OP, im sorry you had a bad experience with your branch, but please don't tar all RSPCA branches with the same brush.
RSPCA branches don't recieve any funding at all from HQ. The Inspectors work for HQ, they are paid, so when you see an advert and people call and donate, the money is being used for things like paying Inspectors. Inspectors have nothing at all to do with the branches, when we take an animal from an Inspector, the animal gets signed over from the Inspector (HQ) to the branch. All money we spend at our branch is raised by us in branch - we have no paid members of staff, we are all volunteers. I spend 12 hours some days doing admin work/answering phones/keeping in touch with fosterers/fetching animals that need our help/vets trips the list is endless. Im the first port of call at our branch and yes sometimes it might take me 3/4 days to return a call but i try my best. If i don't return a call within a few hours and someone isn't happy, they then go slating the 'RSPCA' and not just our branch.
The thing is, yes the RSPCA do get alot of flack, but we have more people who support us than who don't. People generally have the problems with HQ, but the branches suffer.
Why do i do it? because i love animals, because i want to give something back. Unless you are involved in the RSPCA im not sure how you can give an opinion, go and volunteer at a branch for a week and come back and give your opinion - i'd love a week off