0:00:02 > 0:00:04Good afternoon, RSPCA control centre.
0:00:04 > 0:00:07What animal is your call regarding today?
0:00:07 > 0:00:11In the UK, someone calls the RSPCA every 30 seconds.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13Exactly what did you see?
0:00:13 > 0:00:15So they're left outside in all weathers
0:00:15 > 0:00:17and they've got no bedding or shelter from the rain.
0:00:17 > 0:00:2024 hours a day, 365 days a year...
0:00:20 > 0:00:22I don't want you to go too close to it
0:00:22 > 0:00:25because swans can be very, very dangerous.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28..when an animal needs help, the emergency line is open.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Do you know something? I've had non-stop calls for the past hour.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35All right, take care, bye-bye. Got a bit of a rough throat now.
0:00:38 > 0:00:39It's cos I don't shut up.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41Filming as the calls come in...
0:00:45 > 0:00:48..and when inspectors respond on the ground...
0:00:48 > 0:00:51I'll pass this information through to the officer.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55So close.
0:00:55 > 0:01:00..rescuing everything from injured wildlife, to neglected pets.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02BARKS
0:01:02 > 0:01:04- Every shift is a challenge. - SNARLS
0:01:04 > 0:01:06Rhea one, RSPCA nil.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10There's no such thing as a typical day as an RSPCA inspector.
0:01:10 > 0:01:11Get... Oh, my lord!
0:01:13 > 0:01:15We never know what we're going to deal with.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17No two days are the same.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19- You're keeping a dog out there, it's disgusting.- Whoa there!
0:01:19 > 0:01:21It can get to the point where
0:01:21 > 0:01:23you feel like you're banging your head against a brick wall.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25It's dirty, sweaty...
0:01:25 > 0:01:28It stuns me sometimes, the smells that I come across.
0:01:28 > 0:01:29SHE COUGHS Sorry.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32There's not a lot of glamour in my role.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35Even if you just helped one animal...
0:01:35 > 0:01:36Hi, mate.
0:01:36 > 0:01:37..it's worth it.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50Today, a call to a stag
0:01:50 > 0:01:53with a life buoy entangled in its antlers.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57I think it's probably getting a bit distressed now.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00Inspector Kate Fletcher gets a rather unfriendly welcome...
0:02:00 > 0:02:01BARKING
0:02:01 > 0:02:04They're going to be fun to get out, aren't they?
0:02:04 > 0:02:07..and the cats living in unbelievable squalor.
0:02:07 > 0:02:08Oh, my God.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16Of all the calls the RSPCA deals with,
0:02:16 > 0:02:21there's one animal that will always strike a note of fear.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23'I'm not a big fan of spiders at all.'
0:02:23 > 0:02:26If it hasn't got four legs and fur, I'm not too keen.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29Tarantulas. They terrify me, tarantulas.
0:02:29 > 0:02:30My God.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Even thinking about them now, my hands have gone cold.
0:02:34 > 0:02:35No, I don't like 'em.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37I'll pass that forward to one of our officers,
0:02:37 > 0:02:39who'll decide the best course of action.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42You know, you phone up one officer and say, "It's a spider,"
0:02:42 > 0:02:46and this is the description of it, and you can usually tell by the pause
0:02:46 > 0:02:50whether it's something that they're interested in, or they're not.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53Luckily, Inspector Tony Woodley
0:02:53 > 0:02:56is interested in our eight-legged friends.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58I've got a bit of experience with exotic species,
0:02:58 > 0:03:01I used to keep spiders many years ago.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03He's just the man for today's job.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05- Hello.- Hello!
0:03:05 > 0:03:09Collecting a large and very exotic arachnid.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11He's rather splendid, isn't he?
0:03:11 > 0:03:15This jet-setting huntsman spider landed on UK shores
0:03:15 > 0:03:20after a six-week, 10,000-mile journey.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23The spider was found by some workers in a warehouse.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27I think they're a company who import goods from Taiwan.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30And it was found in a box of BMX parts,
0:03:30 > 0:03:33inside a large container, and they opened this box,
0:03:33 > 0:03:36and there was the spider, which made them all jump.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39Is he quite lively?
0:03:39 > 0:03:41He is, yeah. He jumps and runs.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43'Not all of them are actually going to'
0:03:43 > 0:03:46think about the welfare of the animal and what to do with it.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48Some of them might put it under their foot.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51Whereas some will actually try and help the animal.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54Having narrowly avoided a squashing,
0:03:54 > 0:03:56Tony's taking the spider to a zoo in Sussex.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01One huntsman spider.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03I don't mind my spiders, but this one is,
0:04:03 > 0:04:05yeah, it is kind of funky, isn't it?
0:04:05 > 0:04:08- It just doesn't look nice.- No.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12The legs are long, and that's more what people freak out about,
0:04:12 > 0:04:14is the legs.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19It could give Tony a nasty bite, so he's understandably cautious
0:04:19 > 0:04:21trying to move it into the bigger tank.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26- She's the other side now. - Oh, she's on the other side, right.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29It's a far cry from tropical Taiwan,
0:04:29 > 0:04:33but this intrepid traveller at last has a new home.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38Some of these animals, and particularly a big spider,
0:04:38 > 0:04:39even some of my colleagues, I mean,
0:04:39 > 0:04:42they're going to run a mile from them, really.
0:04:43 > 0:04:48I'll put my hands up and say I'm not a great lover of spiders.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Give me an aggressive, big dog any day.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Yeah, you just try and deal with it as professionally as you can.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59But, at the same time, I'm...I'm really scared,
0:04:59 > 0:05:03I'll be totally honest with you, I don't like this type of call.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06But today, Inspector Keith Hogben has drawn the short straw.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10A woman has called to say she's heard noises
0:05:10 > 0:05:13coming from inside an imported piece of furniture.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17She fears it may be an exotic spider.
0:05:21 > 0:05:26Spiders, eurgh! They just give me the creeps. I don't know why.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29Unfortunately my nearest colleague was three hours away,
0:05:29 > 0:05:31so I'm thinking, "I'm going to have to go to this."
0:05:31 > 0:05:34How are you doing? Are you all right? I'm Keith.
0:05:34 > 0:05:39Hi. I've got whatever it... It's in the garage.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43- Right.- I bought a jute pod, which is like a pouffe,
0:05:43 > 0:05:47and the place it came from, is New Delhi in India.
0:05:47 > 0:05:48Oh, right, OK.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50And for the last couple of weeks
0:05:50 > 0:05:53I've thought I've heard noises in this pod, but...
0:05:53 > 0:05:55What type of noises?
0:05:55 > 0:05:59Well, almost like something creeping over the polystyrene beans.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01HE SHUDDERS OK.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04I know I get distressed from seeing a normal house spider.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07'So for her to wonder what's in this beanbag,'
0:06:07 > 0:06:09I think it was a big relief that we were there.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13- It's...- In there.- Yeah.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16It's quite interesting. It's not...it's not the usual
0:06:16 > 0:06:19type of call we have, and I'm a bit wary, obviously.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22I'll get it off to the local vet surgery
0:06:22 > 0:06:25where I know we can contain whatever it is in a secure room.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29- I googled this morning... - Worst thing you could do, I think!
0:06:29 > 0:06:32- It was like, "Whoa!" - Did it come up with spiders?
0:06:32 > 0:06:34It did. There were a lot of spiders. And a lot of tarantulas.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36HE SHUDDERS
0:06:36 > 0:06:37Oh, no!
0:06:40 > 0:06:41But, facing up to his fears,
0:06:41 > 0:06:45Keith takes it to the local vet as quickly as he can.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49With a net and a Perspex tank at the ready, he's prepared for the worst.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53I can laugh about it now, but I was genuinely worried
0:06:53 > 0:06:56and I'm really nervous of 'em.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59With only minimal protection, the delicate search can begin.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07I'm surprised you can't hear my heart pounding, actually.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14I'm thinking the spider's going to jump at me and get me.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19Haven't seen anything yet.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21I'll get ready to run.
0:07:21 > 0:07:22Oh, my God, my heart's going.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24"What was that? What was that? I'm sweating...
0:07:27 > 0:07:29Oh!
0:07:29 > 0:07:30THEY LAUGH
0:07:32 > 0:07:35..and it turned out to be a bit of plastic or something.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41Finally, all the beans have been poured from the bag...
0:07:41 > 0:07:44I don't think there's anything in there.
0:07:44 > 0:07:45How bizarre.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47..but no spider.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52The worry is then, I'm thinking, "Oh, my. Is it in my van?
0:07:52 > 0:07:54"Or is it still at the property?"
0:07:54 > 0:07:57But, there's only so much worrying you can do, isn't there?
0:07:59 > 0:08:01'It's not going to be too comforting, I think,
0:08:01 > 0:08:05'for when I ring the caller and just say, "We haven't found anything."'
0:08:05 > 0:08:08It would have been better to find something than not to find it,
0:08:08 > 0:08:10just to put everyone's mind at rest.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14'I probably get that type of call twice a year.'
0:08:14 > 0:08:16Luckily, this time there was nothing to worry about.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18Well, I hope not.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23Oh, dear. HE CHUCKLES
0:08:26 > 0:08:29While calls to spiders may be thankfully rare,
0:08:29 > 0:08:33there's one complaint that inspectors hear all too often.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38In London, Kate Fletcher is on her way to a house
0:08:38 > 0:08:41where two dogs have been reported abandoned.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46'We get a lot of calls about animals abandoned in properties.'
0:08:46 > 0:08:50We generally need to prove 48 hours maximum before the dog is...
0:08:50 > 0:08:53dog or cat is considered to be suffering.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57To do that, Kate has left tape seals across the front door of the house.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00Now, four days later, she's returning
0:09:00 > 0:09:03to see if the seals remain unbroken.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06Those seals have been there for... I think this is the fourth day.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08So it's high time we got those dogs out.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11BARKING
0:09:11 > 0:09:15They're going to be fun to get out, aren't they?
0:09:15 > 0:09:19But because RSPCA inspectors have no powers of entry,
0:09:19 > 0:09:21Kate immediately calls the police.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23I require come police assistance
0:09:23 > 0:09:25at an address where we've got some abandoned dogs.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29And we're now looking to force entry to get the dogs out.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31I don't know whether or not it might be worth trying to get
0:09:31 > 0:09:35a dog unit down here as well. They are going quite crazy in there.
0:09:35 > 0:09:36BARKING AND GROWLING
0:09:37 > 0:09:41We've got to tread carefully, with dogs that are in that state.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45A nervous or fear-aggressive dog is in some ways the most dangerous,
0:09:45 > 0:09:47cos they're the most unpredictable.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50When the police arrive, they find the back doors unlocked.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Hello, it's the police.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55The police were quite eager to kind of go in straightaway.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58We'll get this little one out first.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00Oh, it's open already, is it?
0:10:00 > 0:10:02A Staffy cross and Jack Russell are on the other side,
0:10:02 > 0:10:04but Kate is cautious.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07I just don't know how aggressive she is, that's the only thing.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10Doesn't say anything. Yeah, their tails will wag
0:10:10 > 0:10:13when they're about to bite you, mate. They will, I promise.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15I have to look after my safety,
0:10:15 > 0:10:19and I was the only officer present who has experience of handling dogs.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23So I've got two dogs who are very upset, and distressed.
0:10:23 > 0:10:28Hello. No, she's going to... Yeah, I'm not happy bringing her out.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32Kate decides that she's going to need the help
0:10:32 > 0:10:34of specialist police dog handlers.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36'I felt a lot more comfortable
0:10:36 > 0:10:38'waiting for the dog section to arrive.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41'They are the people who have got that specialist training,
0:10:41 > 0:10:43'and the specialist equipment.'
0:10:43 > 0:10:46It's one of those situations where you don't know how it's going to go.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48BARKING
0:10:53 > 0:10:55As Kate and the handler enter the house,
0:10:55 > 0:10:58the dogs run off into other rooms.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01'There's a bit of mayhem going on in there, it's quite chaotic.'
0:11:01 > 0:11:05The dogs are obviously too terrified to come towards us,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08and they're just running away.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10With two more dog handlers now on the scene,
0:11:10 > 0:11:13the terrified dogs bolt upstairs.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15I think if we can get the Staff out, I think
0:11:15 > 0:11:18the Jack's getting all her confidence from the Staff. BEEPING
0:11:18 > 0:11:21And I think the Jack Russell will be all right when the Staff goes.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24BARKING Good girl!
0:11:24 > 0:11:26The dogs are clearly more bark than bite,
0:11:26 > 0:11:28but they're understandably scared.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32The more these dogs are getting chased around, the more wound up
0:11:32 > 0:11:37and upset they're getting, and that is really upsetting for me to see.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39Good girl!
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Right, can you clear a path to get the dog out?
0:11:42 > 0:11:45What's this? There's a good lad!
0:11:45 > 0:11:48The Staffy cross is removed from the house,
0:11:48 > 0:11:51but capturing the Jack Russell proves to be more of a challenge.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53There's a good boy!
0:11:53 > 0:11:55I was starting to herd him down the stairs,
0:11:55 > 0:11:58and he was very interested in the ham that was being offered to him.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01Just push him back up, he won't bite you. Just push him back up.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03'He just kind of took a running leap.'
0:12:03 > 0:12:06A bit embarrassing, really, that we found it so hard to catch him,
0:12:06 > 0:12:08and he managed to get away from us quite a few times.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10Hey, little man.
0:12:10 > 0:12:11SHE SIGHS
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Whoa, whoa!
0:12:14 > 0:12:16Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. Chill. Good boy.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18Yep, got him. Good boy.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22Both dogs are now safely confined in Kate's van.
0:12:22 > 0:12:23BARKING
0:12:24 > 0:12:26At the vets, they're examined.
0:12:26 > 0:12:27Both are underweight
0:12:27 > 0:12:30and certainly pleased to finally get a proper meal.
0:12:34 > 0:12:39Someone is hungry. Certainly can eat, can't you?
0:12:39 > 0:12:42When we put food down for the dogs, it was gone.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45It was gone within seconds.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47'Just showing how hungry they must have been.'
0:12:47 > 0:12:49I just feel protective over her, really.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51Just want to make sure she's all right now.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57'Both dogs are doing remarkably well and they've put on quite
0:12:57 > 0:13:00'a considerable amount of weight since we first picked them up.'
0:13:00 > 0:13:04Really lovely dogs, and hopefully have a happier future ahead of them.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06SHE CHUCKLES
0:13:09 > 0:13:12There's a reason behind the saying "never work with animals"
0:13:12 > 0:13:17and RSPCA inspectors are used to tricky customers.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22But sometimes they face a Mission: Impossible.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27Every so often, you'll get a rescue,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30and you, as soon as you get the job, you realise it's going to be
0:13:30 > 0:13:33a bit of a mammoth undertaking from day one.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51Inspector Jayne Bashford has arrived
0:13:51 > 0:13:54at the vast landfill site in Cannock, Staffordshire.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58It's an area full of heavy machinery
0:13:58 > 0:14:01but, strangely, it's also home to a herd of red deer.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10And its stag has got itself into a very unusual predicament.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15There are numerous ponds on the landfill area,
0:14:15 > 0:14:17and it appeared that he'd somehow managed to get
0:14:17 > 0:14:20one of the rescue buoys attached to his head.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26The workers on site were very concerned
0:14:26 > 0:14:29because it seemed to be banging his face and causing him
0:14:29 > 0:14:32some distress, He was actively trying to get it off.
0:14:32 > 0:14:37The landfill totals 80 hectares, so site manager Chris shows Jayne
0:14:37 > 0:14:39where the herd had most recently been seen.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43I can imagine they would hide away up here in the daytime,
0:14:43 > 0:14:46cos they've got a little bit of cover, haven't they?
0:14:46 > 0:14:50Absolutely, yeah. Yeah, the... Oh, there they are.
0:14:50 > 0:14:51Oh, yes, and there he is!
0:14:51 > 0:14:54- See him?- Yep, got him.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56Flippin' 'eck.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00The stag's antlers will drop off naturally in a few months.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04But Jayne wants to save him from weeks of discomfort.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10As soon as I saw how big he was, and how firmly entangled
0:15:10 > 0:15:13that life buoy was on his head,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16you realise straightaway there's no way
0:15:16 > 0:15:19that one person is going to be able to deal with this.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22Two days later,
0:15:22 > 0:15:27Jayne returns to the site with the RSPCA dart gun specialist, Simon.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30If it's a distance shot, I'll probably go for them.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32His plan is to tranquilise the stag
0:15:32 > 0:15:35so that the buoy can be safely removed.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38Deer are notoriously hard to dart.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42They take flight obviously at human scent and human sight very quickly.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47And Simon needs to be within just 20m of the stag
0:15:47 > 0:15:49for the dart to be effective,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52which, with such a skittish animal, will be difficult.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59While Simon stalks the herd...
0:16:01 > 0:16:04All right, they're using this track.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07..Jayne acts as a spotter from the higher ground.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10- They were against that fence, weren't they?- They just ran left.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12- Simon. - 'He's with them all now,'
0:16:12 > 0:16:17- they seem to have corralled themselves against a fence.- Yep.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19Just see whether they gently come this way then,
0:16:19 > 0:16:21without being charged, should I?
0:16:21 > 0:16:25Right, they're moving back towards you now, Simon, I think. All right?
0:16:25 > 0:16:26Cheers, bye.
0:16:26 > 0:16:32He's following behind, so we'll lay up and see if he comes this way.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37At that point, you have that moment of relief of, he's there,
0:16:37 > 0:16:39and the dart gun operator's nearby,
0:16:39 > 0:16:42and you just have this vision of an ideal-world situation,
0:16:42 > 0:16:45where all of a sudden they're going to be able to
0:16:45 > 0:16:48take the shot and get the deer down.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54As the herd move towards him, Simon crawls into a shooting position.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01But just as he gets within range...
0:17:06 > 0:17:10..the deer sense his presence, and the chance is gone.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14So I've crept forward and they've taken flight very quickly.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18Despite the noise of the traffic, they can hear us coming.
0:17:18 > 0:17:23With the deer spooked, Jayne and Simon are forced to regroup.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25It's been a long and frustrating day.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28They will have known we were there
0:17:28 > 0:17:31a long time before we actually sighted them.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33Their instinct is to just run.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35Unfortunately, that's exactly what they did.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41A week later, and Jayne's come up with a new plan.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45Reinforcements have arrived.
0:17:46 > 0:17:51A team of three RSPCA dart gun specialists have been drafted in
0:17:51 > 0:17:55in an attempt to even the odds in their pursuit of the stag.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58There was a buzz of anticipation that this was going to be
0:17:58 > 0:18:01the day that it would be sorted out.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03The three dartsmen set off
0:18:03 > 0:18:06to take up different positions around the site...
0:18:08 > 0:18:12..while Jayne tracks the deer from higher ground.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14My intention is just to walk towards them
0:18:14 > 0:18:16to push them back down towards the shrubs.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19Suddenly the herd and the stag
0:18:19 > 0:18:22are walking straight towards Lee and Simon.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24And the stag's within range.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31But the deer move just too quickly for them to take a shot.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34Yeah, they never stand still for more than about a second,
0:18:34 > 0:18:36and it's not long enough for a dart to travel.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Our stag's an escapologist.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45The next six hours are a frustrating game of cat and mouse.
0:18:45 > 0:18:50They've gone up and over the brow of the hill.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Once again, the team are forced to admit defeat.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58Absolutely gutted.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02When they just seem to be running away from you at speed, then,
0:19:02 > 0:19:05yeah, your heart just drops to your boots,
0:19:05 > 0:19:09and you think, "We're just here to help you."
0:19:13 > 0:19:15It's day four of Operation Stag
0:19:15 > 0:19:18and the team are back for one last-ditch attempt.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24This time, marksman Lee is doing everything he can
0:19:24 > 0:19:26to blend in with the environment.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30Anything that gives me the edge over this red deer is fine by me.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34Not good for your skin, you know.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37I was very impressed, the levels of determination
0:19:37 > 0:19:40and attention to detail.
0:19:41 > 0:19:46I've got rangefinder, dart, radio's on silent.
0:19:46 > 0:19:51- Do I look silly? Or is that a silly question?- Do you look silly?
0:19:51 > 0:19:53- I'm offski.- See you in a bit.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57Silly or not, Jayne knows this could be their best chance
0:19:57 > 0:19:58to get close to the stag.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Lee begins his search through the undergrowth.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07And, after half an hour, he gets lucky.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09'I've only gone and found him.'
0:20:09 > 0:20:11Blimey, well done.
0:20:12 > 0:20:13But, as always,
0:20:13 > 0:20:18the deer appear to be one step ahead of their camouflaged stalker.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22The deer, ironically, seemed intent on going up onto the high ground,
0:20:22 > 0:20:24where, even dressed as he was,
0:20:24 > 0:20:27he was still going to stand out like a sore thumb.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29It's as if they knew.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33After four days and over 70 man-hours,
0:20:33 > 0:20:37the attempt to free the stag from the buoy has come to nothing.
0:20:37 > 0:20:38Nature will take its course,
0:20:38 > 0:20:44and, into the spring, the antlers should hopefully shed naturally.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47It's a huge disappointment for Jayne.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50But there's nothing more she can do.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52We tried. We really did try.
0:21:01 > 0:21:06Every year, an RSPCA inspector will knock on hundreds of doors.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08BARKING
0:21:08 > 0:21:11They're trained to investigate complaints of cruelty.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15But one thing that can't be taught is intuition.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20A lot of this job I think relies on that instinct and our gut feeling.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25Gut feelings are really what keep you going in this job,
0:21:25 > 0:21:29and it's a motivation to not give up until you're satisfied.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31Hm!
0:21:31 > 0:21:33Nine times out of ten, your gut feeling's right.
0:21:35 > 0:21:40In Wigan, Inspector Vicki McDonald is on her way to her latest job.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04There's no reply, so Vicki tries next door.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08I'm just wondering if I can have a look into next door's garden
0:22:08 > 0:22:09through yours. Is that all right?
0:22:09 > 0:22:13- Are you all right with dogs? - I should be. I hope so.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16Vicki can now see the shed where the cats are supposedly being kept.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18'It was difficult to see
0:22:18 > 0:22:22'because there was lots of ivy hanging around it, but you kind of,'
0:22:22 > 0:22:25you just get a feeling that it just didn't feel right.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29SHE CHIRRUPS
0:22:29 > 0:22:32It doesn't look fantastic in there, I have to say.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37I could see what appeared to be kind of piles of poo,
0:22:37 > 0:22:39piled up at the back end.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43'You could smell something coming out of there that was
0:22:43 > 0:22:45'suggesting that it wasn't clean.'
0:22:45 > 0:22:46SHE CHIRRUPS
0:22:46 > 0:22:50'What struck me as being unusual was they weren't making any noise.'
0:22:50 > 0:22:54Now, to just be absolutely quiet, to not be coming out of the shed...
0:22:56 > 0:22:58We do need to get in there really to look at that.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02Something wasn't right. It just didn't sit well with me.
0:23:02 > 0:23:03Thank you for your time. Cheers.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09Vicki's told the owner may be home soon
0:23:09 > 0:23:11and she decides to wait.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13Whatever is going on in there, it's not great,
0:23:13 > 0:23:17and I think it needs dealing with today, so I'll sit tight.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21'Gut feeling, I think it's something that you just'
0:23:21 > 0:23:23get with experience.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26You know when you've done the job for a few years,
0:23:26 > 0:23:31you see something and you just think, "It just doesn't feel right."
0:23:31 > 0:23:32And I may be proven wrong,
0:23:32 > 0:23:35but I don't like what I see out the back there.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42Two hours later, and there's still no sign of the owner.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46Vicki wants to see the cats before it gets dark,
0:23:46 > 0:23:48so she decides to call the police.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52She can now find out if her hunch is right.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56There we go.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00'I followed them into the back yard and we were'
0:24:00 > 0:24:06just met by a situation that I hoped wouldn't be as bad as it was.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08But it was absolutely horrendous.
0:24:10 > 0:24:11Oh, my God.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15Gut feeling wasn't wrong.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19'You could instantly see and smell the most horrendous conditions'
0:24:19 > 0:24:21that I think I've ever seen cats kept in.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26That is absolutely disgusting.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30- Cats are there, see them?- Oh, yeah.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32'The cats were within a shed.'
0:24:32 > 0:24:33Hey, pussycats.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36'I opened the shed door, and I could see that there were certainly
0:24:36 > 0:24:39'sort of five or six cats just staring back at me.'
0:24:41 > 0:24:45Three, four, five that I can see. You poor little things.
0:24:47 > 0:24:52The structures that the cats were sat on, they had this thick coating
0:24:52 > 0:24:56on the top which I can only describe as a mixture of hair, faeces, dirt,
0:24:56 > 0:25:00so, whatever had gone on in there had gone on for a long time.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02It takes a long time to get that bad.
0:25:02 > 0:25:07Cats are lively, curious creatures. They're not meant to be caged
0:25:07 > 0:25:09and certainly not in these conditions.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15It's actually worse than I thought it could be.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18I've never...
0:25:18 > 0:25:19I mean...
0:25:19 > 0:25:22They may have started the day in squalor
0:25:22 > 0:25:26but Vicki is determined the cats won't end it that way.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30You've then got to switch to, "OK, we need to deal with this,
0:25:30 > 0:25:33'"and let's just get these animals out of here."'
0:25:33 > 0:25:36Vicki calls a vet to come and look at the cats.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38As she waits, she gathers evidence
0:25:38 > 0:25:40in case the owner is later prosecuted.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46You could just photograph forever cos it's just everywhere.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49Eurgh. Eurgh! It's dripping on me. Eurgh! This is one of them days
0:25:49 > 0:25:52when you get in and you take your clothes off at the door
0:25:52 > 0:25:56and put 'em in the washing machine. It's one of them ones.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01The vet arrives and agrees with Vicki
0:26:01 > 0:26:06that the cats can't live in these conditions, and must be removed.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08Watch your head. Oh, they're going to be scared.
0:26:08 > 0:26:09All right.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14One by one, all six cats are boxed up -
0:26:14 > 0:26:16a truly dirty half dozen.
0:26:16 > 0:26:17CAT MEOWS
0:26:17 > 0:26:20It was tricky, it was smelly, it was dirty.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22Done. Lovely.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24I need to just breathe for a minute.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26You've got to have a strong stomach in this job,
0:26:26 > 0:26:28'without a shadow of a doubt.'
0:26:29 > 0:26:31But we got them all out.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39The cats are taken to the local vets.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45Here, the full extent of their suffering is laid bare.
0:26:47 > 0:26:48They were just... They were filthy.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52Their feet were all matted and filthy, their pads were sore,
0:26:52 > 0:26:57and they were just clogged up with all the matter they'd been living in.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01See how even her claws are caked.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Thankfully, all the conditions can be treated.
0:27:05 > 0:27:06There you go, stinky bum.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12So the cats can finally be settled in a comfortable bed.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16They're clean, breathing fresh air, so that's an amazing improvement
0:27:16 > 0:27:19from what we had just a few hours ago for them.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23And at last, Vicki can clock off.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25We turned up to that address
0:27:25 > 0:27:29some ten-and-a-half, going on 11 hours ago now.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31There's no such thing as a nine-to-five in this job.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33When you drop on something, you drop on it
0:27:33 > 0:27:36and you need to get it dealt with there and then.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43It's been a long day, but for Vicki, it's all been worthwhile.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45What I learnt from that job is,
0:27:45 > 0:27:47yeah, absolutely trust your gut instinct.
0:27:47 > 0:27:52'I'm glad I stayed, I'm glad I stuck it out for the hours that I did,'
0:27:52 > 0:27:56because those cats will never spend another day
0:27:56 > 0:27:58living in those conditions.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Next for me is one long shower...
0:28:02 > 0:28:05and it might actually be two showers, I think.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08I don't care how many showers I need, it's worth it.