 ad in the Maple Ridge Times designed
|
Hi everyone, This memorial was printed in the Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Times January, 2002. It's thanks to Maple Ridge animal lover Gail Moerkerken who learned that this happy, healthy dog had been killed for lack of space and/or "behavioural problems". But none of at least three people who would have been willing to foster/find a foster home were called. And neither the vet who kept him overnight at the voluneers' request due to previous lack of space, nor any of the volunteers who knew him had observed any behavioural problems. Being able to say this much in a public memorial -- people may become aware of the problem. I've spoken to people who are under the impression that the SPCA is no-kill. Such misconceptions are helped along, no doubt, by such headlines as: "99% Adoption Rate Achieved" from page 2 of the summer 2001 issue of their magazine, Animal Sense. If things are to change, people have to know the truth. Here's some truth. Brigitta MacMillan From a Maple Ridge SPCA volunteer: When Chubby arrived on Dec 22 2002, I received a panic call from (an SPCA staffer) at the shelter, telling me there was a really nice dog that just got brought in that they had no room for. She said if we couldn't find a foster for him he would have to be put down. She went on to tell me he was six, a Norwegian Elkhound/GSD cross. She told me he how sweet he was, and how wonderful he was with kids, etc. His owner was moving. The only problem was: he wasn't fixed!!?? and didn't get along well with other males, particularily if they were also not fixed. Pretty common with un-neutered males, we see this at the shelter almost on a daily basis. She begged me to get him out. I told her not to do anything and I would make a few calls. I called (another volunteer) right away, to see if she had any ideas. She suggested calling (a veterinary clinic) as they also board, we could stick him in there to buy us some time. I called back and suggested this to the SPCA staffer. She informed me that they did not have the funds to pay for boarding, so that would not be an option. I called th eother volunteer back, who had called the vet clinic in the meantime, they had room and would take him for $18/day, which we agreed we would split the cost.. She left to go get him, while I called the SPCA staffer back and told her we would just take him to one of our homes and juggle him back and forth if neccessary. What ever it took. (th eother volunteer and I both have homes full of other animals, so we agreed that boarding would be the best option for everyone involved) Chubby spent two nights at the vet's, but they really needed the space too and when a kennel came up on the 24th (at the SPCA) he had to go back. (Incidentally, the vet did not charge us for the boarding.) He was killed on January 5th, for lack of space. (that is what (another SPCA staffer told me, she did not want to tell me but I coaxed it out of her) The same staff was working that day, as the day he came in to the shelter. I'm not sure why they never tried to reach any of us. The shelter manager was on vacation as I mentioned when Chubby arrived, he returned to work on Jan.2nd. I know he doesn't have any 'kennel duties' to speak of when there are other staff that these duties can be delegated to. Especially after being off on holidays, I imagine he was holed up in his office for at least the first day or so, he is responsible for reports, deposits & stuff. I guarantee he didn't spend any time with Chubby assessing him for behavioral problems.' You might want to check with the girls at the vet's. They may also be able to give you some insight into his personality. They would've paid a whole lot more attention to him in the two days he spent there, than any shelter employee would've, that's for sure. They told me what a sweetheart he was when I visited him there to talk his photo. He was really friendly to me, I had never met him before, he gave me lots of kisses, and shook a paw with me, too. Hardly behaviorally challenged. |
