Rat Rescue :: Campaigns

Campaign : I'm a Celebrity Get me Outta Here

Update : 16th December 2005

A plea from Rat Lover Juliet Francis re: the appalling treatment of rats on "I'm a celebrity.."

I'm begging EVERYONE to send a complaint about the ITV show "I'm a Celebrity", in Murwillumbah, NSW. Many thanks to those who have already written. In spite of all the protests of previous years, this year's show was the worst yet for the animals. Unfortunately rats were the No.1 phobia for most of the contestants.

Domestic rats with the sexes mixed, were used in at least 8 trials. In 3 of them, they were placed in danger of being injured and trampled on. In another, they were dropped from a box over a lake, 1 fell in, and then tipped into another box, again over the lake, likewise with other animals. The trough of water was used, yet again.

Wo! rst of all, there were some tails presented for the contestants to eat, along with parts of kangaroo and crocodile.

This show goes out all over the world and is presenting a disgusting example of how to treat animals for entertainment. I'm so ashamed, the UK is supposed to be "a nation of animal lovers".

Each complaint just receives the standard reply that an RSPCA NSW inspector is in attendance during the show - well, where's the evidence, I wonder? Jimmy Osmond said he felt like turning vegetarian after his experiences on it.

The RSPCA UK has written to the Australian SPCA, and I've been advised also to contact the NSW office and Animal Liberation, Australia. We have to keep a campaign going until they stop using rats and treat all the other animals appropriately.

Please would everyone find a moment to send a note to the following addresses:

dutyoffice@itv.com
contact@ofcom.org.uk
rspca@rspca-act.org.au
cmunro@rspcansw.org.au
sydneyhq@animal-lib.org.au
cc. to mbeatty@rspcaqld.org.au
(Michael Beatty believes too that animals should not be used in this show)

or:

Duty Office Ofcom Contact Centre
ITV plc Riverside House
Gas St 2a Southwark Bridge Rd
Birmingham London SE1 9HA
B1 2JT

Independent Television Commission
33 Foley St
London W1P 7LB

RSPCA Australia Inc
P O Box 265
Deakin West ACT 2600
Australia

RSPCA New South Wales
P O Box 34
Yagoona NSW 2199
Australia

Previous

ITV have denied any problems with their treatment of the animals previously, so one dreads to think what they have in mind for this time. Ratty lover Juliet Francis has highlighted this and suggests writi! ng to the UK branch of the RSPCA to see if we they can get involved.

She is also writing to the RSPCA NSW by email: spectors@rspcansw.org.au

As these programmes are now a regular fixture, so please encourage people to do the same and do what you can.


Here is a copy of Juliet's letter which she has sent to RSPCA and it will give you an idea of what you could say.

RSPCA:
20 Cambridge St
Tunbridge Wells
TN2 4SJ

Dear People,

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that ITV is just about to film another series of "I'm a Celebrity, get me out of here".

On the last 2 occasions at least, many people complained about the treatment of some of the animals used in the trials, especially the rats. The replies received on each occasion ! were unsatisfactory. Not only were the accusations denied but the treatment of the animals was even worse in the last series. Again they denied any problems with their treatment of the animals and claimed that there were animal specialists on hand for each species.

As a rat owner of nearly 40 years, I think I know what I am looking at where rats are concerned, and more than likely to have had a lot more experience than anyone involved in the programmes.

The rats used last time were all agouti or black domestic Norways, soaked with water to make them look wild and verminous to the ignorant, stressful enough in itself. They were placed inches away from a deadly predator and were falling into the mud beside it. It's very hard to imagine that there were no casualties.

The rats were flushed with water down a shute into tanks of water deep enough to leave them struggling desperately for their lives - the object of the trial being to make them cling to the person in with them.

Then they were picked off and flung by their tails, squeaking in distress, back into the water like garbage.

We were horrified by this unbelievable treatment. A rat should NEVER be lifted by its tail. Its body weight is too great to support this, the tail can become degloved and the spine damaged, not to mention the pain and terror caused.

We were assured that the RSPCA NSW was approached to send a representative if they wished. We don't know if this occurred. Whatever happened, the treatment was disgusting and unacceptable and very distressing to those of us who know the true nature of these animals. It has been commented that if cats or dogs had been treated like this, the programme would have been hounded off the air.

Rats should not be used in trials as they are far too fragile and easily stressed, so we would like to see them removed from the shows altogether.

I would like to know if the Society sent any complaints to the TV company, if so, what reactions they received, and how they would propose to stop the abuse happening again, now that this entertainment is a regular event.