© 2003 |
Editor: Judy Stone |
Animal Advocates of B.C.
|
WHAT'S WRONG WITH SPCA POUND CONTRACTING? |
| The SPCA says constantly
and publicly that they don't like to kill animals, but someone has to do it. It is time to question this statement... At a meeting of the District of North Vancouver's Animal Cruelty Committee, April 20/00 (below) Brian Nelson, the Director of Field Operations for the Vancouver SPCA's (then) 18 pound contracts in the lower mainland (director of the Vancouver SPCA's pound-empire and the facilities that the SPCA mis-calls shelters), made this remark: "I've killed 50,000 animals in my career - do you think I like it?" Well - we can't imagine he minds very much.
After the first one, he could have got another job. Instead, after learning
his trade at various Vancouver SPCA's, he opened his own private dog-control/disposal
company, Mainland Animal Control, and for seven years he "controlled" dogs for
his own money. And then, in 1997, the Vancouver SPCA eliminated him as a threat to
their near-monopoly of dog-disposal contracts in the lower mainland by
giving him the job
of director of those pounds he was so familiar with the profitable running of, at the
salary of...well the SPCA doesn't like to say, but around $90,0000 or is it $100,000? (we
wish we knew, but we can't find out), plus travel, benefits, perks, bonuses, and maybe a
private-use vehicle. Common sense tells one that this
statement is suspect. Afterall , it's been his job for many years and he could have
quit.
R.P. Kill on demand: The NV SPCA will and does kill on demand without proof of ownership. I strongly believe we should not support this practice. Vets will not put down animals at an owner’s request without proof of ownership and the medical condition warranting it.. Secondly, how do we not know that some of these animals have not been taken down to the shelter by annoyed neighbours or just plain creeps and had them destroyed just so they would not return. (AAS comment: we have checked Mr Polly's statement for veracity several times, most recently July 28/00. We called the North Vancouver SPCA, told the Animal Control Officer (ACO) that we live in a municipality other than North Vancouver, asked how much to put our dog down, were told $50, and weren't asked a single question about the reason we wanted our dog killed, not one question about the age, health, breed, or temperament of our dog. We have made similar phone calls to every branch of the Vancouver SPCA, and not once were we urged to reconsider, to find a home for our dog, or made an offer that we surrender the dog to them so that they could find a new home for it. Not one employee sounded the slightest bit interested in trying to save the life of our dog.) R.P. The NV SPCA does not approach alternatives such as fostering, working with animal rescue groups, breed specific groups, web pages, aggressive marketing of the animals i.e. mobile adoption clinics or volunteers acting as people greeters, animal matchers, a log of animals either being given up or wanted by the public that are still at homes. Most people find shelters depressing. (AAS comment: we can confirm that many groups, including AAS, have to send a stranger to SPCA's to buy dogs that we have heard will be put down, usually because of age or health. (See letter # 14 from M. Taylor and Dudley-betrayed by the SPCA.) Or maybe just because they're matted, or bark too much, or are terrified of the cold, brutal misery they suddenly find themselves in, abandoned by the family they would sooner die for than abandon. Cat rescue also has to sneak cats out of SPCA's. Breed rescue organizations are treated the same way. Malamute Rescue of Coquitlam sent notices to all the Vancouver SPCAs telling them that they would take any malamute, or malamute cross that was scheduled for destruction. When they heard that their own SPCA/pound in Coquitlam had killed a malamute, they asked why they weren't told. The answer was that when they were ready to put a dog down, they didn't have time to phone. The North Vancouver SPCA also killed a malamute without phoning Malamute Rescue, or allowing Ron Polly, who knew the dog well and knew it to be good-natured, to take it. Every breed of dog has a rescue organization. All our evidence shows that the SPCA doesn't contact these groups. The conclusion is almost inescapable - the SPCA would rather kill than cooperate.) R.P Animals in the shelter are not allowed toys nor are worked with while they pine away the hours. There is no free run area or a proper cat house. I visited three Vancouver SPCA Regional shelters one day to find all of them in the same condition - staff all nice and warm inside all dogs outside in the damp, nothing to keep them active, old crap and urine in almost half the pens. I use to volunteer at the NV SPCA, and on weekends I would spend the afternoons trying to match people to pets, on all occasions the crap that was there when I arrived was still there when I left (think of that on a hot day). (AAS comment: We would ask the defenders of SPCA/pounds to ask themselves if they would board their dog or cat at an SPCA? We would ask them if they feel good when they leave an SPCA/pound? Or do they feel sad and upset? We would ask them to question what's wrong, and if they feel sad, think how the animals feel. We would ask them if a pound is not people-friendly, how likely is it to be animal-friendly?) R.P. The "I want my money back - this dog is viscous" rule. The new owner is taken at their full word when they return a dog they have bought (adopted), and decided they don’t want to keep, so they say the dog is vicious, and the dog has no defence to what could of been a whim purchase. So the dog is dragged to the dirty little room in the back and killed. Then a full refund is given. (AAS comment: For as long as anyone can remember, it is staff at SPCA's who decide who lives and who dies. They have no training. And we have the proof that they have no affection for animals either. They do not consult animal behaviourists. We have been told by many ex-SPCA volunteers that the decision is based on the whim of individual employees.) R.P. Flexibility does not exist at the NV SPCA. If you want to adopt, you must take the dog immediately, you are given no chance to get your house or family ready and come back later. The animal must leave then. This has forced some hasty decisions. Also, other shelters will make sure the animal is fixed before going and are far more flexible with pick-up times or even holding. (AAS comment: hours of adoption are inflexible too. We have many documented instances of the SPCA refusing to allow people to "buy" (they do NOT adopt, they sell) if there is even five minutes to go before "adoptions" are allowed.. How can anyone believe that this is animal-loving?) R.P. Alternative ideas for less adoptable animals should be looked at instead of killing them, and it should not be one person’s decision. If an animal does have to be destroyed due to a damn good reason, it should be done by a vet, not two guys in a dirty little room in the back. Puppies and kittens should be kept separate from adult animals.They should only be viewed under supervision and no touching since their immune systems are fragile. Grooming: dogs should be cleaned and groomed as soon as they are up for adoption or after a couple of days if no one has reclaimed the dog yet. Living conditions: bylaws to be put in place to exceed the SPCA min. standards, such as three hours in a pen the maximum with no exercise or stimulation. A better check up-system on animals that have been adopted. (AAS comment: There is almost no follow-up as far as we can tell. Any agency that doesn't screen thoroughly, take the dog to the new home to meet the new family, and do follow-up visits, is "selling" dogs - not adopting them. See Bernie's story) R.P Team players: the practice of hiring people who are only team players. That means "go with the program and keep your mouth shut". This also goes for volunteers. Finally I do not believe that the Vancouver Regional SPCA has the capability nor the desire to become the animal shelter that is wanted or desired to meet the standards of this community. So I propose that NV District and NV City work with the North Shore community to take care and control of our own shelter answerable to this community. Ron
Polly, Success! Thanks to the AAS web site, and many submissions and appearances before council, and brave people like Ron Polly, the District of North Vancouver will not contract with the SPCA in future and will run its own animal control starting January 2002. |
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© 2003 |
Editor: Judy Stone |
