The Pet Show Stoneleigh Park
The Pet Show Stoneleigh Park 2015.
The General Public and Companies Should Boycott this show starting 1st and 2nd August 2015
Companies and visitors should think long and hard before going to this second rate and frankly amateurish event. For stall holders it is vastly overpriced, and the management reneged on all their promises once we were there.
For visitors read below and you will understand why you should consider not supporting or visiting this show. I was totally shocked that this show employed a man as Head of Animal Welfare with such a chequered past.
Tim Wass was in charge of the RSPCA Inspectors when they killed 10 German Shepherds with a captive bolt gun. It is believed they then inserted a screwdriver on the hole and stirred the dogs brains causing massive convulsions and fits before they died.
He also led the raid on the Hindu Temple when they killed a sacred cow. Causing outrage in the Hindu community. The RSPCA were forced to issue a grovelling apology for that disaster. This is the man that they have put in charge of animal welfare at The Pet Show yet again in 2015.
If I had known this was the case, I would have never agreed to appear at this or any other show where Tim Wass was involved, in any form of animal welfare.
What concerns me is this man is in charge of Animal Welfare for the second year running At what is billed as the largest Pet Show in the uk. Some may suggest that putting Mr Tim Wass in charge of animal welfare is like putting Herod in charge of baby-sitting.
The Pet Show
The Pet Show Opened its doors for the first time in 2013. It billed itself as the largest Pet Show in the UK. I was invited with my brother Paul also a dog behaviourist to do a two spots a day in the main dog section ring.
We took dogs out of the audience and worked with them even though we had never met them before. It can be quite challenging. Fortunately it went down very well with the general public and the shows organisers. So much so that they invited us back again this year.
I have to say it was a bit of a shambles the first year but then most new ventures are. The organisers seemed pleasant but vague. However the second year was even worse with half the stall holders they had the first year refusing to rebook.
I would love to hear from some of the exhibitors from both years to see what they felt about value for money.
Also from the general public that attended the show. [email protected]
We were on the first spot. However there were very few people in the hall.
This was due to the gates being closed at the supposed opening time, because of the shambolic organisation of these people. How can you delay entry into what is billed as the largest Pet Show in the UK?
I think I would challenge that assumptions. Under what criteria do they make that statement The Largest Pet Show. Media hype. The hype is as shallow as the show
The fact that few people were there did not matter, we soon managed to get a crowd around us and some naughty dogs in the ring.
When we has finished we went back to our stand with the usual crowd we always get after our performances.
We worked through these and helped lots of dogs. We were due back on at 1.30 and after that I was booked for ask the experts.
Basically an hour where people can throw questions and problems at the resident expert. I was the expert for dog section.
Complaint
At 1.10 I was approached by a member of the Pet Show staff and told they had pulled our 1.30 show.
There was no conversation no questions and no one had told us why till I asked.
I was told that a couple of people had complained that I had stated that paediatric neutering can cause in some cases noise phobic dogs. That is a medical fact. I can back it up by peer reviewed medical evidence.
They also claimed I was using, and I quote “aversive methods”. When asked to explain, he couldn’t. Let me point out I had been there the year before, and they had watched my demonstration, that is why they contacted me and asked me to come back “By Popular Demand”
I had done nothing different, I am known to be a positive gentle trainer and behaviourist. All my many thousands of clients will attest to that. As they were not even prepared to speak to us about it we decided we would leave the show.
I have done many hundreds of shows both Nationally and Internationally, including for guide dogs for the blind and numerous other charities. Not once had anyone ever voiced that what I was doing was in the least bit aversive.
This bunch of amateurs listened to two people whom I believe were linked to Tim Wass and the RSPCA and pulled our show. Unbelievable!
Tim Wass Condones Killing Dogs With a Captive Bolt Gun
As we were packing, up, an official approached and introduced himself as the Head of Animal Welfare for the Pet show. No name, but he said he worked for the RSPCA.
We explained that we do not use aversives, only a cat bell, that is put on millions of cats and many dogs so they can hear them in the undergrowth and the birds and mice can hear the cats. I do not clip this on the collar, so it is not jingling all the time only on the lead when I am training. It is an amazing training aid which many thousands of people can attest.
We were ignored, and he said he would arrange for security to let our car through so we could leave. It was only afterwards that I realised the man was Tim Wass ex head of the RSPCA Inspectorate, and the man who famously condoned and excused the killing of 10 German Shepherds with a captive bolt gun. Then they apparently inserted a screwdriver in the hole and stirred their brains, causing them to go into massive epileptic spasms before they died.
Brutal Killing Method
This is a horrific way of killing German Shepherds or any other dogs. Yet they use Captive Bolt Guns on a regular basis. Captive bolt guns are banned for the use on pets. especially dogs.
Why you may ask? I believe the simple answer is cost, it is cheaper than a lethal injection. It was believed the last failed Chief Executive of the RSPCA was on £165,000 a year plus expenses. Many other Rescue centres, who could have rehomed these poor dogs after their owner died were absolutely furious. Jane Shenstone founder of German Shepherd Rescue went on the Five Live Radio Program to condemn Mr Wass and the RSPCA.
I have put the Five Live snippet at the bottom of this blog, it will shock you.
The International Companion Animal Management Coalition (ICAM) of which the RSPCA is a high profile member, and the WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals ) state that a the captive bolt gun is deemed as a totally unacceptable method for use on cats and dogs.
Yet Tim Wass who was in charge of the RSPCA Inspectors at the time stated: “It was the only option” Let me state for the record that I believe that if a member of the public had killed these dogs using this method, the RSPCA would in all probability have prosecuted them. Yet the RSPCA has no more powers than the general public.
He also stated, (see the program) below. It was much harder on his men than it was on the animals. What a stupid insensitive crass statement to make. The animals died horribly, his men are still alive.
Lies
An RSPCA spokeswoman said: ‘Animals in our care are never routinely euthanised on the spot, and certainly not because there are no spaces. Our inspectors regularly go out of their way to find a place many miles away”
“RSPCA inspectors are not allowed to use euthanasia drugs on companion animals. They are taken to a veterinary surgeon, who makes an expert assessment”. What a pity Tim Wass did not read this snippet from his own spokesperson.
As we know prosecutions have increased (some scurrilous) and the RSPCA started to get very bad press and an enormous drop in revenue and popularity. See (1) Daily Mail. Now people that know me, know I am no fan of the RSPCA. I have been particularly vociferous about their practice of neutering puppies as young as (2) Six Weeks of Age.
This from the Daily Mail. (3) RSPCA Destroys Half The Pets It Rescues This relates to when Tim Wass was in charge. Tim Wass led the raid on the Temple when the (4) RSPCA Killed The Sacred Cow Causing an enormous outcry in the Hindu community
RSPCA Unfit For Purpose
Mr Wass is no longer with the RSPCA. He is part of a private company, and is now chief consultant of Animal Kind. I believe he realised who I was, and my strong feelings about the RSPCA and their practices. I personally believe the RSPCA is unfit for purpose and should have its charitable status removed.
Animal Kind is listed as a not for profit company. Of course the RSPCA is also a non profit making company, but their Chief Executives certainly have a habit of filling their pockets to overflowing with money sorely needed for animal welfare.
I believe this was a set up job, with Mr Wass at the centre. Given his somewhat lurid past I would not put it past him. People that disliked his practices call him Pinocchio. Apparently they believe he lies. I could not possible comment.
This man certainly has an axe to grind with me. I believe he took his chance to get even. He may just find that decision was a somewhat of a mistake.
They still have me on their website as still appearing both in the ring and ask the experts 24 hours after I left . People will have paid to see us and be expecting to see and talk to me. That I am afraid may constitute fraud by misrepresentation. And could be construed as attracting clients by deception.
It is also clear that their Facebook page is removing negative comments by disgruntled customers, and only leaving the positive ones. That’s is also a form of deception. and will probably backfire as these people go onto their own Social Media platforms and vent their anger.
Support, visit or sponsor this show and you will be supporting the likes of Tim Wass and the conditions some of the dogs were kept in during the show. Many dogs were clearly upset by the sound because of the Tin shed like area the dog part of the show was held. They were also put in creches run by the shows helpers, who i doubt knew anything about dogs or their needs.
Stan Rawlinson
August 2014
Updated July 30th two days before this years show 2015.
Please Share
You can copy this whole blog to Facebook or Twitter and any other social media at the bottom of this page
(1) Daily Mail RSPCA Drop In Donations
(2) RSPCA Neuter Pups At 6 Weeks of Age
(3) RSPCA Destroys Half The Pets It Rescues
(4) RSPCA Killed The Sacred Cow
Comments (6)
Pet show Misery for many dogs
My biggest concern was the stress shown by many dogs. The layout in large tin sheds was not only muggy but very noisy. I will be interested to see what risk assessments were put in place for dogs welfare.
It seemed to me that the show organisation were more concerned about gate fees than welfare. They had ticked the box by employing people to do welfare, but what is needed is proper assessment of things like noise. In one of the events a number of dogs were barking, this was so loud it hurt my ears. Given the sensitivity dogs have in their hearing this must have been overwhelming for some of them.
I reported this but the poorly trained staff who were event people not animal specialists did not seemed concerned. This is shameful.
Sessions like this where dogs make a lot of excited noise should be held in the open. I noticed dogs cowering In fear when the noise started.
If welfare had properly been considered then it would have been aware that fearful dogs can be aggressive. People and nervous dogs do not mix. It’s okay saying no one reported any aggression it the risk of that aggression that counts and must be managed. It wasn’t. Getting lucky is not an acceptable form of control.
Conning the public into thinking it was a success
The Pet Show Facebook page had comments left by the public. To make this look like a success they have removed the negative posts leaving only positive. This is manipulation at its worst. One person wrote to say how disappointed she was that they had done this, they replied saying sorry we have been busy and did not see your post. They subsequently removed this.
Nothing is perfect but manipulation like this is close to fraudulent activity. People will look at this when deciding to go next time. There were lots of posts suggesting a rip off. Myself included.
Be honest pet show, show it warts and all, some people liked your show some didn’t . This lack social integrity and is shameful behaviour.
Hardly any stalls
I went there last year and there seemed to be far more attractions and stallholders then. Where did they all go?
This year I went purposely to see Stan and his brother because they helped me immensely last year, and I wanted to show them how well Poppy had got on.
I was bitterly disappointed, as they were not there and the show info said they were. Shame on you Pet Show for spoiling my day, I will not be visiting next year.
The Pet Show Stoneleigh Park 2015
Anyone thinking of commercially having a stall there, will be bitterly disappointed. I spoke the year before to the stallholders and they said never again. And they really did not turn up. Only a small number of stands were there.
The cost of having a stand and the entrance fee makes this sad, costly and dismal show and expensive flop. There are far better shows to spend your money on. The welfare of the dogs was extremely poorly organised. The people that own the show are nothing to do with the pet World.
They are a bunch of money grabbing amatuers that appear to be trying to empty the pockets of the general public and the stallholders. And give very little in return.
And once again they have the odious Tim Wass in charge of welfare. Absolutely unbelievable!
RSPCA – a personal experience
Several years ago, one of our cats was killed by a car. The driver took his body to a nearby house owned by an elderly man and his wife (probably thinking that the cat might be theirs). The house owner took the body from the driver and rang the RSPCA for advice – he wondered if they might be able to look for a microchip. Thus gentleman told me that they could not help and suggested he put the body in the dustbin. He was shocked, as an animal lover and owner of several dogs. Instead, he kept the body in a cool place outside and put an advert in the window of the local newsagent. News got back to us and we were able to thank him for his kindness. We now knew what had happened to our beloved pet and had his body cremated.
This man was very kind and thoughtful. I only have his word regarding what the RSPCA told him and cannot prove it, but I can confirm he was very shocked by whatever it was he was told. My husband rang the RSPCA to confirm whether they could confirm this advice was given out and they stated it was likely to be true.
Here is the evidence – please make up your own minds.
RSPCA
I am not at all shocked or surprised by the RSPCA’s reaction they are a disgraceful organisation. It is my belief they should have their charitable status revoked and they should be disbanded. I have had too many dealings with them to ever change my stance on an organisation that has a negative action on the animals they are sworn to defend.
Comments are closed.