Free the Animals of Westlea Animal Prison

What is the camp supposed to achieve? Is it to get the dogs rehomed? How will a camp do this? Last year WARN accused Swindon and District Animal Shelter of something similar. At the time they said they had homes for all the animals there. Surprise, surprise none of the animals were rehomed by WARN. I bet the animals won't be rehomed this time either

Looks like a publicity campaign to me to get more donations. WARN seem to be in it more for the money/publicity than the animals.

The camp achieved what it set out to do, it alerted the public to the atrocity that is Westlea Animal Rescue. Throughout the weekend I joined WARN in demonstrations, there was a massive show of public support as the banner alerted members of the public to the reason everybody was there. There was numerous supporters stopping by, saying how they were appalled to see the expose and find out what a 'sanctuary' like that does.

As the sanctuary is now closing down and the animals will be rehomed to caring compassionate people surely this camp did what it set out to do.

Time and time again I am completely bewildered by the number of people continuing to criticise other attempts at making a difference, surely if you spent less time in your computer chair and more time maybe joining us you could see the difference actions like this make and the continued effort of activists to try and close places of animal abuse.

So you can give your opinion as often as you like criticising efforts of other activists, but please feel free to leave a comment with your compelling idea to save these defenceless animals, i'd be glad to hear it.

Or maybe next time leave your badge number and force?

Yours sincerely
ACAB

I'm thinking of coming to the camp either tomorrow or later this week. Will the camp still be there? How long is it likely to go on for? Is there going to be a protest at 11 or just a meeting? I'll be travelling from North Wales so would be useful to know I won't be wasting my time

K x

The camp is over for now, we had a meeting with the owners which amounted to nothing, we will be announcing further actions via our website very soon.

Thanks for the support.

Chris

I know it's very tempting to believe everything you see on TV, and the BBC certainly cooked up a good witch-hunt here. But the fact is, though the accounts weren't properly kept for Westlea and their resources were overstretched so maybe they didn't give some of their cats and dogs the full attention and space they needed (though the cages for cats and pens for dogs were only used occasionally), the elderly couple who ran Westlea had the very best intentions. Their priority, above all else, was to look after stricken and abandoned animals, and they have rehomed hundreds over the years. Talk to local ALF and hunt sabs and they will tell you they used to work with the very people this misguided WARN group is opposing.

Yes, Westlea took on too much and there were personality clashes between the owners and certain volunteers, and the RSPCA did order improvements (which were completed to the inspector's satisfaction). But overall animal rights activists should celebrate the 99.9% of good work Westlea has done over the years. For a bunch of sloganeering campers to insist they take the couple's remaining animals (which all seemed in very good health and happy when I visited the other day) and rehome them is preposterous. In fact, they've got a cheek.

Sometimes I wish the energy these people expend on badly thought-out animal rights campaigns could be used in a better way - maybe fighting for human rights rather than bullying a couple in their 70s who have dedicated their lives to HELPING animals. Fuck the BBC for distorting the truth and fuck these ignorant protesters from Gloucester. And yes, I have done my research, unlike you putting up 'animal prison' signs. The place is the opposite of that, I can assure you.

lets assume that the BBC documentary is bullshit, we at WARN have spoken to no less than six of your previous members of staff about the conditions at Westlea. We know that documentaries can be slanted, we were after all the people who told the BBC of the problems we had heard about at Westlea.

We have never denied that Westlea has done good work in the past however the stories coming out of that place are impossible to ignore, you have been exposed to the delight of those who know your true motives for being a "rescue centre".

You are obviously a friend or family of Stella and George and I have one thing to say to you.

IF YOU CARE ABOUT THE ANIMALS WHY WILL YOU NOT LET US TAKE THEM TO THE HOMES WE HAVE WAITING FOR THEM. IF THE ANIMAL WELFARE IS SO IMPORTANT WHY DO YOU DENY THESE ANIMALS A NEW LIFE?

We phoned your "rescue" whilst the investigation was taking place, we know that Stella wont let animals be re-homed because of absurd reasons such as the dogs are too old or that animal has incontinence or even "that dog is not being rehomed in Cinderford" << !.

Greyhound Rescue offered a home to Billie the greyhound years ago and he still remains in a cage until you decide its time for a walk which seems to be never.

FREE THE ANIMALS OF WESTLEA ANIMAL PRISON.

You people have lost the plot, you are putting petty bullshit and your own emotions before the lives of the animals at Westlea, let them go to the homes we have waiting for them!

Chris

"IF YOU CARE ABOUT THE ANIMALS WHY WILL YOU NOT LET US TAKE THEM TO THE HOMES WE HAVE WAITING FOR THEM."

Maybe they consider the animals their responsibility so require to home check the new homes. I've worked in rescue centres before and you can't just let anyone take the animals.

There are many animals that need re-homing, I'm wondering if all these people are willing to re-home why some of them don't adopt a retired greyhound. As a volunteer in an animal shelter I'm surprised there are that many people in contact with a small regional group that have the ability to rehome. I'm worried that the plan is to transfer them to another already overstretched rescue centre.

We have permanent homes ready and all homes will be checked by experienced sanctuary and rescue workers.

The one thing we never wanted to do was to take animals to other rescues, please do give us some credit did you honestly think we would take these animals to just any place?

Thanks

Chris

Chris, I know you have good intentions but I think you are either avoiding the truth - that this protest is unwarranted so it means you have egg on your face. Or are you just relying on a bit of blurry footage and a sensationalist BBC report without bothering to investigate what the reality is?

The animals don't live in cages, so your claim of animal prison is ridiculous - the dogs have a big grassy area to run around, while the horses, sheep etc have more than enough space in fields. There are large pens in the house for the dogs, but isn't that more for the dogs' comfort and safety, as well as visitors? One shown in the BBC documentary was in a mess, but Stella and George did say some of the elderly dogs are incontinent (though you don't believe her despite having no evidence to the contrary). A farrier comes every six weeks and vet checks are done regularly. While at one time the place might have been overcrowded, now they have loads of space to roam and get all the attention they need. The dogs they have are really old, while some of the horses and other animals aren't rescued anyway. Have you talked to animal rights people in the Ross area? I should imagine they are on Stella's side as they know well the good work she has done over the years.

I would have thought factory farms, blood sports and vivisectors would be more worthy targets - for fuck's sake, this couple are in their 70s and yes the animals are their pets and are treated like their pets. Or are you against people keeping animals altogether? I doubt whether the homes you have found will be any better than the one they have now.

And no, I'm not a personal friend of Westlea, I just am one of the many who knows of their work and that this is a slander. As for getting loads of public support - when you put a sign up saying 'animal prison' and no one knows otherwise, of course you're going to get people giving your cause the thumbs up. The fact is, your cause is a lie and you're too blinkered and ignorant of the real situation, you'd rather trust the mainstream media's account of events and a few people with axes to grind (let's face it, whatever good things she's done for animals, Stella is not a 'people person' and prone to falling out with volunteers).

As for this idea that she was hoarding animals while the centre was open (like I said before, the animals she has now are pets not ones that need rehoming), she was very choosy about them going to suitable places and insisted on vetting each place herself. Maybe she was too choosy, maybe she didn't try hard enough to rehome them, but on the balance of it all, she should be applauded for what she has done in the past 20+ years, not victimised.

You seem to know so much about Westlea and Stella and George for someone who is not a "friend of Westlea" as for us doing our research. The BBC investigated Westlea based on information WE passed on to them.

"are you just relying on a bit of blurry footage and a sensationalist BBC report without bothering to investigate what the reality is?"

I HAVE PERSONALLY SEEN THE ANIMALS IN CAGES PACING.

"for fuck's sake, this couple are in their 70s and yes the animals are their pets and are treated like their pets."

WE KNOW THIS IS NOT TRUE. AT REGARDLESS OF AGE STELLA AND GEORGE SHOULD BE REHOMING THESE ANIMALS.

Why do you feel I should be answering your questions? This seems to be a obvious diversionary tactic to take the heat off of Westlea and cloud the real issues of animal re-homing.

"The BBC investigated Westlea based on information WE passed on to them."

The Animal Rights community can do without grasses.