The reform of the Victoria SPCA looks on the surface to be very, very positive. In many respects the Victoria SPCA does a very good job and I do not want to take away from the excellence of the employees and volunteers who work there.

However, that said, the Head Office of the BC SPCA have stripped the Victoria SPCA of all ability to be helpful to the general public unless they want to surrender their pet and this is a much-changed position from the year 2001.

In 2001, the Victoria SPCA had a spay/neuter clinic that helped low-income people spay/neuter their pets. The Victoria SPCA participated in the SNAP (Spay/Neuter Assistance Program) as well.

The Victoria SPCA also in cases of dire emergency would work with other groups in Victoria to save animals lives by donating towards a large surgery, the donation being a maximum of $100 per animal.

The donation to help someone's pet no longer happens either. People now must surrender their animal for the animal to receive help, or find help elsewhere than from the Society to Prevent Cruelty to Animals. The SPCA has not told the public they no longer help strays, or assist with peoples' pets in crisis.

All work with the general public who require asistance for their pets has been downloaded to two small groups, Victoria Cat Rescue Corp and Greater Victoria Animals' Crusaders who struggle on a monthly basis to raise funds to spay/neuter and help people keep their pets. In 2001 the number of phone calls received by each organization was just a few a day. In 2004, both groups now experience over 20 calls a day and some days over 40. Many of these calls are heart-wrenching but no longer is the Victoria SPCA willing to assist in any fashion.

No one should have to surrender their 15 year old cat because it has a urinary tract infection but that is the option now being presented by the Victoria SPCA.

No one should have to surrender their very old dog because after many years an expense has occurred that is difficult to meet. Does the dog deserve to be taken from its home and rehomed? This makes no sense to me at all. I thought the SPCA were supposed to put the animals first.

Oh and by the way, Victoria has no cruelty person on duty on the weekend either so hopefully no animal is in trouble on Saturday or Sunday. I know this as I recently reported a cat that died even though our group had offered assistance but the owner declined the help and instead let the cat die and just bought a new one. I find this quite reprehensible but because there was no one to investigate, nothing can be done.

Yes, the Victoria SPCA does a good job for the animals within its walls but that is not all the SPCA was formed to do, perhaps Head Office just needs a reminder.