It seems odd that Crystal Kerr received no answer to her multiple queries regarding the status of Missy, when the answer turns out to be a simple one. If Missy truly is placed in a wonderful loving home, as Port Alberni manager Irene Towell claims she is, why did it take so many people other than Crystal asking?

I would love to believe that Missy is in a wonderful home, but I have my doubts. She was shrouded in secrecy for so long that such a sudden, pat answer makes me suspiscious.

I have good reason to be skeptical. All the puppy mill dogs at Kelowna SPCA have been hidden for so long that I have given up even bothering to go down there and look anymore. Why waste the gas money to go look at a bunch of blankets strung up through the chain link? But I guess that's what Russ Forand and Kathy Woodward intended the blankets and keep out signs for - to hide the dogs from anyone who might criticize. How convenient of the SPCA to also ignore the fact that this critic offered numerous times to foster and pay vet bills for any of the puppy mill dogs it thought might have to be euthanized.

I guess I should count myself lucky that so far I've just been kept in the dark about the status of all the puppy mill dogs the SPCA seized because of my investigations. At least I haven't been brushed off with glib answers.

Crystal, I really do want to believe that Missy is in a wonderful home. But the BC SPCA's track record with regards to honesty is not good. So let's just try to believe that Irene Towell is an honest person. It's not easy.

Jennifer Dickson
Okanagan Animal Welfare Foundation
Vernon BC