"The BC SPCA Charter requires that all animals in the care of humans enjoy, at a minimum:
1. Freedom from hunger, thirst and malnutrition
2. Freedom from pain, injury, and disease
3. Freedom from discomfort
4. Freedom from distress
5. Freedom to express behaviours that promote well-being
The C.A.M.P. Manual also states " Provisions for the Five Freedoms must be made during every aspect of care".
How can the BC SPCA then sell or give away animals who are not free of pain, injury and disease?
It has become practice in many BC SPCA "shelters" to sell at a reduced rate or give away for free animals with dental problems and other medical conditions that are very expensive to fix . Failure to treat serious health problems does not constitute providing an animal the Five Freedoms. Painful dental problems for example do not allow the animal freedom from pain or disease.
In the last three days, two more animals have come to my attention that were sold by the BC SPCA Victoria Branch with untreated medical conditions . Once "adopted" the Victoria SPCA provided scant guidance to the new owners, and no financial support.
One of these animals was a cat sold complete with ringworm and an upper respiratory infection. The other a dog in need of behaviour rehabilitation which also had kennel cough. Both of these animals have vet costs of over $500.00 . The cat is still/again being treated for ringworm and the dog has been surrendered to a trainer for rehabilitation.
The new adopters were told the BC SPCA Victoria Branch has no money. But the Victoria SPCA received $35,000 in donations at its last fundraiser held on Oct. 19, 2003, the annual "Walk on Dallas", a mere 5 weeks ago. Where did these funds go?
An article printed in the Penticton Herald on November 25, 2003 quotes BC SPCA spokesperson, Lorie Chortyk saying that the monies are kept in the communities in which they are raised.
(See http://www.cyabc.ca/cgi-bin/webbbs_config.pl?frames=n;read=652 )
When reputable rescue organizations take in an animal, the animal is examined by a veterinarian and treatment to bring the animal back to health is undertaken. This is done prior to looking for the perfect home for this animal. Any honest and truly animal-serving rescue group takes the guardianship of the animals it helps very seriously, and treats them as if they were their own beloved pets.
While I will acknowledge the BC SPCA in many cases makes the new guardian of the animal aware that the animal does have medical conditions that need to be dealt with I also know that little or no follow-up is done to ensure that the needed veterinary care is undertaken.
(See http://www.animaladvocates.com/unhappy-ending-goldie.htm)
The most recent BC SPCA Membership Renewal states "We have successfully placed more than 29,000 animals in happy, loving homes."
How many of these animals are still suffering from the painful conditions that they arrived at the BC SPCA with?