Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Charity Number 232225

Built almost 80 years ago and added onto over the years, the needs today for the iconic Clough Road building are a world apart to those in 1938.

You’ll have all heard of the RSPCA, national campaigns on the TV and the charity shops scattered across the country. But did you know the Hull branch rely on around 50 volunteers to ensure they can keep providing an excellent service.

What a lot of people don’t realise is that each branch is almost a separate entity to the national brand and shockingly, not only do they receive minimal amounts from the organisation, Hull RSPCA actually have to pay the national charity to be able to keep their doors open.

On a recent visit, it became apparent the commitment of the staff and volunteers there. Not only do they have to have ‘live in’ workers, but it’s a 24 hour job.
Alison, the centre manager told me recently she had to take home a kitten to hand rear to ensure its survival.

The Facilities

Time is precious, and the kitchen being in a separate part of the building, going back and forth to do laundry, catering and simple tasks can add a lot of time.

As you walk round the building you realise how much work needs to be done. Even sat with Alison, in their porta-cabin ‘office’ the ceiling was leaking. The resource library isn’t fit for use for the same reason due to damp, which prevents the education being spread to school children.

Education is probably the most understated use of their facilities. By teaching children (and sometimes adults) how to care for animals it helps develop other life skills, historically a child abuse case was discovered thanks to one of their workshops.

RSPCA Hull have recently teamed up with Hull Homeless Community Project, offering what facilities they do have free of charge as they have a great view on helping other charities.

When it comes to the animals, they currently have capacity for 22 dogs, but the kennel sizes are no more than 3ft wide and in some instances entrance to one kennel is through another.

The Hull charity have recently started a 5 year-long campaign to raise £1,000,000 in order to revamp the centre to enable a more comfortable place for the animals and a more educational place for the community.

The Costs

Surprisingly, the vet bills are not discounted which can add up to £5,000 PER MONTH and that’s without even feeding the animals. Some dogs on starvation cases need feeding between 6 – 8 times a day which amounts to over £120.
With 22 dogs, 60 cats, 24 ferrets and 30 rabbits being their capacity, the food bills are pretty big.

The Care Culture

On my visit it was also nice to hear that dogs, cats, ferrets and rabbits will never be destroyed if they take too long to be adopted. Their policy on euthanasia is based purely on a vet’s recommendation.

It’s heart-breaking to see animals, who have been abused, having to sometimes stay for years until court cases are complete. The helpers have a huge task of then preparing the animals to be rehomed, getting them on a correct diet and teaching them not to be afraid are just some of the tasks required to be done.

Don’t let this dishearten you, the animals are now in good hands, they even get audio played to them during lunch hours – which is when the centre is closed. This gives the animals a break from the excitement of visitors.

So, if it doesn’t rain, there were more hours in a day and they could rejig the building to create more space, I think they would be fine.

But that’s not possible. The sense of community when you are there is overwhelming and the passion the workers have to continue to help, more than they already do, is admirable.

At present, the centre asks for a small adoption fee, which doesn’t cover much in the way of care. They also get money through fundraising, donations and their charity shops. But what is important to stress is, if you want to support your local RSPCA, make sure you do, as they aren’t likely to see much of what goes to the national charity.

With your support and their expertise, so much more can be achieved.