite clear that between the three people didn't really know
0:25:45 > 0:25:47whether there was any food in the house!
0:25:47 > 0:25:50What did you feed them last night? Where's the package from last night or this morning?
0:25:50 > 0:25:53And I think the elder of the three people actually said,
0:25:53 > 0:25:55"Well, dogs are always hungry. And they're always thin."
0:25:55 > 0:25:58No, they're not always hungry and they certainly don't look like that
0:25:58 > 0:26:00and they're quite clearly starving.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05The owners won't accept that there's anything wrong with the dogs.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12We were both very frustrated by this point,
0:26:12 > 0:26:14cos we were just going round and round in circles,
0:26:14 > 0:26:16to which point I think my colleague said,
0:26:16 > 0:26:18"Look, you've got two options - we'll either give you a notice
0:26:18 > 0:26:20"so you sort it out, or we'll take the dogs."
0:26:20 > 0:26:22And they said, "Fine, take them."
0:26:22 > 0:26:24Now, come on. Come on.
0:26:24 > 0:26:25There's a good girl.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27The unwanted dogs are led out.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30They're so thin you can see their ribs.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33I know you're hungry, we'll get you something in a minute, come on.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35I know, come on. There's a good girl!
0:26:35 > 0:26:37'I was really quite sad, actually.'
0:26:37 > 0:26:39It's like, you don't want that dog, just like that,
0:26:39 > 0:26:42just because someone's told you that they're going to take it.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44Why did you have the two dogs in the first place?
0:26:44 > 0:26:47There's a good boy. Come on, let's go and get in the car.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50'I don't understand how anyone could just give anything up like that,'
0:26:50 > 0:26:52but we're in a disposable society today.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54That dog's not in fashion, those trainers aren't in fashion,
0:26:54 > 0:26:56that phone isn't in fashion, let's trade it in.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59If someone wants to take the old one away, that's great.
0:27:05 > 0:27:10After a trip to the vet's, Clare takes the dogs to nearby kennels.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13Good boy! Good girl, come on!
0:27:13 > 0:27:16Look, come on, this is where we're going. It's nice in here.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24They have scars from fighting over food and they're underweight,
0:27:24 > 0:27:27but, thankfully, there's no long-term damage.
0:27:27 > 0:27:28There you go!
0:27:28 > 0:27:31Here's a good boy! Go!
0:27:31 > 0:27:33And a few weeks later, they've both put on weight
0:27:33 > 0:27:36and were found new owners.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38SHE LAUGHS
0:27:38 > 0:27:40In this case, there was a really good result for both of those dogs.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43'It was really easy to find them new homes.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47'They're nice dogs, well socialised, fine with people.'
0:27:47 > 0:27:49You want to play? Oh, you want to play?
0:27:49 > 0:27:51'And now, they'll be in a home'
0:27:51 > 0:27:53where they'll be treated in the way a dog should be
0:27:53 > 0:27:56and any living breathing thing should be -
0:27:56 > 0:27:58'it isn't worried about where its next meal is coming from
0:27:58 > 0:28:01'or whether it's going to get a walk round the block.'
0:28:01 > 0:28:02Oh!
0:28:02 > 0:28:05Yeah, I think they'll both be quite happy.
0:28:05 > 0:28:06There's a good girl.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd