What is the SPCA doing about the day-in and day-out cruelty in pet stores? AAS receives many reports about severe neglect of animals' health, about cramped and cruel cages, about uneducated minimum wage staff, and severe neglect of animal's social needs. We investigated pet stores in the lower mainland, appealed to many mayors and councils to adopt bylaws to improve the conditions animals are kept in, and published our documentation at http://www.animaladvocates.com/pet-store-pups.htm

Lorie Chortyk, the SPCA's p.r. person told Barbara Yaffe in April 11/03 that, "We have the authority to inspect premises where animal are sold so we can rescue the puppy, ensure it gets medical care and a new home."

That looks really good in print, but here is a report that AAS received recently that paints a different picture of the SPCA's interest in the welfare of sick pet store pups.

"Pet Habitat, Brentwood Town Centre, Burnaby. Daschund, 10 weeks, female, tan. She was on metal grating in a cat-sized cage with no blanket. She was shivering and did not look well. (dry looking nose, dull coat almost crusty looking, eyes hooded). She had no blanket or bed to sleep on. There was no enclosed place for her to snuggle into. She was shivering. Hamster type watering bottle on cage door. Excrement falls through metal grating. She did not look lively like puppies do, her nose was resting on the cage door, she did open her eyes when I went to her cage, did not lift her head from the cage door. The other pups had cage conditions similar (sitting on metal grating with water bottle, no toys in cage). The pet store employee told me (when I asked if the pup could have a blanket) he said "we cannot sterilize or disinfect the blankets. The SPCA investigated for me and told me that someone else had also called them about this pup. Said the pup is under vet care for kennel cough. the cage/housing conditions were acceptable according to "minimum acceptable conditions". He could not force the store to give the pup a blanket." (SPCA Constable Francis attended: case #12215.)

On October 18th we sent this report to Craig Daniell, BC SPCA CEO and Manager of Cruelty Investigations, and did not receive a reply. Neither did the complainant. Conditions were checked a few days later and nothing had changed.

A lower mainland pet store....