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The boss of an animal haven has condemned animal rights' activists for putting out a misleading video - though it has led to a warning from the RSPCA.

The activists filmed at the haven in Wootton Bassett, and described it as a "filthy, cramped hellhole".

But Swindon And District Animal Haven boss John Warwick has hit back, saying the video is "cobblers".

"This video doesn't paint a good picture," he said.

"But that is the way it has been edited.

"If there had been other angles you would have seen other, good, things that we do for the animals."

The footage was filmed in November and apparently shows cows and pigs kept out in the cold, a dog kept in a kennel where there was urine on the floor, geese kept in wire cages and cats kept in cages in a caravan.

During the video it is also claimed animals go without adequate food and water.

After being handed the footage the RSPCA investigated the Wootton Bassett sanctuary and has said it is not taking legal action. But inspectors have given Mr Warwick a verbal warning and advice on the conditions.

Gloucestershire Animal Action and the Western Animal Rights Network made the film after a volunteer raised concerns.

In a statement the groups describe conditions at the animal haven as filthy and cramped.

They called for members of the public to join their campaign to have the sanctuary closed down permanently and allow activists to remove and re-home the animals currently being kept there.

Mr Warwick said: "We are messy here. We know we are.

"But we aren't run on a multi-million pound budget.

"The RSPCA has checked all of our animals and they're fine.

"The telling off that we got was for misdemeanours.

"We do nothing but care for animals here. We have no harmful notions in our heads.

"Locally I think people understand us and know us.

"Everything in the video is exaggerated if not cobblers.

"The only way I can get redress is to make my own video."

An RSPCA spokeswoman said: "Our investigation into matters at the Haven continues.

"If people have specific concerns about animal welfare they should report them to us because we do rely on the public to be our eyes and ears."

Video paints false picture, says owner

JOHN Warwick only saw the animal activists' video on Monday.

But he told the Advertiser the way the video was edited made things look worse then they were.

"The video filmed the geese in their pen," he said.

"In front of the geese pen is a pond and sometimes the pond overflows and water comes into the front of the pen.

"But the back of the pen is a higher area. There it is dry. There is straw there. And there is space for the geese.

"The next thing to look at is the dogs. If the dogs have been in there all night and they aren't house trained there will be urine.

"But if they were so mistreated why is there no poo? If there had been mess in there the dog would have trodden in it and it would have been all over the area. But there isn't any.

"The dead pigeon that was filmed was simply the remains of a kestrel's dinner. Birds of prey eat pigeons.

"When those doing the filming go into the caravan with the cats in it they say there's a sign about look out for a seagull and that it would distress both cats and birds if they were in the same space.

"When we got the caravan we gutted it and used it as an animal feed store.

"We then collected a seagull that was injured and we put it in the shed, which we marked up, until its wing was better, when we released it.

"After that we got 23 cats from one house in Swindon, so we turned the caravan into a cattery.

"Anyone who wants to is more than welcome to see how they are now." He said there were now heaters in the dogs' area and the makeshift cattery.

"They also have photographs of our pigs," he said. "But we have 20 acres of ground for the pigs to go over. During the winter they come into a shed which is a concrete barn bigger than a stable.

"It so happens that the filming happened on a day when the cows were outside because they were given a TB test the following day.

"They were given a clean bill of health that day - but that's why they were out.

"This video is malicious. Why this has been done is a mystery to me. I can't understand it.

"I would say to these people come down and have a look, see how we really are.

"As far as we're concerned we work for animals - that's all we're interested in."