Interview with an RSPCA Inspector – Part 1

We recently caught up with Harriett Daliday who took some time out from her very busy schedule saving animals in need to answer a few questions.

Thank you for taking the time to speak with us Harriet. Please tell us a bit about where you are based.

I am an Inspector for the RSPCA and am based in the London South Group whose head office is based at RSPCA Leybourne Animal Centre in Kent. 

I have worked as an Inspector since October 2019. The area I cover includes Central London and extends from Dartford, around the crossing, over to the River Thames at Woolwich, all the way down this side of the Thames towards Epsom, then across covering the likes of Bromley, Swanley, Sutton, Mitcham & Croydon.

Wow, that’s a large area Harriet! So, how did you come to work for the RSPCA?

I have wanted to work for the RSPCA since I was a child and used to watch programmes on TV about them. At the time I left school there was an age restriction on becoming an inspector so I put it on the back burner for many years before seeing an advert recruiting in 2019 and thought bingo!

Prior to becoming an inspector I worked as an Animal Welfare Officer for a local authority and as an Enforcement Agent in SE London.

Great that you persevered with your ambitions. What qualifications did you need to become an RSPCA inspector?

There are no specific qualifications needed for the role as you are trained within the role and take your exams at training school, however people skills are key and a love of animals is a must!

What sorts of activities do you undertake in your role?

There are not what you would term as typical jobs for me but responsibilities can range from rescuing a trapped or injured fox or pigeon to getting a domestic animal seized by the police and starting an investigation into animal neglect. 

Can you tell us about any particular memorable cases that you have dealt with in recent times?

One of my most memorable cases would be from the summer of 2020 that finally went to court in June 2021.

It was regarding a cat that was shot with an air rifle. The owner of the cat had previously had conversations with a neighbour and had received some emails of a threatening manner regarding her cat entering his garden.

The cat was rushed to the vet in June 2020 where a gun pellet was extracted from its abdomen. Unfortunately despite the vet’s best efforts the cat died after surgery from her wounds.

The owner then called us for help. I was able to get an air rifle seized from the neighbour in question and got a ballistics report run on the rifle, the spent pellet found in the cat and unspent pellets found with the gun. It came back as a match.

I also managed to obtain witness statements and Ring doorbell footage to help with further evidence regarding the awful incident. The case went to court and the neighbour pled guilty to having deliberately caused the cat to suffer unnecessarily under section 4 of The Animal Welfare Act 2006.

He received a 16 week suspended custodial sentence, a ban on keeping animals for life, and was ordered to pay the owner the £2,036 vet bill she incurred and £728 in further costs. The owner was thrilled to have justice to what happened to her beloved pet and to ensure this wouldn’t happen to another local cat. 

A tragic story and a great example of how the RSPCA is determined to stamp out cruelty and neglect perpetrated on any animal.

It is only through the generosity of our supporters that Harriet and her colleagues can continue to be there for the animals that need urgent help.

If you are able to contribute towards animal welfare in South London please click on this LINK.

Look out for part 2 of our interview coming soon and make sure you subscribe to the website to stay in touch and to make sure you do not miss any articles in the future.