The CEO the BCSPCA is further degrading the once good name of his Society by acting like a fruitcake on fire. He is in a shouting match with a person he says is mentally unstable. This frothing, eyeball rolling rant is from the SPCA's web site....

In the January 30th issue of the Vancouver Sun, Donna Liberson wrote an editorial containing numerous malicious lies about the SPCA. Some of the inaccuracies included:

"All my life I have been a strong supporter of the BC SPCA until I became a volunteer. That put me in a position to get a close-up view of its practices and procedures. I was appalled."

Donna Liberson was an SPCA volunteer for a short time, but had to be removed by the SPCA from two separate shelters because of numerous complaints by other volunteers and staff about her unstable and abusive behaviour. On two occasions in Vancouver the police had to be called to deal with her when she became violent and abusive to members of the public in the shelter and hospital and to fellow volunteers. The SPCA did not lay charges against Ms. Liberson but the police paperwork exists and can be verified.

While the SPCA Hospital has continued to provide free spay/neuter services to Donna for her rescue group throughout the years (in order to help the animals), she is only permitted to deal directly with the Hospital administrator as the hospital staff refuse to interact with her out of fear for their safety. She was also asked to bring animals at times when there were fewer members of the public present to reduce the risk that her behaviour would be problematic to others.

"But the Society itself doesn't spay or neuter most pets it adopts."

This is not true. Most of the animals leaving SPCA shelters are spayed or neutered. In remote communities where this is not possible because of lack of funding, spay/neuter certificates are given with each animal to offset the cost of the operation and volunteers and staff follow up with new adopters to ensure the animals have been sterilized.

"The Society continues to drive (volunteers) away".

The number of SPCA volunteers who support the mission work of the SPCA is increasing, not declining.

"It is cheaper to kill animals than to provide veterinary care for them"

The SPCA uses every resource available to help animals in need - both through its own donations and by soliciting free veterinary services wherever possible. The implication that the SPCA euthanizes animals that it has the funds to save is insulting and completely inaccurate.

"The SPCA chooses to proceed with only the cases that will pay their own way - those that help it attract donations."

The SPCA follows up on every single complaint it receives from the public and takes every legal action available where there is evidence of neglect or abuse. In 2003 the SPCA set a new record for cruelty cases presented to Crown counsel and seized a record number of animals from abusive and neglectful situations. There is absolutely no basis for Donna to make this remark.

"The cats were destroyed when the owner could not pay for their release."

The cats in question were not euthanized because the owner refused to cooperate in their care. They had to be euthanized at the directive of an outside veterinarian who stated that their injuries and illnesses were so serious that it would be inhumane to keep them alive. Had there been a hope of saving them, the SPCA would have raised funds for the medical costs. The SPCA spends millions of dollars on veterinary care for un-owned animals or animals whose owners cannot or will not pay for treatment.

"Luckily for them (note: referring to 52 cats recently seized because of neglect), homes have been found by the Animal Rights Coalition and all the cats have been treated and spayed and neutered thanks to funding from Aid to Animals in Distress."

The Animal Rights Coalition (Donna's organization) had no role in finding homes for the cats and no funding was provided for spaying and neutering by Aid to Animals in Distress. All homes were found by the SPCA through the services of a reputable rescue group (who asked not to be named specifically because they feared harassment from Donna Liberson) and the SPCA paid for all spay/neuter costs.

"Investigators should be under the control of the government."

All BC SPCA Special Provincial Constables are agents of the Solicitor General and the cruelty investigations arm of the SPCA reports to this government ministry.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Press Releases Index Page
Click here for Press Releases and Seasonal / Public Service Announcements from the BC SPCA...