As published in the Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows News: October 15th, 2003

Editor, The News:
Re: SPCA has two competitors for services (Oct. 8).
As a former Animal Services Review Committee member who spent 18 months working with a team of devoted community participants to develop a comprehensive business plan I am less than impressed to read the list of proponents who have submitted bids for the Request for Proposals (RFP) that will serve companion animals in our community.
According to your article, SPCA has two competitors for services; the SPCA, a private individual (not named) and a security company called Securiguard have all submitted bids to be over-seers of pound contracting in our community.
Included as part of the service requirements is a key volunteer component and as noted in the RFP, " the Services must include a comprehensive volunteer program, including, without limitation, dog walking, animal grooming, adoption assistance, fostering, public education, and the proposal should detail how the Proponent intends to ensure the continuity of such volunteer programs"
I fail to understand how a security guard company has the knowledge or ability to support a volunteer program of this nature and past experience has demonstrated that the SPCA has also struggled in this area.
The SPCA has lost many skilled and valued volunteers due to the organization's inability to embrace and solicit expertise from this group. As for the private individual, logistically this mandate would be virtually impossible to implement.
I agree that a large volunteer base is absolutely required to ensure the successful bidder provides for the quality of life of companion animals that have been abused, dumped, neglected, chained or find themselves a stray to be tossed aside like yesterdays garbage.
The question remains, how will this be achieved?
While it is understood that the RFP process is one of open bidding and that council may not accept any of these proposals I would strongly caution members of this community to be vigilant regarding the awarding of this contract.

Gail Moerkerken
Maple Ridge