Posted on 18/8/2003 at 01:52:50 PM by k9_fe_
Here are a few things I feel the BCSPCA could have promoted with these ads:
Responsible pet ownership - “The 7 essentials of responsible pet care. Food, water, shelter exercise, health care, grooming, friendship.“ (BCSPCA website)
Dog Bite Safety – “every year, an estimated 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs, ranging from minor nips to major attacks.” Utilizing TV ads to promote safety around dogs may help to prevent injuries and life-long trauma. (The Humane Society of the United States website)
The Five Freedoms - “1. freedom from hunger and thirst; 2. freedom from pain, injury, and disease; 3. freedom from distress; 4. freedom from discomfort; 5. freedom to express behaviours that promote well-being. “(BCSPCA website)
Exotic Animals “The exotic pet trade implies a misleading message about wild animals. By treating animals as commodities we teach children that animals can be removed from their natural, biological communities. Nurture an attitude of respect for wild creatures and their natural habitats. By insisting that animals be left in the wild, the demand for exotic pets will end.“ (BCSPCA website)
Pets in rental housing “Only 5% of rental suites or condominiums officially allow dogs, with approximately 9% allowing cats.“ - “About 12% of the animals in our BC SPCA shelters (approximately 5,000 animals) are there because their guardians were unable to find housing that allowed pets. Countless individuals, families, seniors and people with disabilities are denied the opportunity to care for a companion animal, or are forced to give up their pet to an SPCA shelter.“ (BCSPCA website)
The link between human violence and animal cruelty “Violence rarely occurs in isolation. Beginning with a 1983 study of 57 New Jersey families in treatment for child abuse, in which 88% were found to also have abused animals, evidence points to a strong link between the two. Another key study, published in 1986 by Kellert and Felthous, found that during childhood, a high proportion of violent criminals abused animals. They concluded: "Aggression among adult criminals may be strongly correlated with a history of family abuse and childhood cruelty to animals. . .this should alert researchers, clinicians, and societal leaders to the importance of childhood animal cruelty as a potential indicator of disturbed family relationships and future antisocial and aggressive behaviour." “ (BCSPCA website)
The importance of pet ID “According to statistics gathered by the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies - “Less than 5% of cats without ID that end up in shelters are claimed by their guardians. Only 30% of the dogs without ID that end up in shelters are claimed by their guardians. 95% of animals with visible identification are reunited with their guardians.” (BCSPCA website)
Controlling the pet overpopulation problem “Pet overpopulation is still a serious problem in British Columbia. Thousands of animals are surrendered to animal shelters every year. This is a community problem that you can help solve. “ – “Pet overpopulation is the #1 issue facing humane organizations.” (BCSPCA website)
COMMENT: Instead of choosing one of the above topics, most of which are on the BCSPCA’s website, the BCSPCA chose to promote adopting an animal from the SPCA.
The BCSPCA makes money from adoptions.
On June 28, 2003 the BCSPCA’s board of directors approved “the expenditure of up to $15,000 for transfer of the television ads to large-scale format for use in theatres,” and they’ll probably make up the $15,000 and then some as a result of this adoption promotion.
While this adoption promotion may provide a temporary fix to reducing the numbers of animals in currently overcrowded shelters, in my opinion it’s only a short-term solution. An effective spay/neuter campaign including hard hitting facts about the daily plight of homeless & abandoned animals would have been much more effective IMO.
The BCSPCA makes money from adoptions.
Has it come to the point where “SPCA” really stands for Store for Pets Cash Accepted”?