05/11/2001
Animal bylaw amendments never enforced in Delta

By Matthew Burrows
After openly criticizing the Delta SPCA for its pound contract with Delta council, the Animal Advocates Society of B.C. recently learned that 1996 “neglect” amendments to the animal bylaws have never been enforced.

The information came to light after the North Vancouver-based society sent a letter, dated April 10, to Delta council asking whether Bylaw 5128, amendment 5436, had ever been enforced.

Lance Renyk, superintendent of the Delta SPCA, wrote in his April 20 reply, “We have not ticketed any person in Delta for failing to comply with our neglect sections of our bylaw, but would do so if no other viable solution could be found to help a dog or cat.”

Stone asked for this confirmation because she is concerned that dogs tied up and left to flounder on choke-chains with no food or water are not rescued early enough by the SPCA. She is adamant Delta SPCA has continuously ignored the amended section of the bylaw, rather than not having to use it.

“The problem with that,” said Renyk, “is that you’ll drive by a home and see a dog in excellent health and good condition, but with a 10-foot chain. If I go up to the owner and ask how often he lets the dog off and he says ‘One hour in the last 24,’ what can I do to disprove him? I’d have to stay for 24 hours, which just isn’t feasible. I don’t like a dog on a chain, but what can I do?”

Stone, for her part, insists the SPCA become more active in saving more dogs to justify the large donations people pledge to the organization, “believing the money goes to help the dogs at their pound.”

Lorie Chortyk, communications director of the regional SPCA, has long known about AAS and believes they should ease off. “We’re not a perfect organization by any means, but what she (Stone) is saying is simply inaccurate. Last year we received 24,156 dogs and we placed 99 per cent of them.”