The BBC has broadcast an investigation in which the RSPCA is accused of various acts of inappropriate and uncharitable behaviour towards a veterinary surgeon, a barrister, an aged pet owner and the owners of an animal sanctuary.

The accusations were broadcast on BBC Radio 4's Face the Facts, and included:

• The case of a vulnerable 68-year-old woman called Georgina Langley who was forced to sit outside in her nightie whilst her home was raided by RSPCA inspectors. Her 13 rescued cats were removed by the charity, and five of them put down. The charity laid 13 charges against her. Her vet, David Smith, was 'aghast' when he heard what had happened. He demanded to see the animals, and even sent two for a post mortem at the Royal Veterinary College.  The post mortem apparently demonstrated that the RSPCA's charges against Mrs Langley were entirely false. 
• Colin Vogel, a veterinary surgeon from Norfolk, said he had been at the receiving end of a smear campaign by the charity after he had appeared as a defence expert in a number of cases brought by the RSPCA. His accusations appear to be borne out by incriminating emails written by the charity in which it talks about trying to discredit Mr Vogel.
• Bridget and Fred Brimley, who run an animal sanctuary, were visited by the charity and advised to change to a branded wormer and fix a bit of fence. When the RSPCA returned for a follow-up visit, the couple were told that if they did not hand over half their dogs and 3 of their ponies, the charity would 'storm in and remove them mob-handed'. It was agreed that there would be further discussions, but before they had taken place, the RSPCA raided with so many inspectors that the local lawyer who attended could not count them all. Not to mention two van loads of police. According to the lawyer, the charity attempted to remove all the animals, including two pets which the charity 'admitted there and then that there were no welfare issues with'. The animal sanctuary's reputation was destroyed by the raid, which was reported in a national newspaper. Months later, after the charity still had not pressed any charges, the lawyer investigated further, discovering that the raid was carried out on the basis of an entirely fabricated accusation about a fictitious cat.  
• A defence barrister who said he was 'hounded' by the charity after he successfully defended a large number of cases. 

Responding to the accusations, RSPCA's Chief Executive Gavin Grant sounded by turns arrogant and defiant, dismissing accusations of harassment of vets and barristers as 'a nonsense' and saying that the idea that the police/CPS should take over prosecutions (as happens in Scotland) is 'fanciful'. When the interviewer suggested that the charity was losing its reputation as a 'helpful' organisation and becoming known as 'heavy-handed', Mr Grant seemed unapologetic, deflecting the question by talking about the values of those that founded the charity.

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