The SSPCA has come in for more criticism after releasing a new animal cruelty campaign leaflet.
A Perthshire parent has slammed the charity for posting out literature with a photograph of a dead dog on it.
The Coupar Angus man, who wished to remain anonymous, contacted The Courier after his daughter was in tears after seeing the Scottish Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals’ leaflet among the early morning mail.
The Coupar Angus parent feels the charity needs to think more about the effect on children.
”I was getting my daughter ready to go to school when she collected the morning mail and came through with it to me in floods of tears,” he said. ”She told me there was a leaflet from the SSPCA with a picture of a dead dog on it.”
He continued: ”I pay the charity £5 per month but feel this is not innovative and a bad public relations exercise. It’s the kind of literature that needs to be curbed as it’s very upsetting for children.
”I really don’t understand why the SSPCA did do it. Getting this kind of literature through your letterbox is not what you want, especially with young children.
”If you see something you don’t like on television you can switch the ‘off’ button. All the SSPCA seem to be doing here is shocking people.”
The SSPCA came in for criticism last August when Andrew Wale, a cognitive scientist from St Andrews, claimed leaflets sent out depicting a dog that had starved to death could be ”disturbing to children”.
However the SSPCA said they did not intend to distress anyone by posting the leaflets and defended the use of the photograph.
Mike Flynn, chief superintendent with the SSPCA, said: ”It is not our intention to cause anyone distress, but sadly this photograph is of a real situation that our inspectors recently dealt with. It is a true reflection of the harsh reality of our work and of the extent of cruelty to animals in Scotland.
”We don’t want to put this sort of mailing out but it’s a sad fact that we have to and in our experience appeals of this nature generate much-needed donations and support.”
He added: ”The Advertising Standards Authority has advised us that our previous mailing of a very similar nature, although hard hitting, was not irresponsible or likely to cause serious or widespread offence in the context of an appeal for an animal welfare charity.
”In particular, we do not wish to upset any children. Indeed, we run a free educational programme available to all primary schools in Scotland and through our visits we are helping the next generation of animal carers to understand why pets and wild creatures should be treated with humanity, kindness and respect.”