Hello Mary

Thank you for writing such a powerful letter to the BC SPCA about the animals it is letting down every day. This is exactly what is needed from so many people all over the province. We must all pull together to force the BC SPCA to start helping animals.

Unfortunately, BC SPCA spokesperson Lorie Chortyk still insists on blaming Judy Stone of Animal Advocates Society, maliciously defaming and maligning her. I would be very interested to know what exactly it is on the AAS website that Chortyk believes is untrue.

I have known Judy Stone for ten years now, and have worked very closely with her on many of the stories that appear on the AAS website, so I can vouch for their validity firsthand. I have personally told Lorie Chortyk to her face that not a word of a lie appears on the AAS website, and have asked her to give me specific examples of things she considers to be untrue, but she was not forthcoming.

It saddens me to see that instead of really addressing your concerns as an animal lover, she chose to change the topic completely and blame Animal Advocates Society instead.

Judy Stone, myself, and many others have worked tirelessly to force the BC SPCA to reform and start truly helping animals. Unfortunately, as long as people like Lorie Chortyk remain employed as ambassadors for the SPCA, I'm not holding out hope that real reform can happen too soon.

So thank you again for sending that wonderful letter, and please don't be dissuaded by what the BC SPCA's spokesperson has to say about the organization in BC that is doing all the real work.

Here's to a New Year that may prove better for the animals in BC.

Jennifer Dickson
President, Okanagan Animal Welfare Foundation