Episode 7 Animal 24:7


Episode 7

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Britain's animals are under threat.

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All too often our wildlife and domestic pets are the victims of cruelty, persecution and neglect.

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Fighting to save them is a dedicated band of people

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trying to protect and care for them right around the clock.

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This is Animal 24:7.

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Today on Animal 24:7...

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I don't like being bossed about, me.

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-Aw, no-one's pushing you about, are they?

-Tensions run high on a Leeds housing estate.

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Why don't you leave people alone?

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I can't leave you alone until you get your situation sorted.

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Investigations into the illegal trapping of wild birds.

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The net is very fine. Animals won't see this as they come through the hedgerows.

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I would suggest it's for the sole purpose of catching finches.

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-And a security breach.

-Driving towards me, I'm over here.

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The troops are called in to catch an unlikely infiltrator. There it is.

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It turns out it was us that was outflanked, not the deer.

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Taking dogs away from their owners

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can be mean RSPCA inspectors find themselves in tricky situations.

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Sometimes they face open hostility,

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others just make everything as difficult as possible.

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In West Yorkshire, Emma Ellis knows a potential confrontation is only a door knock away.

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A housing estate in Leeds, and RSPCA inspector Emma Ellis knows this next job is going to be difficult.

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She's just arrived at a flat where she's encountered resistance before.

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He's got four dogs. Some of them have got a problem with fleas.

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The conditions in there are pretty grotty.

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When I came last time he wasn't very receptive to advice

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and quite argumentative, so hopefully he's listened, but I'll have to have a look.

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With four dogs in the flat, the owner's in breach of his tenancy agreement.

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The behaviour of his pets is also cause of concern.

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Four dogs obviously in there. They're quite large.

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Emma's met by housing officers and the police.

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They're hoping to take away at least two dogs.

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When I spoke to him he was like, "I'm not getting rid of any of them." So, we'll see what happens.

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Failing that, I mean, we'll have to go down

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-breach of tenancy and may end up losing his property.

-OK.

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-So, is his tenancy agreement that he can only have one dog or...

-Two.

-Two.

-Yeah.

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Emma's previous meetings with the owner, Herbert Laycock, have been tense affairs.

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And their sparring continues as soon as he opens the door.

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-RSPCA. Do you remember we came before?

-Oh, yes.

-Yeah?

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We've come to see about getting rid of some of your dogs.

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About re-homing some of your dogs.

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The suggestion is that you re-home three of them and keep one.

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All right.

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Emma's clearly got a battle on her hands.

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As they haggle over exactly how many he's going to be allowed to keep,

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Herbert ushers Emma and the team inside.

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Hiya! Hello.

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In the living room she's faced with a barrage of noise.

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BARKING Hello, hello, hello. Hiya.

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Hello. Shh.

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These are big unruly dogs.

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They're intimidating and untrained. If allowed out on their own,

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Emma's worried they could pose a threat to the public.

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Come on, then, let's go.

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She now has to decide which ones should be taken away.

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I'd rather take the two that have the problem with fleas,

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that you aren't managing. You're obviously struggling as you need to get rid of...

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Well, I'm not sure that you can, OK?

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Emma wants to check the dogs for fleas, but they're so unused to being around people

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she can't begin to get close.

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DOGS BARK

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Emma isn't making any progress.

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She decides to take the conversation outside.

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No-one's pushing you about, we're just

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doing what's right for the dogs and trying to help you at the same time.

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You don't want to lose your temper.

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This visit is becoming heated.

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Emma gives Herbert time to cool off.

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You're not around in Leeds anywhere, are you?

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She's also worried that the dogs' size and lack of training

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could mean they're difficult to handle. She calls for backup.

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Because he said that they were likely to rear up on the lead,

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I'm a little bit concerned about how they're going to react.

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I'm concerned about their reaction when they come out of the house.

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I don't think they leave the house much. It will be completely alien.

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They'll be, potentially, a bit frightened

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when they come out, so I think with two of us it'll be much better.

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DOGS BARK All right, all right, all right.

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Back at the house it's still chaos.

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Two of the dogs are now tied up together.

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-Hey! Oh, they're off!

-The other two have escaped.

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But they're not used to being outside.

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They're clearly very scared. As soon as they're out, they run off.

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Rosie looks completely bewildered.

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If we get some biscuits they'll both come in.

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Right, can you go in and shut the door, please?

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-Go on, sweetie.

-But finally the dogs are persuaded back into the house.

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This is a form that signs them over to the RSPCA, OK?

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You can't get them back, do you understand that? Yeah?

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OK. Signature there, please. Yeah, there, please.

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The paperwork is complete, now Emma can take the dogs.

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But Rosie is terrified.

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Herbert agrees to carry her out.

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You just bring her out, all right?

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-Is she going to be all right?

-Yeah.

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Yeah? Because I'm worried she's a bit timid.

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-As soon as she leaves you, she might get a bit funny.

-Try to hold her.

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All right, all right.

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Are you going to come with us, though?

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-Look.

-All right, let go.

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Let go, it's all right. I've got her. There you go.

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Together, Emma and Herbert keep Rosie relaxed.

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-Good girl.

-Keep her going, yeah.

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We'll keep them together for you, as well.

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That will be nice for them, they'll know each other, then.

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All right? OK.

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A few minutes later backup arrives and Judy, Rosie's mother, can be taken away.

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Emma makes it clear that things have to change here.

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I'm going to come back and see you once the guys have come and cleaned it out.

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I'll come back and see you then, and see how you're coping with the other two.

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I'll see you in a couple of weeks.

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Bye.

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For Emma, the difficult work here today has been done.

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But Herbert must improve the conditions at home, soon.

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If he doesn't, his other dogs may be taken away as well.

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-Coming up...

-I want to try and loosen that lead. It's just not loosening at all.

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A distressing time for Rosie.

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She's absolutely terrified and by trying to get away from it

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she's making it tighter and tighter and tighter.

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And it's D-day for a deer, but it's not a straightforward operation.

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He is... He's just very nervous now.

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Just getting the right opportunity, and getting us and the deer

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in the right position at the same time.

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Finches are the most colourful of all our birds.

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Sadly, in some circles they're also the most sought after.

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An increasing demand on the black market means birds are being illegally trapped and sold.

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It's a cruel practice where the birds often suffer and sometimes die.

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And it's a crime which wildlife officers and the RSPCA are determined will not go unpunished.

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In the peaceful Lincolnshire countryside there's a serious allegation of wildlife crime.

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We've intelligence suggesting that there's a male at the property

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trapping wild birds by use of mist nets.

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It's nine o'clock in the morning and a team of RSPCA and police officers have gathered for their briefing.

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The intention is to approach the address from the wooded area to the north,

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and for everybody to go on to the premises and conduct a full search.

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The officers are preparing to mount a raid on a house where they suspect

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wild finches are being illegally trapped.

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Aiming to do the operation at 10.00 hours today.

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Wildlife crime officer PC Dave Brennan is leading the operation.

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The search will be carried out under the Wildlife Countryside Act '81, Section 19.3.

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People who illegally take birds from the wild will often try and cover their tracks.

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But Dave knows exactly what he's looking for.

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We're hoping to find a mist net, set up on poles,

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and potentially cages in some of the outhouses.

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And we're hoping to find

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some evidence of birdlife.

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Trapping birds is incredibly cruel.

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They can get caught up in nets and can die from stress.

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At the property, the owner isn't home, but his son is.

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PC Brennan, Wildlife Crime Unit, Lincolnshire police.

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Under the Wildlife And Countryside Act, I'm entering the premises.

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This is a large garden.

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Dave begins a methodical search of every inch of it.

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I'm just looking for nets within the hedgerows at the moment, or any poles that would be supporting the nets.

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But obviously, coming up to aviaries now, which would strongly suggest

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he's keeping some form of birds,

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but I'll have a look and see what we've got, first.

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The keeper has several large enclosures full of birds.

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The aviaries are very dirty to the base.

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It will be up to the experts to determine whether these have been taken from the wild.

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For now, Dave needs to uncover some more solid evidence.

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And it doesn't take him long to find what he's looking for.

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There, we see there is evidence of netting here.

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It's suspended between poles.

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The net is very fine. Animals won't see this as they come through the hedgerows.

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And I would suggest for the sole purpose of catching finches.

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The back of this garden is totally shrouded in nets.

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There's also bait that seems to have been deliberately positioned.

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Dave has seen enough.

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Numerous feeding points that will attract a number of finches and wild birds.

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He'll catch all sorts. But also things like the teasels is an ideal feed for finch,

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On that basis I'm going to invite the other people in, to have a look round.

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He informs the RSPCA and an independent bird expert of his findings.

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The RSPCA now will go down and just do a very brief resume of the area that we're looking at.

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Then we'll go back to the beginning of the property

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and go through the aviaries, cataloguing the birds in there,

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whether they're wild or domesticated birds.

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Bird specialist, Roger Cayton, has investigated dozens of cases like this,

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but is shocked by what he finds here.

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I've never seen such a classic bird trapping site.

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There's feeders here for the birds to come in and they'll get used

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to coming in and feeding freely, coming and going.

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Then he'll drop these mist nets down and the birds will fly into those and get caught, so this is a...

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a trapping site.

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The team believes it has firm evidence that wild birds are being trapped here.

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Can I have a general wander round?

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It's not illegal to keep finches, but an owner must be able to prove they were bred in captivity.

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Roger needs to check all these birds.

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He's looking to see if any are behaving in a way that suggests

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they're not used to living in aviaries, and have been taken from the wild.

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In here there are some greenfinches and redpolls.

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These are the larger type of domesticated greenfinches.

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From their behaviour and colour, etc, I'm not concerned about these.

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I think these are captive bred.

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But then Roger spots a group of finches displaying behaviour that suggests they might be wild.

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When placed into captivity it doesn't realise that the wire cladding of the aviary

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is a barrier through which it cannot pass. Therefore it spends a lot of time

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trying to fly through it, and in doing so, can injure itself.

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The bullfinches are very active and they're searching the mesh

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for a way through.

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Roger believes these birds have been taken from the wild.

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Meanwhile, the rest of the team continues the search, and soon uncovers more compelling evidence.

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Three traps that have been seized, all spring loaded.

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The birds would land on a perch inside the trap

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and then the door would just drop down.

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It's perfectly legal to own them, but illegal to use them.

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Two hours into the search, the owner returns home to face the allegations against him.

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I need to caution you, OK? You do not have to say anything, but it may harm

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your defence if you don't mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court,

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and if you do so it may be given in evidence.

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By passing off wild finches as captive bred, the owner could have been making considerable profits.

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There's a big demand for certain finches,

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and a bullfinch can fetch up to £100.

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When the birds are flocking during winter, he could probably trap 20 or 30 goldfinches at one time.

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The owner will now be interviewed under caution.

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Meanwhile, bags and bags of evidence are removed from the site.

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Numerous nets of different gauges and sizes.

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The team also seizes 11 birds they suspect really belong in the wild.

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They're all in good bodily condition,

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but we'll get them off to our centre and get them looked after.

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But the fate of these tiny birds now rests on the outcome of the criminal proceedings.

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They can't be released until the keeper has been successfully convicted.

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Later, more clues that these birds belong in the wild...

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There is a loss of nasal bristles.

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This would have been caused pushing its head through the bars of the cage in trying to escape.

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..and a final act of defiance from Herbert.

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-You've got two weeks to clean it up, that's what that says.

-Litter, litter!

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-If it's not sorted out then, they'll be removed.

-No!

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This is Fort Blockhouse on the Solent, built to repel invaders from land and sea.

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But recently its defences have been breached, by an 18-month-old deer!

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The fort has guarded the entrance to Portsmouth harbour for almost 600 years,

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but despite all its defences designed to keep invaders out,

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this daring young roe deer has somehow managed to break in.

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-Wow, you get a fantastic view across the bay and everything.

-Yeah, yeah.

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Ministry Of Defence Police Wildlife Officer Eddie Williams believes the deer may have swum into the base.

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Well, it begs a whole load of questions, even if you say it swam in,

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you know, it's a congested waterway, it's a busy waterway...

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-That's correct, it is, yeah.

-Sea walls and craft everywhere.

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The fact is, obviously, it's the only place it could have actually got out.

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After its amphibious landing, the deer evaded capture and penetrated deeper into the base.

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-They're great, these buildings, aren't they?

-Yeah.

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It's finally made camp in the memorial gardens of Haslar Hospital, just next door to the main complex.

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So, this was journey's end for our deer, was it, behind bars?

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Yeah, it had to be because it was the only way we could have a safe location where we could capture it.

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-So the deer should be in here now?

-Yeah, if he's not, he's got out since I looked this morning!

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Surrounded by high walls, the young buck's been unable to escape.

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-We've got a good sighting there, haven't we?

-Yeah, he's fit and well.

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I was going to say, he looks very agile.

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This is no place for a growing deer, and now he's been given his honourable discharge.

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There, going to the right, heading to the right.

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But first he needs to be caught, so Eddie's called in the reinforcements.

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In command are Les Stocker from Tiggywinkle's...

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Have you got cable ties there?

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-..and Trevor Weeks from the Wildlife Rescue Ambulance Service.

-Once he sees the gate shut, then it stops.

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-Yeah, he's not going to go, sure.

-OK.

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When it comes to animal rescue, Les and Trevor are the Special Forces.

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It's been charging towards the entrance gate

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to get out into the bigger site,

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so whether or not we can use this as a channel to try and catch it, it might be a possibility.

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With their target clear, the question now is how to catch it.

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-Are there any dangers to the deer itself?

-Darting is dangerous for the deer, but netting it should be OK.

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It's dangerous for us.

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And he will kick, he will kick like mad, but the antlers are very, very sharp, very, very dangerous.

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It's a risky mission for animal and rescuer alike.

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If we put nets right the way across and tie them to that tree, so we've got quite a large sweep.

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Having formulated their battle plan, generals Trevor and Les lead their troops out for action.

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Well, the team are splitting up a bit.

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Trevor and Sharon are going to be on this side, hoping the deer is going to come this way,

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and Les and the rest of the team are going to go up the far wall and hopefully flush it round.

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It's D-day for the deer.

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He should come out of that opening there.

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Les leads his squadron off along the left flank.

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I help the team prepare the trap in the centre and get into position.

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It doesn't take long for the buck to break out from cover.

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He's coming round now.

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The deer's on its way round this side.

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As predicted, he's heading straight towards the gate and the waiting net.

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Someone drive him towards me, I'm over here.

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But this is terrain the deer knows well, and as fast as he appeared, he's gone to ground again.

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He's stopped again.

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We think the deer's come round the wall,

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but he likes to hide in the greenhouses behind here, it gives him a lot of cover.

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Eddie acts as a beater, and the deer's flushed out of his hiding position.

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There it is.

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I never even saw it come through there!

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But not into the net.

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Catching this deer is proving difficult.

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To me, I'm over here. Right into three o'clock.

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He's fast and agile, and soon finds a gaping hole in our defence line.

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Time for plan B.

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We're just going to get another net up across this gap,

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because twice the deer's come through here.

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And just when the additional trap looks to have channelled the buck in the right direction,

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he escapes again!

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Oh, jeez!

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It appears the nets are in the perfect position,

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but amazingly the deer hits the brakes and avoids our ambush yet again.

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He is... He's just very nervous now.

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-Obviously he's been through here a few times now.

-My heart's racing, I don't know about the deer's!

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While the thrill of the chase may be exhilarating for me,

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it's important that the team snare this runaway soon.

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If the dear gets too stressed, he could collapse and die from shock.

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Coming my way. Now he's turned.

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This feisty deer's proving a worthy adversary,

0:21:370:21:41

but then as he makes another dash for the garden's exit, our tactics finally pay off.

0:21:410:21:47

He's caught! Caught!

0:21:470:21:50

To calm him down, the deer's head is covered

0:21:500:21:53

and he's given an injection by the team's wildlife nurse.

0:21:530:21:57

Put him over my head onto my shoulders.

0:21:570:21:59

With the deer sedated, Les is able to transfer him into a van for relocation.

0:21:590:22:04

I'll just put him in here, now. Take my head out.

0:22:040:22:07

This is a very quick door shut, is it?

0:22:070:22:09

But the question now is where to release him.

0:22:090:22:13

Some reconnaissance work soon identifies a suitable release site

0:22:170:22:21

just a couple of miles away from Fort Blockhouse,

0:22:210:22:25

a woodland nature reserve, perfect for this young roe deer to grow up in.

0:22:250:22:30

-Keep coming.

-I can just... I can just see a guy beckoning me towards him!

0:22:300:22:34

Almost a month since it penetrated military security,

0:22:340:22:37

it's time for the infiltrator to go back to its natural habitat.

0:22:370:22:42

Hardly the worse for wear.

0:22:500:22:51

I like the way he almost kind of went up and turned round as if to say thank you.

0:22:510:22:55

And, Les, quite a success for you and the team, really. You know, you proved you could do it.

0:23:030:23:08

We have quite a bit of practice, but it's good because you never know what you're going to find,

0:23:080:23:13

you never know what's going to happen to the animal,

0:23:130:23:16

-and I think we all did pretty well and...

-One big team.

0:23:160:23:20

Coming up, the illegally trapped birds are back where they belong.

0:23:250:23:29

It's the exciting part, they finally get to go back to the wild, and we'll see how they go.

0:23:290:23:35

It's up to them after that.

0:23:350:23:37

In West Yorkshire, RSPCA inspector Emma Ellis has just endured a tense showdown with a pet owner,

0:23:400:23:47

as she took two of his dogs into possession,

0:23:470:23:49

and she's had to warn Herbert Laycock that she may seize the rest of his animals

0:23:490:23:54

if things don't improve.

0:23:540:23:56

In the meantime, she's struggling to keep control of the two dogs she has seized.

0:23:560:24:01

Emma has bought Rosie and Judy to the local kennels to be checked over.

0:24:100:24:14

But the two dogs have rarely been outside their home.

0:24:160:24:20

Come on then, sweetie pie.

0:24:200:24:22

Rosie in particular is finding it too much.

0:24:220:24:25

She doesn't want to come out. It's all right, sweetie...

0:24:250:24:28

To try and make her feel more at ease, her mother Judy is brought out first.

0:24:280:24:34

-Who's this?

-Come on, little one.

-Come and see her.

-Hello.

0:24:340:24:39

Who's this?

0:24:390:24:40

I think, because he said they hadn't been outside, she's absolutely terrified.

0:24:400:24:44

She feels quite safe in that little enclosed space because that's what she's used to,

0:24:440:24:48

and she doesn't want to come out, and even with her around she doesn't want to come out.

0:24:480:24:53

Emma needs to get Rosie out of the van, but when she is finally persuaded out...

0:24:530:24:59

Good girl, good girl.

0:24:590:25:01

She makes a powerful attempt to break free.

0:25:010:25:04

It's all right. Come here, come here, come here, come here, come here, come here, come here.

0:25:040:25:10

You're all right. You're all right.

0:25:100:25:12

With such a violent reaction, there's a real danger she could hurt herself.

0:25:120:25:16

It's obvious Rosie's never been on a lead.

0:25:160:25:19

-Ssssh!

-This resistance will certainly count against her

0:25:210:25:25

when it comes to assessing whether she's safe to be re-homed.

0:25:250:25:28

I just want to try and loosen that lead off, it's just not loosening at all.

0:25:280:25:32

Just hang on. Come here, come here, come here...

0:25:320:25:35

The more she writhes, the greater the danger of choking.

0:25:350:25:38

Calm down.

0:25:380:25:42

Emma knows by covering her eyes, she will begin to calm down.

0:25:420:25:45

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.

0:25:450:25:47

She's absolutely terrified, and she's never been on a lead before,

0:25:470:25:52

so she's just going ballistic and trying to get away from it,

0:25:520:25:56

and then by trying to get away from it, she's making it tighter and tighter and tighter.

0:25:560:26:00

Emma gives up trying to lead Rosie, and decides to carry her instead.

0:26:000:26:06

Come on, sweetie.

0:26:060:26:07

And now the two dogs make their way towards their new home.

0:26:070:26:12

Three weeks later, Emma is back at the kennels to find out how both dogs are settling in.

0:26:160:26:21

Judy is a model pupil, but Rosie is still causing problems.

0:26:250:26:30

Hello.

0:26:300:26:32

Dog welfare manager Jo Wall is worried that she's struggling to adjust.

0:26:320:26:37

I think the majority of this is that she's scared, and I think that's why...

0:26:370:26:40

I think with having the cage in between us, that's why she's bearing her teeth,

0:26:400:26:45

whereas if we were to walk in, she wouldn't necessarily do that.

0:26:450:26:47

She would just run off and run into the kennel.

0:26:470:26:51

But still, we can't get close enough to her to get a lead on her,

0:26:510:26:54

and when we have tried putting a lead on her before, she's got that stressed,

0:26:540:26:59

she's passed out in her kennel.

0:26:590:27:01

This is the behaviour she was displaying in the house.

0:27:010:27:03

She was all barky, barky, and then as soon as you went towards her, she would hide behind the couch.

0:27:030:27:08

It's very, very much fear aggression which she has got.

0:27:080:27:12

-Yeah.

-As I say, it is improving, but not to the point where we could put her in a family home.

0:27:120:27:17

Whereas she's completely the opposite.

0:27:170:27:19

She's wagging her tail. Hiya! You're happy.

0:27:190:27:21

Although comfortable in each other's company,

0:27:250:27:28

it is inevitable that mother and daughter will soon be split up.

0:27:280:27:32

Mum Judy is ready to be found a new home,

0:27:330:27:38

but Rosie's wild nature means that prospect seems to be getting further away.

0:27:380:27:44

And the way she's behaving has left Emma even more worried about the two dogs left behind at the house.

0:27:440:27:49

A week later, Emma is back to see Herbert.

0:27:520:27:56

Hiya. RSPCA, again.

0:27:590:28:01

I'm back.

0:28:010:28:04

At the door, she's given another frosty reception.

0:28:040:28:07

I want to see come and see how you're doing with your dogs.

0:28:070:28:10

Your two dogs.

0:28:100:28:12

Is it all right if I come in?

0:28:120:28:14

Inside, she's confronted with a mess, and a familiar wall of noise.

0:28:140:28:18

DOGS BARK

0:28:180:28:20

-Do you want to get them in the corner for us?

-Eh?

0:28:200:28:23

Do you want to get them in for us?

0:28:230:28:26

Do you want to get them in for us?

0:28:260:28:27

Look at the conditions in this room.

0:28:270:28:30

Well, they shouldn't be doing it inside, should they?

0:28:310:28:33

Yeah, and they should be allowed to go outside.

0:28:340:28:37

This dirt on the floor shows things appear to have got worse.

0:28:380:28:42

I thought you were supposed to be getting the house cleaned?

0:28:420:28:46

OK.

0:28:460:28:50

No, I thought it was being done...

0:28:500:28:53

It's not my job to clean your house for you.

0:28:550:28:57

OK, let's go outside, because I can't hear you.

0:28:570:29:00

Conditions are worsening. It's time for an ultimatum.

0:29:000:29:04

As it stands, if you don't get that sorted out in there, OK,

0:29:040:29:08

and you don't get those dogs out of that room,

0:29:080:29:10

and get them exercised, and allow them to go out...

0:29:100:29:13

Let me finish, let me finish.

0:29:130:29:15

Allow them to get outside, OK, you risk losing them,

0:29:150:29:18

because I will take them off you if you don't. It's not hygienic.

0:29:180:29:21

I don't believe you.

0:29:230:29:25

Well, I'm afraid I do, so you've

0:29:260:29:28

got two choices here, Mr Laycock,

0:29:280:29:30

you get it sorted, or you end up losing them.

0:29:300:29:32

I can't leave you alone until you get your situation sorted.

0:29:340:29:37

Herbert is unwilling to change. The argument reaches stalemate.

0:29:370:29:43

I can't stand it when, firstly, people ignore you,

0:29:430:29:46

and, secondly, they can't see what you're saying, it just drives me absolutely mad, it really does.

0:29:460:29:51

He's just shouting at me for no reason, yet he won't listen to anything anyone's telling him.

0:29:510:29:56

Emma's patience is starting to wear thin.

0:29:580:30:01

Then Herbert shows another reason why this is a priority case.

0:30:010:30:05

Don't kick her.

0:30:050:30:07

I saw you, so don't do it.

0:30:070:30:11

Emma decides to issue a written warning,

0:30:110:30:14

but her attempts to get Herbert to accept it fall on stony ground.

0:30:140:30:19

Can I give you this paperwork?

0:30:190:30:21

With all hopes of compromise slammed in her face,

0:30:240:30:27

Emma is given no option but to post the warning through the door.

0:30:280:30:33

And as she briefs the head office...

0:30:330:30:36

I've not explained it because he's too busy shouting.

0:30:360:30:38

..Herbert emerges from the house, with a final act of defiance.

0:30:380:30:44

-You've got two weeks to clean it up, that's what that says that you've just ripped up.

-Litter, litter!

0:30:440:30:49

-If it's not sorted out, then they'll be removed.

-No!

0:30:490:30:52

It's a futile gesture, and Emma has the final word.

0:30:520:30:56

He's not meeting their needs, and if he's given a chance and he doesn't do it,

0:30:560:31:00

then we do have the power to get the police to come and take them,

0:31:000:31:03

and we will do that, because the way they're currently being kept is not acceptable.

0:31:030:31:08

Still to come, Judy finds her perfect partner.

0:31:150:31:19

Oh, she means a lot to me because I can talk to her,

0:31:190:31:25

and I'm sure she understands a lot of what I say.

0:31:250:31:28

Now we're back to Lincolnshire,

0:31:320:31:34

where the police and RSPCA are searching a house for evidence of bird trapping.

0:31:340:31:39

They've found nets, traps and 11 finches.

0:31:390:31:43

The birds are now being cared for at a local RSPCA centre,

0:31:430:31:48

and they're about to be examined to find out where they came from.

0:31:480:31:52

The seized finches have been living in this aviary for almost three weeks now.

0:31:580:32:03

Today, bird expert Roger Cayton will begin his assessments

0:32:060:32:11

to decide whether these are, in fact, wild birds.

0:32:110:32:14

He will monitor and record every aspect of their behaviour.

0:32:140:32:19

He will also check each bird individually for clues as to where they've come from.

0:32:190:32:24

First, he positions himself, ready to watch their every move.

0:32:260:32:32

Well, the birds are very active, flying about. They're not perching for any length of time.

0:32:320:32:37

They're flying on to the aviary mesh, investigating the mesh,

0:32:370:32:42

looking through it, pecking at it,

0:32:420:32:44

and going into the corners to see if there's somewhere where they can escape.

0:32:440:32:50

The way these birds are reacting suggests they're not used to living in captivity.

0:32:530:32:57

These birds are pretty active, as they were when they were seized.

0:32:570:33:01

It would appear to me that they were recently taken wild birds.

0:33:010:33:06

But Roger still needs more evidence.

0:33:080:33:10

So, the birds are caught and moved inside.

0:33:150:33:19

Now Roger can begin more detailed examinations of each and every finch.

0:33:190:33:24

This is a male goldfinch.

0:33:240:33:25

You can see that there is a loss of nasal bristles.

0:33:250:33:30

Now, this would have been caused shortly after the bird was taken from the wild,

0:33:300:33:35

pushing its head through the bars of the cage in trying to escape.

0:33:350:33:39

Now, looking at the primary feathers, the first primary is broken at the tip,

0:33:390:33:44

and the following two are in fact frayed.

0:33:440:33:48

This is one of the features that I'm looking for, which is plumage damage.

0:33:480:33:53

Roger believes the finch injured itself after flying around the cage looking for a way out.

0:33:530:33:59

He's confident he now has all the evidence he needs

0:34:010:34:04

to prove that these birds were taken from the wild.

0:34:040:34:09

But the finches still face more time in captivity.

0:34:110:34:14

Their fate now hangs on a successful prosecution.

0:34:140:34:18

Four months later, George Littlewood appeared in court.

0:34:230:34:27

He pleaded guilty to possessing 11 wild birds and the nets and traps used to take them from the wild.

0:34:290:34:36

He was ordered to pay fines totalling £675.

0:34:380:34:43

For the police and the RSPCA,

0:34:430:34:45

this case was a chance to show that crimes like this will not go unpunished.

0:34:450:34:51

The successful conviction means the finches can now go back to the wild.

0:34:550:35:00

They've been moved from the rescue centre to the manager Alison Charles' own back garden.

0:35:030:35:08

After such a long time in captivity, these birds need a helping hand.

0:35:110:35:15

This is a perfect location for them to finally spread their wings again.

0:35:150:35:19

They've been in here for ten days. They've acclimatised, and hopefully they think this is home.

0:35:190:35:24

This is the exciting part, they finally get back to the wild, and we'll see how they go.

0:35:240:35:28

It's up to them after that.

0:35:280:35:30

After being forced to live as captives, these finches can finally be free again.

0:35:320:35:38

Alison leaves the door open, so the birds can fly out in their own time.

0:35:380:35:43

And our cameras stay well back, so as not to spook them.

0:35:450:35:49

At first, they seem unsure.

0:35:490:35:53

-They'll go when they're ready.

-But it's not long before one brave soul makes a break for freedom.

0:35:530:35:59

Living in captivity has been a tough ordeal for these finches, but now,

0:36:020:36:06

as they make a dash for the trees, they're back where they belong.

0:36:060:36:12

So, they're out there! It's up to them, it's great stuff!

0:36:120:36:16

Finally today, we're back in West Yorkshire, where it's decision day.

0:36:220:36:27

Herbert Laycock has already had two of his dogs seized,

0:36:270:36:31

and has been given plenty of warnings on how to look after the rest.

0:36:310:36:34

Now the RSPCA will decide if there's been enough improvement.

0:36:340:36:39

This is Herbert's last chance to show he can change.

0:36:460:36:50

We've given him a few weeks now to see if he improves the conditions there.

0:36:500:36:55

I've heard from housing that there has been cleaning done here,

0:36:550:36:58

so hopefully today we'll see a vast improvement on the conditions last time.

0:36:580:37:03

Emma's previous visits here have ended with heated exchanges,

0:37:030:37:07

and today's knock at the door is met with a lukewarm response.

0:37:070:37:11

Hiya. Me again.

0:37:140:37:16

-How are we doing?

-Eh?

0:37:160:37:19

How are you doing?

0:37:190:37:21

Have you been cleaned up in here, have you?

0:37:210:37:24

-Eh?

-Have you got everything cleaned up in here, have you?

0:37:240:37:27

Emma wants to do all she can to make sure that Herbert and his remaining pets are kept together.

0:37:270:37:33

The discussions continue, but behind closed doors.

0:37:330:37:37

We're trying to sort out the best thing for these dogs, aren't we?

0:37:370:37:42

We both want what's right for the dogs. I'm sure that's what you want.

0:37:420:37:45

The house is cleaner and Emma's confident the dogs are being treated for fleas.

0:37:450:37:49

Their skin... Certainly the fur looks a little bit better.

0:37:490:37:54

Herbert is at least making an effort.

0:37:540:37:56

-No, I can see from here it's much better.

-Emma leaves happy.

0:37:560:37:59

All I want to say is, you've got to keep on top of it, because you know what will happen if you don't.

0:37:590:38:05

Although there are still improvements that could be made, he is at least making some progress.

0:38:050:38:11

Being here has certainly made a massive difference to the dogs' welfare.

0:38:110:38:16

He's better able to cope with two rather than the four he originally had.

0:38:160:38:19

He can keep on top of that a lot better.

0:38:190:38:21

We've worked with the housing company to improve conditions in there.

0:38:210:38:25

Hopefully I've annoyed him enough that he's changed things a little bit

0:38:250:38:30

and, you know, that's an improvement from my point of view.

0:38:300:38:33

Away from Herbert's house, the two dogs, Judy and Rosie, are now facing very different futures.

0:38:350:38:42

This was Rosie two months ago when Emma first tried to bring her under control.

0:38:440:38:49

Today, having been given plenty of TLC, she's become much calmer.

0:38:510:38:57

When she first came here we wouldn't have been able to get this close at all.

0:38:570:39:01

We struggled to get in the kennel with her, she'd run away from us.

0:39:010:39:05

Whereas now, although she's still scared, she is letting us sit and stroke her.

0:39:050:39:09

And she quite enjoys it, after a little while.

0:39:090:39:11

-Clever girl.

-It may be taking time, but there's definitely progress with Rosie.

0:39:110:39:17

She's slowly becoming much more relaxed.

0:39:170:39:20

She's also been learning to socialise,

0:39:200:39:22

developing a close bond with a kindred spirit called Charlie.

0:39:220:39:26

Charlie's a lot more outgoing than Rosie is, now.

0:39:260:39:28

A few months ago, when he first came in he was...

0:39:280:39:31

he was just the same as her. He wouldn't come to us or anything.

0:39:310:39:34

He's quite cheeky. He'll come and bring us toys and things like that. They're quite close.

0:39:340:39:38

They'll lie next to each other and give each other a little bit of company at least.

0:39:380:39:43

Hi, Rosie.

0:39:430:39:46

The new chums make a charming pair,

0:39:460:39:48

and Rosie has certainly mellowed since she found someone else to share her bed.

0:39:480:39:52

And it's not just Rosie who's made a new friend.

0:39:550:39:57

Her mother has found the perfect partner, too.

0:39:570:40:00

Judy, come on.

0:40:010:40:04

As Judy enters the autumn of her life she's linked up

0:40:070:40:10

with new owner, Marjorie Milne, who was looking for a friendly retirement companion.

0:40:100:40:16

We liked the look of her and thought she looked a nice dog.

0:40:160:40:19

A nice, quiet kind of dog.

0:40:190:40:21

Not a young one that would want me to run after it a lot! Ha-ha!

0:40:210:40:27

Marjorie lost her husband recently.

0:40:270:40:30

Judy is providing her with just the tonic she needs.

0:40:300:40:34

I wanted her for a bit of company and,

0:40:340:40:37

you know, he'd have liked Judy.

0:40:370:40:42

He liked dogs. He did.

0:40:420:40:45

Oh, she means a lot to me because I can talk to her

0:40:450:40:50

and I'm sure she understands a lot of what I say.

0:40:500:40:53

Judy.

0:40:530:40:55

And to make sure Judy and Marjorie are coping,

0:40:580:41:01

they're also getting an occasional visit from a few old friends.

0:41:010:41:04

Jo Wall is the RSPCA's Dog Welfare Officer in Leeds.

0:41:040:41:07

She's come to check on Judy and see how well she's settling in.

0:41:070:41:12

How's she been, has she been OK?

0:41:120:41:13

-Yes, yes.

-Yeah, settled in well?

0:41:130:41:15

She has. Straight away, she did.

0:41:150:41:17

She soon gets tired after she's played. Mind you, she's nine year old, isn't she!

0:41:170:41:23

Yeah, she's very good,

0:41:230:41:25

aren't you, lass?

0:41:250:41:27

With Marjorie and Judy both the retiring type this is a perfect match.

0:41:310:41:37

Judy looks to have improved so much and she seems so settled,

0:41:370:41:41

which is what I hoped to achieve, today. I really wanted to come in and see Judy in a happy home,

0:41:410:41:46

feeling very comfortable and relaxed, which is what she has. So it's been very, very positive.

0:41:460:41:51

After all she's been through, this is really, really rewarding,

0:41:510:41:54

so it's a happy ending for Judy.

0:41:540:41:56

If you think you know of a case of wildlife crime or a creature that needs immediate protection,

0:42:030:42:09

remember, there are people out there who will answer your call right around the clock.

0:42:090:42:14

They are who we meet on Animal 24:7.

0:42:140:42:17

Next time on Animal 24:7,

0:42:190:42:24

rescue for a big dog locked in a dirty stairwell.

0:42:240:42:28

In my opinion it is pretty skinny.

0:42:280:42:30

You can see the definition of its rib cage. He needs to come out.

0:42:300:42:34

A seal release in a very unlikely setting.

0:42:340:42:37

You seem to have brought me to the heart of an industrial estate-cum-estuary!

0:42:370:42:41

I suppose if you look that way, over there, you'd think, "where are seals going to go?".

0:42:410:42:46

But look over that way, there's open sea and then the Farn Islands, over there.

0:42:460:42:49

And who will love this strange looking stray?

0:42:490:42:54

I didn't expect her ears to have been completely removed.

0:42:540:42:57

It was a bit of an initial shock!

0:42:570:42:59

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0:43:220:43:25

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0:43:250:43:28

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