Wigan Album
Frog Lane, Wigan
10 Comments
Photo: Cyril
Item #: 34042
scan of news article in Liverpool Echo January 13th 1978 about it.
It isn't very clear but it reads, The RSPCA is to mount an eight day picket at a council's animal destruction centre, which they are demanding should be closed. The aim is to prevent any animals being taken into the building at Frog Lane Wigan. A spokesman said "we shall offer to put the animals down humanely by injection." The row follows an investigation by two branch members Mr. Bill Stubbs and Mr. Derek Wilkinson - who did not disclose their identities or the reason for their visit at the time. In a report which appalled fellow members they claimed that a hammer, which they were shown - was sometimes used to subdue animals to "finish them off," bodies were left in an old and filthy lavatory, a cat was found badly decomposed and one dog had head wounds, apparently inflicted by the hammer. The probe was a follow up to unsubstantiated complaints that the electrocution machine at the centre was defective. One report was of a dog escaping and returning to its former owners badly burned and terrified. Yesterday, Wigan Metropolitan council refused the demand to close the centre, saying that the RSPCA at regional level had previously asked that it remain in operation while discussions took place on its future. Mr. Alan Hart the council's chief executive said the equipment was regularly serviced and was completely overhauled about 12-18 months ago. He said " the operator had only this week asked for a muzzle for the dogs and one was provided. Any use of a hammer is totally unauthorised. The allegations are being investigated, but management have not known of any use of a hammer. The operative has now been instructed that he is under no circumstances to use one." The local branch of the RSPCA has sent a copy of the report to local M.P. Mr. Alan Fitch. The society is offering to board unwanted pets - and pay for a vet to put down those not suitable for a new home. Said Mr. Stubbs: " the sooner that place is closed down the better."
Thankfully it did close.
News clip courtesy of the British Newspaper Archive.
Unbelievable cruelty to animals happening on our doorsteps and not that long ago. As a child you were led to believe dogs and cats were “put to sleep” a very innocuous term for a child to take in. Where was the RSPCA when this was going on? Or was it non existent at the time.
This is where my dog ended up cyril.
Vague recollections of this taking place. The council at the time were providing a service for which there was obviously a demand, and one has to wonder, if they didn't provide this service how else would owners euthanise their animals and dispose of the bodies. Interestingly it would appear the RSPCA wanted it to remain open, at least short term which suggests they could see a need. Not sure I would want my animal's demise put in the hands of the council but it would seem at the time others were happy to do this.
Veronica, the local branch of the RSPCA was in existence, but it was a board of trustees and members only i.e. there was no local inspector with the authority of the RSPCA headquarters behind him or her, if they wanted an inspector in Wigan they would have had to find the funds to provide one which they just didn't have at that time, thankfully a lot different now. As it says the unit was inspected by someone from the national RSPCA who would have told of their arrival, so not surprisingly they found everything okay. Wigan members stood up to make aware of what exactly was happening there and was advantageous in its closure.
I have watched some dogs go through the process of electrocution there and it was quick, but the procedure by a Vet using pentobarbital is humane and preferable. It was also sad to realise that the majority of dogs taken there was because they had somehow become unwanted. Fortunately there are now shelters for unwanted dogs that try to find suitable new homes for them to go to, and if dogs and cats are ill there are Vets available at the envisioned and opened in 2010 RSPCA centre in Wigan, to treat them and importantly to help with neutering so preventing unwanted litters.
MikeW the council did a good job of burning my mother and dad, they even scattered their ashes for us.
Mike, maybe there was a need for it when the alternative was being thrown in the river Douglas or the canal tied to a weight. Even with the now seemingly low charge of 9d by the council for the euthanasia service there was dogs/pups and cats/kittens still seen in the canal .
As mentioned I did observe some electrocutions which were quick, but three were young passive dogs and two elderly ill looking dogs which couldn't have got out of hand, these were led into the chamber which had water on the bottom and a copper collar was put around the dogs neck and water poured on it, but it would have been very different with unmanageable dogs.(see document page 9 in link there was no third electrode put on dogs rear leg)
On reading through the document (see link below) it says that electrocution is not a method for a vicious, intractable dog, and goes on to say that 'Where a veterinarian is available and the numbers of dogs to be killed are not high, the intravenous injection of sodium pentobarbital is the technique which comes nearest to the ideal of euthanasia.'
Euthanasia of Dogs and Cats: An Analysis of Experience.
https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1024&context=ebooks
It must be different going to the Vet as when a dog is suffering with an incurable illness they are put to sleep in a humane way. I have a friend who stayed with her dog when that happened. Heartbreaking but peaceful for the dog. I would not have liked to see a dog die by electrocution it must have been an awful method.
Veronica, when done by a vet it really is a calm and peaceful way for an animal to go, they just drift off. Our last two dogs were PTS at home and we thought it was really worthwhile paying extra for them to go among their familiar surroundings rather than at the vets surgery.
That it a lot better and different Cyril. I don’t blame you. What they did in previous times was nothing short of execution of those animals. I have never owned a dog but the grandchildren have a cockapoo and I have become attached to it, so it doesn’t bear thinking of animals being hurt in anyway.
Unfortunately my mother no longer wanted our young collie dog ( have to point out my mum suffered with mental illness) on my way to school mains high I had to take the dog to be put to sleep I have to say I was only 13 anyway the guy put the dog in a white metal box thing with just 3 sides open at the top with water in the bottom he then asked me to leave , that memory has never left me ! I still get upset at 65 years old was lovely dog patch , I still ask for forgiveness