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 > 0:00:12In the UK, someone calls the RSPCA every 30 seconds...
0:00:12 > 0:00:13Exactly what did you see?
0:00:13 > 0:00:17They're left outside in all weathers and they've got no bedding or shelter from the rain.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21..24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25I don't want you to go too close to it because swans can be very, very dangerous.
0:00:25 > 0:00:29When an animal needs help, the emergency line is open.
0:00:29 > 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. I've 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 > 0:00:48And when inspectors respond on the ground...
0:00:48 > 0:00:50I'll pass this information through to the officer.
0:00:54 > 0:00:55So close.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Rescuing everything from injured wildlife...
0:00:58 > 0:01:02..to neglected pets.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04Every shift is a challenge.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06Rhea 1, RSPCA 0.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10There's no such thing as a typical day as an RSPCA inspector.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12Getoh...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 > 0:01:19You're keeping a dog out there, it's disgusting.
0:01:19 > 0:01:20Whoa there!
0:01:20 > 0:01:23It's gets to where you 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 > 0:01:29Sorry.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32There's not a lot a lot of glamour in my role.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35Even if you've just helped one animal...
0:01:35 > 0:01:36Hi, mate.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39..it's worth it.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52Today, rescuing a small kitten turns into a big job
0:01:52 > 0:01:54for inspector Justin Stubbs.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59A call to a deer in distress.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04- And old Ben... - There, there.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07..the dirty dog in need of some serious TLC.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16With under 300 of them to cover the whole of England and Wales,
0:02:16 > 0:02:21RSPCA inspectors will always have a long list of jobs to deal with.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25And, invariably, it's the calls that sound the quickest,
0:02:25 > 0:02:27that take the longest.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56Cambridgeshire inspector Justin Stubbs takes the call
0:02:56 > 0:02:59and what sounds like a pretty straightforward mission,
0:02:59 > 0:03:02to rescue Loopy, the kitten.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05He can get a bit of food and water to the cat,
0:03:05 > 0:03:07so there's been no mad urgency.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10But because we're not entirely sure if the people have gone on holiday or not,
0:03:10 > 0:03:14obviously I can't leave the cat in there indefinitely,
0:03:14 > 0:03:16it's not right, it's not fair,
0:03:16 > 0:03:20so hopefully we'll meet the housing association carpenter or locksmith
0:03:20 > 0:03:25who hopefully can just let us in, and reunite the cat with the owner.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27It seems a really, really simple problem,
0:03:27 > 0:03:29just opening a garage door for six inches,
0:03:29 > 0:03:31for five seconds to let the cat out.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33Hopefully, that's all it's going to be.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37The first thing I do when I get there is make sure the cat is in there.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Make sure it's still alive, which it obviously was.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46Hello!
0:03:46 > 0:03:48Oh, we're coming.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50It's sort of playing high-five with my fingers really,
0:03:50 > 0:03:52she's padding on to them.
0:03:52 > 0:03:53Hello, mate.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Come on.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57It's just desperate for a bit of attention, really.
0:03:57 > 0:04:02But, with the locksmith on his way, all Justin can do is wait.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06And give the kitten's owner, Kevin, an update.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08Right, yeah, they're on their way. Right, OK.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12Erm, as soon as they're here, lift it up for five seconds,
0:04:12 > 0:04:15- close it again - easiest job in the world we hope.- Yeah.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17It'll be over soon.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20Obviously I'm sat there waiting, I've got a list of jobs
0:04:20 > 0:04:23quietly building, so I was expecting it to be a nice, quick
0:04:23 > 0:04:26turnaround on the job really. I thought maybe a good hour,
0:04:26 > 0:04:29from the time I've made my call to getting the cat sorted and driving off.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32But there's no sign of help,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35so the neighbours pull together to entertain Loopy.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40And they try to keep Justin's spirits up, too.
0:04:40 > 0:04:41Oh, you've got the cat out!
0:04:43 > 0:04:47Excellent. That's not quite the cat I was expecting.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51Luckily Justin is pretty good at entertaining himself.
0:04:52 > 0:04:5466 bottles of beer on the wall,
0:04:54 > 0:04:5666 bottles of beer.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59If one of those bottles should happen to fall,
0:04:59 > 0:05:0265 bottles of beer on the wall.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07I got there about four o'clock in the afternoon, when we first started.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10Good hour and a half later on, somebody turned up.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12So there's a cat trapped in a garage?
0:05:12 > 0:05:14Yeah, just the little one here.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16- All I'm after, literally, is if we just open the door.- Yeah.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20- Ten seconds, let the cat out, give it to this gentleman who owns it and then...- Right.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Slam them back, that would be great, please.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27But opening the garage door is more difficult than Justin hoped.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30Is this the only door into the garage building?
0:05:30 > 0:05:33There's one round there, but that's padlocked.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35That would probably be easier, mate,
0:05:35 > 0:05:37because I'm thinking about repairing the door as well.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41It's apparently just a simple matter of breaking off the padlock
0:05:41 > 0:05:43on the side door of the garage.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46So Loopy should be seeing daylight again soon.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49He'll probably catch the cat while he's in there and just hand it out to us.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52If not, looking at how he's been wanting to play with us,
0:05:52 > 0:05:53I should think he'll just walk out
0:05:53 > 0:05:55and start rubbing himself round our legs.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57So...
0:05:57 > 0:06:00..it'll be over and done with very quickly.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04But letting the cat out of the garage is proving tricky.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08You thought it was going to be such a quick, easy job, didn't you?
0:06:09 > 0:06:13The guy has come and said that the door is bolted and screwed on
0:06:13 > 0:06:15with some of the strongest screws and bolts known to man.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18So he's going to have to go off and get an angle grinder,
0:06:18 > 0:06:20and saw the whole thing off.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23It's a ridiculously big job for what should be really, really simple
0:06:23 > 0:06:26but, erm, needs must.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31So after several hours on the job, once again all Justin,
0:06:31 > 0:06:35the neighbours and, of course, Loopy can do...
0:06:35 > 0:06:37..is wait.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43It's definitely a case that the jobs that sound really, hard you can get done within moments,
0:06:43 > 0:06:46the jobs that you think are going to be quick, the jobs that should be quick,
0:06:46 > 0:06:50this should have been a quick job, turn into nightmares that can take hours.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52This was certainly one of those.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55The sun was high. It's now not.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01To be fair to the lad, he went over, he got this equipment,
0:07:01 > 0:07:03and he was back within another hour or so.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06Came out of his van with a massive angle grinder,
0:07:06 > 0:07:10hopped over the gate, again, and set to work.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18It was quite spectacular to watch and listen to.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27Poor Loopy must be wondering what on earth is going on.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31She ends up cowering in the corner of the garage,
0:07:31 > 0:07:34so Justin is called into action.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39I went into the garage, the kitten was alive and well
0:07:39 > 0:07:41and really quite calm in the corner.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44One cat, coming out.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49This is the right one, isn't it? Yeah.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51The cat was right as rain,
0:07:51 > 0:07:53and the owner and his family were over the moon.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55She was pretty nervous.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58There's a lot of cat mess in there.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01A lot of cat mess, she's been in there a good while.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03But, picture of health...
0:08:03 > 0:08:07..not dehydrated, nice, young, healthy fat cat
0:08:07 > 0:08:09going home to daddy, really.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11So all yours.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13Might just be a little bit jumpy.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18The cat was very much a family animal.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20All of the kids absolutely love the cat.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23We managed to get it into the house, give it a quick check over.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25Hello...
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Stop going in people's garages.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31It's always good to round off a long job with a happy family at
0:08:31 > 0:08:34the end of it and, you know, there's a lot of happy people in that house.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38Got to shoot. Thank you very much. All right, cheers, thank you!
0:08:44 > 0:08:47At the RSPCA national control centre,
0:08:47 > 0:08:51the team quickly notice trends in animal welfare.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55Over the last few years, they've seen a dramatic rise
0:08:55 > 0:08:57in the number of horses being abandoned.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00So they've brought their horse onto your field?
0:09:00 > 0:09:04And people leaving them on private land without permission has become widespread.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06What's the situation with the pony?
0:09:14 > 0:09:16It's a problem when it's just one horse.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20But, on this farm in South Wales,
0:09:20 > 0:09:23a staggering 200 horses have been dumped.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30Today, this 50-strong team has gathered to rescue them.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34Anything that looks underweight, overgrown hooves, let's prioritise those ones.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40The team heads off to the fields to see the scale of the task ahead
0:09:40 > 0:09:42and it's a daunting sight.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45I knew what I was going to deal with,
0:09:45 > 0:09:48but when you get there and you stand in the middle of the fields,
0:09:48 > 0:09:50and you turn 360 degrees,
0:09:50 > 0:09:52and everywhere you look, there's a horse.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54The scale of it was enormous.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58The horses have been left by their owner for several months,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01without any care to their basic needs.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05Hello, sweetheart.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07These horses were going rapidly downhill.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11Winter was coming on, they're very cold, very little shelter,
0:10:11 > 0:10:13and, basically, not enough food.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19And to make matters worse, many are showing signs of serious illness.
0:10:20 > 0:10:25This one here is just covered in liquid excrement, basically.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27There's just lumps of faeces in its tail.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30What will happen now, its legs will get burnt
0:10:30 > 0:10:33and it'll get sores, so that'll rapidly go downhill without
0:10:33 > 0:10:36some veterinary treatment and antibiotic course.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39It's feared the horses have salmonella which not only
0:10:39 > 0:10:44affects humans but can be devastating in any group of animals.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48It's quite contagious, so they were passing the salmonella amongst them.
0:10:49 > 0:10:54It's life-threatening to the horses, especially young, vulnerable or unfit horses.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57With so many animals at risk, the team needs to act.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03Rounding up this many untrained horses could be fraught with danger.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08Because these horses hadn't been well handled, you know,
0:11:08 > 0:11:10obviously it's quite a dangerous situation.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13They're going to become stressed, at contact with humans,
0:11:13 > 0:11:17a lot them with foals at foot are going to be very defensive about their foals.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22So the rescue needs to be run like a military operation.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24Just everyone from the top and then scoop round...
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Equine vet Nick Debrewer takes charge
0:11:27 > 0:11:30and first gets the team building an enclosure.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33We'll try and drift them into an area where we can control their movement.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37If we can get the group in there, then they're more under our control.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40Any one that's suffering, we can then take away.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44The size of the team now comes into its own,
0:11:44 > 0:11:47as they fan out and begin to corral the horses.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51You've only got one chance to get them into the pens.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53You can't chase them, you can't flap,
0:11:53 > 0:11:55you can't shout or scream, you literally want them
0:11:55 > 0:11:58to just gently walk them, so you need to form a barrier
0:11:58 > 0:12:02of people who just quietly push them up towards the penning area.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08The neglected horses are so hungry though, food lures them in.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14That was clockwork, really. I mean it probably looked really easy
0:12:14 > 0:12:17and maybe you're thinking it's overkill having that many people
0:12:17 > 0:12:19but if we hadn't, they could have doubled backed
0:12:19 > 0:12:22and, you know, run off. No, it was done very calmly and quietly.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24No stress to the horses. Very, very good.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29But now, the hard work really begins.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34The horses all need to be assessed.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39The healthiest are turned back into a field...for now.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45And those in need of urgent care, are taken to the barn to be treated.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49But as more and more are filtered through,
0:12:49 > 0:12:52these skittish horses are starting to throw their weight around.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54Whoa, whoa, whoa!
0:12:54 > 0:12:57Very few of them had been caught or handled before,
0:12:57 > 0:13:00they'd not had a head collar on, they'd not been touched,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03not had their feet picked up, not been examined by a vet.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10You know, we're the enemy to them, they don't want any contact with us.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16And they are the closest you will see to, sort of, a feral horse.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20That was close.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23I came very close to landing on my backside.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27I didn't want to spend the rest of the day caked in horse diarrhoea.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29I did want to preserve my dignity.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35Once on a firm footing, the team gives each horse a thorough examination.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Body - one and a half...
0:13:37 > 0:13:40You're starting from scratch, you've got to get their teeth done,
0:13:40 > 0:13:42you've got to get their feet done,
0:13:42 > 0:13:45check they've been wormed, routine vaccinations and things like that.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48We've got a few, a few visitors, have we?
0:13:48 > 0:13:50Oooh, yeah.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54A lot of them had lice but we refer to them as visitors
0:13:54 > 0:13:57and I think we walked away with a few visitors, as well.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59What do we make of this charge?
0:14:01 > 0:14:06As each horse is examined, the picture of neglect is emerging.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08You don't look too happy, do you?
0:14:11 > 0:14:14Until you actually get your hands on these horses and you can feel their
0:14:14 > 0:14:18bony processes, you don't realise how underweight some of them were.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26And for some of the horses, it's clear the rescue came just in time.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30You can hear this little foal is coughing away down here,
0:14:30 > 0:14:33he's probably got a touch of pneumonia, or something wrong.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36He's gone onto immediate medication, you can see his breathing's bad.
0:14:36 > 0:14:41I think it's really important, it shows why we needed to be here today.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45I'll walk away tonight knowing that if we hadn't taken this foal,
0:14:45 > 0:14:47it would probably have died in the next couple of days,
0:14:47 > 0:14:50so that'll make me sleep better tonight.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53After a gruelling ten-hour day,
0:14:53 > 0:14:56the team has identified over 60 poorly horses...
0:14:56 > 0:14:59Pale, dry gums.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03..and saved the lives of many of them.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07It's now time to transport them to the stables,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10where they'll be properly cared for
0:15:10 > 0:15:12and get the ongoing treatment they need.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18For Cathy and the team, it's been a successful day all round.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20It's what I joined the job to do, really.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22The most satisfying thing is to see them go on
0:15:22 > 0:15:25and lead useful lives, in homes where they're going to have all the
0:15:25 > 0:15:28care and attention that they should have and deserve to have.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38When inspectors are called out to rescue a wild animal,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41they know they're likely to have a tough time ahead.
0:15:41 > 0:15:47But in Essex, Matt Gough is off to one of the hardest calls of all.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08The girl who's called in, she's saying its front leg is potentially broken,
0:16:08 > 0:16:11but a deer that's got a damaged front leg can still often be quite
0:16:11 > 0:16:15mobile because all the strength, all the power is in the back legs.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19So it could, potentially, make it very, very difficult to catch,
0:16:19 > 0:16:23because they can still jump, they can still run quite well,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26so it could be quite a difficult job, to be honest.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29On arrival, Matt can see the deer in question.
0:16:29 > 0:16:35It's a Muntjac, the smallest type of deer living in the UK.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37So how active is he?
0:16:37 > 0:16:39You can see...
0:16:39 > 0:16:40Yeah, so he's holding that up.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44I could see straightaway that one of its front legs was broken.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48I have to figure out a way of catching her.
0:16:48 > 0:16:54Although the deer moves off, Matt knows that he's unlikely to be able to save it.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58If a deer has a broken leg, the likelihood is it will, unfortunately, have to be put to sleep.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01If you take that wild animal into captivity where it's already stressed,
0:17:01 > 0:17:04what you'll often find is that the deer dies in captivity anyway,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07because of the stress of what's happened.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09I'm just going to block this exit up with these baskets.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12I don't want her coming out onto the road.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16But, because she's very active, so I'm not going to be able to just
0:17:16 > 0:17:18jump on her and grab her.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23But while Matt covers one exit, the deer finds another.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28When you're trying to catch a wild animal it will, inevitably, run
0:17:28 > 0:17:30to the last place you want it to go.
0:17:31 > 0:17:36And, on this occasion, that place is a cluttered traffic management store yard.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38Where did she go?
0:17:38 > 0:17:45There were just hundreds of signs, cones, roadwork equipment...
0:17:45 > 0:17:50Matt's difficult job has just got a lot more complicated.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53The last thing I want to do is to let her go out onto the road.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55So if we just lean these road signs up against this gate here.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58That's the one with the biggest gap under it, it'll stop her getting out.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02I used some of the roadwork equipment to make up a small plastic barrier.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04If she looked out of the little corner she was hidden in,
0:18:04 > 0:18:06she wouldn't see the people looking at her.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09She would still be able to jump over that, if she gets a move on,
0:18:09 > 0:18:12but, at least, if she's in the corner somewhere dark, somewhere safe
0:18:12 > 0:18:15and the less she can see going on up here, the better.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17When we do go in there to try and catch her,
0:18:17 > 0:18:20it'll at least keep her confined a bit. It's something to help us.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23We're doing the best we can with what we've got around us, basically.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25It's just a case of leaving her somewhere she felt secure,
0:18:25 > 0:18:28and she felt calm until help arrived.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Matt calls on colleague Rosie Russon.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36Armed with a net, they form a plan to catch the deer.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40The deer had tucked herself down a tunnel of metal frames
0:18:40 > 0:18:42that would normally hold road signs.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44She'd tucked herself right at the end of this tunnel.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47With one end of the net, one of us walks directly towards that corner
0:18:47 > 0:18:50and then we'll see if we can make some noise and flush it out.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54- If there's a small hole, he's going to find it. - He'll go straight through it, yeah.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58The net's in place but, even with a badly broken front leg,
0:18:58 > 0:19:02the deer finds an escape route.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06Matt and Rosie try not to frighten the deer...
0:19:06 > 0:19:09I don't mind her going back down there, that's fine.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12..but it quickly retreats back to its hiding place.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14Where has it gone?
0:19:14 > 0:19:17The frames were brown with rust, the floor was brown with dirt,
0:19:17 > 0:19:19and she's a brown deer.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21I can't see it at the moment.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26Time for plan B.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Rosie was there with the net, I was there to flush her out,
0:19:29 > 0:19:32and we thought we'd managed to cover all the exit routes.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39Muntjac are quite a vocal deer.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41DEER SCREAMS LOUDLY
0:19:43 > 0:19:46When they're in distress, they will start to scream.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48DEER CONTINUES SCREAMING
0:19:50 > 0:19:53When people hear it they often think you're hurting the animal.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56You're not, it's just how they react to that stressful situation.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00But, just as they think they've caught it...
0:20:00 > 0:20:02The deer escapes from under the net.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04Oh! OK.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10When you look at her, it's actually her front right leg,
0:20:10 > 0:20:13it's completely sheared. There's no coming back for that animal.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15It looks like she's probably had the injury for a while.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18But the best thing you can do is put her out of her misery
0:20:18 > 0:20:20as quickly as possible.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23It's a difficult situation because the animal is injured
0:20:23 > 0:20:25and if you leave it there, it will suffer,
0:20:25 > 0:20:27and eventually it will die a slow and quite long death.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31So you've got to catch it and you've got to do it as quickly as possible.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36Finally, Matt manages to get hold of the deer.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38Are you ready?
0:20:38 > 0:20:42He ends its life as painlessly as possible.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48It's a difficult, but necessary step.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55The overwhelming feeling after the event is definitely one of relief.
0:20:55 > 0:20:56Oh!
0:20:56 > 0:21:01I suppose you're just so glad the animal is then out of its suffering.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05It's not something you'd want to do every day.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08Luckily, it doesn't happen that often.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10But you get used to it.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14You soon realise that it's the best thing for that animal.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17It's the only way of relieving that animal's suffering humanely.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24Putting an animal to sleep is a tough,
0:21:24 > 0:21:28but often unavoidable part of an inspector's job.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32But sometimes, even the most hopeless-sounding situations
0:21:32 > 0:21:34can have a happy ending.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40In Derby, Chris Shaw is on his way to an emergency call about a dog
0:21:40 > 0:21:44living in poor conditions and requiring urgent medical care.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50The initial call came in saying the dog's back had actually been broken
0:21:50 > 0:21:52and that it was in extreme pain.
0:21:52 > 0:21:53So obviously, when we get a call like that,
0:21:53 > 0:21:55we want to get there as quickly as possible
0:21:55 > 0:21:58to try and, you know, to try and sort it out.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02This job doesn't sound too great from the start.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04With what they're saying about the dog,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07I'm expecting it to be quite an elderly dog.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09They are also saying that the dog does need putting to sleep,
0:22:09 > 0:22:13but they can't afford to get it to the vets or pay the vets.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17So I'm hoping that it's just going to be a case of getting there,
0:22:17 > 0:22:20getting the dog signed over and taking it to a vets.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25Janet, the lady who made the call, and lives at the house,
0:22:25 > 0:22:27is waiting for Chris on the doorstep.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30- So you've got the dog in... Is the owner here?- No.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33The elderly dog is her ex-partner's.
0:22:33 > 0:22:38We went through the hallway into the lounge, where the dog had been kept
0:22:38 > 0:22:40and instantly, I could smell
0:22:40 > 0:22:43that there was something going off in that house.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45It didn't smell good at all.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49The smell was really strong.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51You know, it was really, really overpowering.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54There was faeces all over the floor,
0:22:54 > 0:22:56the carpet was soaking wet through.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01And in the middle of it all, a little dog called Ben.
0:23:01 > 0:23:06He was an old dog, he was extremely dirty, he had really overgrown claws.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11And has he ever been to a vets? Has the owner ever took him?
0:23:11 > 0:23:14- In the last three and a half years, no.- Right.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20The dog's owner recently moved out and left Ben behind,
0:23:20 > 0:23:22so it's now down to Janet.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26Would you be willing to sign the dog over to the RSPCA? Yeah?
0:23:26 > 0:23:29If I get you to sign him over, then I'll take him to the vets
0:23:29 > 0:23:31- and let a vet look at him, all right? - Yeah.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35That poor dog had just been kept in that room
0:23:35 > 0:23:38and, due to just complete and utter boredom,
0:23:38 > 0:23:41was just circling through desperation.
0:23:43 > 0:23:48I mean, the room was dark, it was smelly, it was dirty.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51That dog had probably been living in pure hell.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55Come on. Sorry.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58In you go. That's it.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02I know it's a difficult time for you, though, but...
0:24:02 > 0:24:05By this time next week, I know this room's going to be done.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08The woman had another dog and she had a cat.
0:24:08 > 0:24:09So I knew when I took Ben away
0:24:09 > 0:24:12there were still animals living in there.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14I was definitely going to go back there
0:24:14 > 0:24:16and make sure that those animals were all right.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19So if I come back and see you in a week, this will be sorted, will it?
0:24:19 > 0:24:22- And you can give me your word on that?- Yeah.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25Because, I mean, it's quite strong in here, you know,
0:24:25 > 0:24:26I'm sure you realise that.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28When I finally got Ben out of there...
0:24:28 > 0:24:32All right, if we pop him down slowly here.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35..the lady was, you know, quite emotional.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38And I explained that I'd be taking Ben to a vet,
0:24:38 > 0:24:41getting a vet's opinion on him, and, you know,
0:24:41 > 0:24:43I would do my best I could for Ben.
0:24:43 > 0:24:44If we lift him up now, then.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47- Are you all right, or do you want a minute?- I'm all right.
0:24:49 > 0:24:54An RSPCA inspector is almost like a policeman, a social worker,
0:24:54 > 0:24:55a vet, all rolled into one.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58We have to have so many different traits
0:24:58 > 0:25:00to be able to do this job effectively.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04Aw! Well, listen, I'll get him off to the vets, then, now, all right.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07- We'll get the vets to look at him. - Yeah.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10Chris heads straight to the vets with Ben.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14But the other animals living at the house are still on his mind.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21The dog seemed in reasonable body condition, the kitten, as well.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24When she let it in that other room, it was eating dog food,
0:25:24 > 0:25:26which is always a bit of a concern to me.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30I think when I go back in a week, if she hasn't done anything,
0:25:30 > 0:25:33I will be looking at getting that dog and cat out of there, really.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35- Yep.- Yep.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38Once Chris gets to the vet, Ben is given a thorough examination
0:25:38 > 0:25:41and his condition isn't as bad as Chris feared.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43It was kind of quite good news.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46He confirmed that he hadn't broken his back.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49He said that this was an old dog,
0:25:49 > 0:25:53he was extremely dirty and he had problems with his claws.
0:25:53 > 0:25:54That's a long claw.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56Long claws and the faeces stuck.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59It's all right. Good boy. It's all right.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03He's not in a bad shape for 16, 17, 18.
0:26:03 > 0:26:07He needs the whole grooming, nail-clipping.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09And that's about it, I think.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14And first up, it's a hot bath.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18I knew straightaway, you know, when that animal has the bath,
0:26:18 > 0:26:20he's going to be feeling a million times better.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23And Ben gets the full spa treatment.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26Hello, there, Benny! Are you being a good boy?
0:26:26 > 0:26:28It's all very strange, isn't it?
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Steady. I know.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39He's been taken from that stench of a house, stinking of ammonia,
0:26:39 > 0:26:42to a clean, warm, dry environment
0:26:42 > 0:26:44where he's going to get attention.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51That must have made that dog so happy.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58At the end of day, that's what makes me really happy.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01But there's still unfinished business for Chris to deal with
0:27:01 > 0:27:03back at Ben's old home.
0:27:03 > 0:27:08After about a week, I decided to go back to check on the lady
0:27:08 > 0:27:11to see if she had managed to do anything.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14She didn't know I was coming, so it was a complete surprise to her.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18Instantly, I could see out of the front of her garden
0:27:18 > 0:27:22was just piles of rubbish, sofas,
0:27:22 > 0:27:25all kinds of household waste, really.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27KNOCK AT DOOR
0:27:29 > 0:27:31- Hiya, there. Are you all right? - Yeah.- Oh, good, good.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34- I've just come back to see how you're getting on.- Oh, well...
0:27:34 > 0:27:38- Yeah, I can see you've had a good cleanout.- Yes.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41She took me through to the lounge, the worst room that was there,
0:27:41 > 0:27:43and it was amazing.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Wow! It smells so much better in here.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50You've done the best thing you can do, just by stripping it all.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53And Janet's animals are looking happier, too. It's a great result.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56Hey! How are you doing?
0:27:56 > 0:27:58When I do go back and they've listened to that advice
0:27:58 > 0:28:00and they've actually done something, you know,
0:28:00 > 0:28:02that's a really, really, good feeling.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05I mean, it makes me feel good, it makes the animals feel good.
0:28:05 > 0:28:10I was chuffed that she'd listened to me and sorted it all out, really.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12You stay there, then. All right. I'll see you later.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14- Thank you.- Cheers.- See ya!