Dog Desk Animal Action Zero Tolerance Policy
1. Introduction
Dog Desk Animal Action CIC (“the organisation”) is a social enterprise operating through a physical office, public events, and online platforms. The organisation is led by three directors.
This Zero Tolerance Policy exists to protect the organisation & its directors from abuse, harassment, intimidation, discrimination, and any conduct that undermines their safety, wellbeing, or ability to carry out animal welfare work.
This policy applies to all interactions with the organisation, including in person, online, and via electronic communication.
2. Zero Tolerance Standard
The organisation operates a strict zero tolerance approach.
Any breach of this policy will result in immediate action, including blocking, withdrawal of support, and legal escalation where appropriate.
There are no warnings.
3. Unacceptable Behaviour
The following behaviours are considered unacceptable and will not be tolerated:
Abuse, Threats, and Intimidation
- Displays of violent temper
- Hostile, aggressive, or intimidating behaviour
- Threats of any kind, including threats of death or bodily harm
- Raised voices intended to intimidate
- Brandishing objects that could be used as weapons
- Stalking or repeated unwanted contact
- Harassment via electronic devices or online platforms
Verbal Abuse and Harassment
- Swearing directed at individuals
- Name-calling or personal attacks
- Insults relating to age, appearance, or personal characteristics
- Sexual slurs or sexually abusive language
- Malicious allegations, whether direct or implied
- False, misleading, or defamatory statements about the organisation
Discrimination, Hate, and Prejudice
- Racist, misogynistic, ageist, or discriminatory remarks of any kind
- Hate speech or exclusion based on race, nationality, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, or other protected characteristics
- Coded language, dog-whistles, or implied prejudice
- Attempts to normalise or minimise discriminatory harm, whether explicit or subtle
Political and Inflammatory Commentary
- Insults or inflammatory remarks aimed at the President of Turkey, the Turkish Government, or associated officials
Undermining the Organisation or Community
- Comments that belittle or undermine the organisation’s work or progress
- Publicly undermining animal welfare efforts or acting in bad faith
- Framing questions on social media with hostility or aggression rather than genuine intent
- Such comments will not be answered and will result in immediate blocking
This list is not exhaustive.
Any behaviour that causes distress, fear, or harm to a director will be treated as a breach of this policy.
4. Trolling and Harassment of Veterinary Staff
Dog Desk Animal Action operates a strict zero-tolerance policy toward any form of trolling, harassment, intimidation, or abusive conduct directed at our veterinary professionals, technicians, and clinical partners.
Veterinary staff work under extreme emotional, physical, and ethical pressure while delivering life-saving care to vulnerable animals. Any attempt to undermine, provoke, defame, or publicly attack them whether through social media, email, messaging platforms, comment sections, or in person will not be tolerated.
Trolling is defined to include, but is not limited to:
- Deliberate provocation or inflammatory comments intended to distress or discredit staff
- Spreading misinformation about diagnoses, treatments, or clinical decisions
- Personal attacks, mockery, threats, or coordinated harassment campaigns
- Bad-faith questioning designed to disrupt operations or incite public hostility
Such behavior compromises animal welfare, damages mental health, and obstructs professional medical judgment. It will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
Dog Desk Animal Action reserves the right to:
- Immediately remove abusive content from its platforms
- Block or ban individuals engaging in trolling or harassment
- Report serious cases to platform moderators, professional regulatory bodies, and, where appropriate, law enforcement
- Pursue legal action in cases involving defamation, threats, or sustained harassment
Constructive questions and good-faith dialogue are welcome. Abuse, intimidation, and bad-faith interference with veterinary care are not. Our veterinary teams must be able to operate in a safe, respectful, and professionally protected environment at all times.
5. Explainer: Coded Language and Dog-Whistles
Coded language and dog-whistles are ways of expressing prejudice indirectly, often to avoid accountability.
Coded language uses words or phrases that appear neutral on the surface but are commonly used to imply exclusion, inferiority, or blame toward certain groups. The meaning may not be obvious to everyone, but it is clearly understood by those familiar with its use.
Dog-whistles are deliberate signals aimed at a specific audience. Like a real dog whistle, they are designed so some people hear the message clearly while others do not. They are often used to test boundaries, signal alignment with discriminatory views, or introduce harmful ideas while maintaining plausible deniability.
This includes, but is not limited to:
- Language that frames discrimination as “concern,” “standards,” “values,” or “common sense”
- Indirect references that promote exclusion, hierarchy, or dehumanisation
- Statements later minimised or denied when challenged (e.g. “that’s not what I meant”)
Even when expressed indirectly, the impact is the same as explicit discrimination.
Dog Desk Animal Action treats coded language and dog-whistles as breaches of this policy. Intent does not need to be proven; impact and effect are sufficient.
6. Accuracy and Legal Position
- Comments or statements that are untrue will not be accepted
- False statements, malicious allegations, or defamatory content may be referred to the organisation’s legal representatives at the directors’ discretion
7. Enforcement
- There are no warnings
- Breaches will result in immediate blocking or removal from all communication channels
- Decisions are final and will not be debated publicly
The organisation reserves the right to permanently block individuals across social media, email, messaging platforms, and the website.
8. Reporting, Investigation, and Escalation
- All reported breaches of this policy will be investigated
- Where physical injury, threats to safety, or stalking occur, the police will be contacted
- Harassment, malicious allegations, and online abuse may be referred to the organisation’s solicitor and legal action pursued
9. Withdrawal of Support
Where individuals, organisations, or institutions supported by Dog Desk Animal Action breach this policy, support will be withdrawn immediately without notice.
10. Incel-Linked and Extremist Behaviour
We operate a zero-tolerance policy toward behaviour associated with misogynistic, dehumanising, or extremist ideologies, including but not limited to conduct commonly linked to incel subcultures.
This includes any behaviour that:
- Promotes or normalises hatred, contempt, or dehumanisation of women, girls, or marginalised groups
- Celebrates, minimises, or mocks violence, suffering, or harm toward animals or people
- Uses animal suffering as provocation, entertainment, intimidation, or harassment
- Frames empathy, care work, or safeguarding as weakness, pathology, or moral failure
- Engages in persistent trolling, harassment, or distress-seeking behaviour, particularly in response to animal welfare content
- Shares, references, or alludes to extremist rhetoric, memes, or narratives that justify cruelty, domination, or punishment of the vulnerable
Such behaviour will be treated as a safeguarding concern, not a difference of opinion.
Enforcement
Any individual engaging in the above conduct may face, without warning:
- Immediate removal from online spaces, projects, or events
- Termination of volunteer, supporter, or partner status
- Blocking and reporting to relevant platforms
- Escalation to safeguarding, legal, or law-enforcement bodies where appropriate
Intent, irony, or claims of “joking,” “debate,” or “free speech” will not override the impact of harm caused.
Rationale
Animal welfare spaces exist to protect the vulnerable and to support those engaged in care and rescue work.
Ideologies or behaviours that undermine empathy, glorify cruelty, or target caregivers are fundamentally incompatible with our mission and values.
This policy exists to protect people so they can protect animals.
Respectful, constructive engagement is welcome.
Abuse, hostility, discrimination, or division is not.
This policy is firm, non-negotiable, and enforced.