RSPCA apologies for dead fox incident at Semaphore South at the weekend

THE RSPCA has admitted one of its staff did not treat a fox with “dignity and respect” when it was shot and left on the side of a bike path on Saturday.
Scott McGuinness was walking his dog on Saturday night near the Semaphore Surf Life Saving Club in Semaphore Park when he found a fox which had become stuck and injured itself while trying to get through a fence.
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Mr McGuinness said he called the RSPCA and an inspector came about an hour later, removed the fox, shot it and threw it in a bush.
He said a pool of blood from the animal was left on the path.
Mr McGuinness said he was concerned leaving the fox next to the path would attract other animals which could get sick from it.
“(The inspector) said to me it could be diseased but he didn’t dispose of the carcass properly,” Mr Guinness said.
“The blood was left there – there was no clean-up or anything like that.”
RSPCA South Australia chief executive officer Tim Vasudeva said the organisation had investigated the matter and apologised for the scene witnessed by Mr McGuinness.
“It is our protocol that all animals should be treated with dignity and respect, no matter whether they are alive or deceased,” Mr Vasudeva said.
“That didn’t happen on this occasion.”
He said inspectors where possible returned the bodies to the RSPCA, where the animal’s body was destroyed.
However Mr Vasudeva said on this occasion it was placed near where it died, on a sand dune.
He said the inspector had been spoken to about RSPCA guidelines but would not face disciplinary action.