The CEO of the BC SPCA acknoweldges in his own words that an Offence Warning Notice must be issued before a seizure can be made: From his March 2003 TETHERING REPORT to the BC SPCA Board of Directors:

“Assuming that the complaint was justified, the officer would attend at the property, conduct an investigation, advise the owner of any deficiencies and recommend that changes be made. The officer will advise the owner that he will return within a period of time to determine whether the recommendations have been complied with. Upon returning, the officer notes whether there has been any progress, and if not, it is entirely possible that the officer will at this stage formally put then owner on notice and issue him/her with an Offence Warning Notice, giving the owner a small window of opportunity to rectify the situation.”