SIR – We would like to ask for your readers help. Today is known as ‘Black Saturday’, when we log the highest number of calls. Normally we receive a call every 30 seconds asking for our help, but on Black Saturday this leaps up to every eight seconds!
It is worth remembering the RSPCA has fewer than 500 frontline staff for the whole of England and Wales who deal with these calls and investigations (equating to one for every 110,446 people) – and their workload during this time increases dramatically.
This ever-increasing demand for our services has led to us to call for a ‘Home Guard’ of volunteers to help.
We hope this group will be formed by next summer and provide specialist voluntary support to our officers during peak times.
A vigorous selection and training process will begin by the end of this year, and all applicants are expected to have experience of working with animals and have a full clean driving license.
The RSPCA is particularly looking for ex-inspectors, local authority or trading standards employees, police or those who have worked in wildlife or animal centres.
If you would like to help, go to the myrspca section of rspca.org.uk and e-mail us your details with the heading ‘SPECIAL VOLUNTEER’.
Kevin Degenhard, RSPCA chief officer of the inspectorate, Southwater
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