General Chat

My friend has 3 staffs and a very old Labrador was really upset today, she had been dropping her 23 year old son to work when her 12 year old phoned her very upset telling her to come home as the RSPCA were at the house about the dogs, she got home as fast as she could and found a RSPCA officer in her garden and a BBC film crew in her garage where the staffs were. The RSPCA officer told her that they had been informed that her dogs were being mistreated she was asked her to sign a form allowing her access to come in to her garden she had no problems with this and signed, but did say that the film crew were to leave immediately, she said that the guy filming told her very nastily that they could film where they wanted to with the RSPCA and she couldn't stop them, all the dogs were shown to the RSPCA officer and she agreed that it had been a malicious call and the dogs were well cared for, all this time the camera crew continued filming. She was then told that she could still be shown on the TV program, she told them that she wouldn't agree to this and was then told they didn't need her permission to show it and they wouldn't even show her what could be on TV. She is naturally really upset and doesnt know what to do the film crew even filmed her young son and daughter and she definitely doesn't want them shown on television, I know that the RSPCA do a really good job and some people are cruel to animals but I do think its wrong when an innocent person gets treated like a criminal.

Pam

I think she needs to contact the BBC and make it clear that they are not to show her children. However, if they found nothing wrong then showing this on the programme will make it clear that sometimes the RSPCA are called out maliciously. They can't show her in a bad light if she was not proved to have done anything wrong. On the other hand she could ask the advice of a solicitor.

If the film crew were on private property without permission they are guilty of trespass.... if however they were filming from outside, eg on pavement, I don't think there is much that can be done. The safety of the children is compromised if they are shown though and that should stop them showing that part at least.

Get on to BBC complaints

http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/handle.shtml

and

OFCOM

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Thanks will be telling her l what you have said.
The BBC were in her garden and had actually entered her garage and filmed by the time she had got back home, it seems the 12 year old had told them they staffs in the garage and the BBC had just gone in there, wonder what would have happened if they were not in their cages but running loose and he had been attacked . She did say that the BBC guy was quite nasty and intimidating.
Will let you know what happens

Pam

I don't think I would be very happy if that happened to me, it means all the world can see where she keeps her dogs and the layout of her home at the front, so making her vulnerable to dog theft and more.
I would tell her to see a Solicitor immediately for advice and also speak to the police, as if they weren't with the rspca at the time, I don't think they should have gone in uninvited or on the word of a 12 yr old. It also doesn't look very good that she left a 12 yr old alone at the property, who obviously answered the door to these people.

Lizx

Is a 12 year old legally competent to allow entry to a private property?
If not it's still trespass.

My thoughts too Brian.


Lizx

Just looking in ;))

Re the 12 year old being at home alone: here is a link to government advice:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Yourchildshealthandsafety/Yourchildssafetyinthehome/DG_070594

Any further news Pam, has your friend been able to put a stop to this being shown?

Lizx

Just wondering that myself Purple.