Only the SPCA could turn a big killing event into a big fundraising event

Posted By: AAS
Date: Sunday, 15 May 2005, at 2:28 p.m.

In Response To: The Kamloops SPCA "shelter" HAD to euthanize 59 cats (AAS)

The rescue network's email wires were burning up for several days with news of this event before the SPCA's friends at the Kamloops News made a silk purse out of a sow's ear for the SPCA after being told about this by an angry insider.

So the Champagne bottles were popping at SPCA head office over this one, but it doesn't matter. It is added to the list of bad P.R. anyway, because although many readers will believe what they read, some others will see through it for what it is - a revelation that the SPCA kills by the gross at night, and says nothing, hoping to get away with it. It is never going to again, thanks to the internet.

The Kamloops SPCA "shelter" HAD to euthanize 59 cats
AAS -- Sunday, 15 May 2005, at 2:19 p.m.

Maybe the SPCA can paint happy faces all over the killing room
Arlene Kempton -- Sunday, 15 May 2005, at 2:33 p.m.

"The new kitties say thank mew!" So ends Bonnie's party invitations. I wonder what the dead kitties would say?
Lucy Cochrane -- Sunday, 15 May 2005, at 2:44 p.m.

hopefully they are painting the room black out of respect *NM*
Sandra Carlson -- Tuesday, 17 May 2005, at 6:02 a.m.

Bonnie Bischoff and Jennifer Gore
Lucy Cochrane -- Sunday, 15 May 2005, at 2:42 p.m.

Re: Bonnie Bischoff and Jennifer Gore
Pat Bentley -- Sunday, 15 May 2005, at 4:29 p.m.

Links to the Kamloops Puppymill Killings web pages *PIC*
AAS -- Sunday, 15 May 2005, at 2:50 p.m.

There was time when mass killing could be called animal welfare
AAS -- Sunday, 15 May 2005, at 6:45 p.m.

Some facts about vaccines: death was not the only remedy
Jennifer Dickson -- Sunday, 15 May 2005, at 10:54 p.m.

Cats were killed willy-nilly
Arlene Kempton -- Monday, 16 May 2005, at 4:49 p.m.

HAD TO KILL 59 CATS? Who is holding a gun to their heads?
Arlene Kempton -- Monday, 16 May 2005, at 4:53 p.m.

THE WATCHDOG

Crowded SPCA made cat crisis even worse

Posted By: Lucy Cochrane
Date: Saturday, 21 May 2005, at 10:46 a.m.

The Kamloops Daily News
Saturday, May 21, 2005

Letters to the Editor

Crowded SPCA made cat crisis even worse

As the chairwoman of the Kamloops SPCA’s community advisory committee, I am writing further to your May 13 article about the recent feline distemper outbreak at our shelter.

The staff has gone above and beyond during this very difficult time, as was mentioned. However, the volunteers as well as the staff have put aside their sadness and grief to protect the animals that remain. When a disease like this appears, a tremendous amount of work must be done, and done very quickly, to minimize as much as possible the impact on the other animals in the shelter.

As always, our staff and volunteers have pulled together. The decisions made during this time have been enormously difficult, but all decisions have been made with the best interests of all of the community’s animals at the forefront.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to remind everyone of the absolute necessity of vaccinating, spaying and neutering their companion animals. If companion animals are not vaccinated, they are at risk for many diseases that can have devastating, even fatal, results. Even if companion animals are kept primarily indoors, they need to be protected.

Spaying and neutering is also a crucial part of pet health and guardianship. One of the reasons this outbreak of feline distemper has occurred, and affected as many animals as it has, is because of the vast numbers of animals that pass through our shelter.

The more animals that are being cared for in a shelter situation, the quicker a disease will spread. At the onset of this disease, the Kamloops SPCA was caring for more than 160 cats and kittens. At this time of year, that number is not uncommon.

If everyone spayed and neutered their cats (and other animals) before they become sexually mature, the numbers of abandoned, stray, and surrendered animals would be greatly reduced. If we have fewer unwanted animals, when a disease like this strikes, the impact will be much less.

As well, veterinarians advise that the biggest reason for feline distemper outbreaks is failure to spay and neuter. This is largely due to the number of outdoor cats, particularly colonies of cats turned loose because they are unwanted, who create an endemic disease situation.

Remember, the SPCA has tough decisions to make. No one wants to make those decisions but they must be made to decrease the suffering of the animals and to give other animals in the shelter and the community a better chance for a life of good health and welfare,

Lindsay Curry
Chairwoman, Community Advisory Committee
Kamloops Branch, B.C. SPCA

Lucy Cochrane

Background on this story *LINK*
AAS -- Saturday, 21 May 2005, at 12:55 p.m.

SPCA web page boasts about Kamloops fundraising
AAS -- Sunday, 22 May 2005, at 6:52 a.m.

NEW: Both of them involved have euthanised many cats and dogs
Maureen Jamison -- Monday, 23 May 2005, at 10:40 a.m.

Putting Grandpa down
Maureen Jamison -- Sunday, 22 May 2005, at 6:54 a.m.

Comment on this astonishing quote by Lindsay Curry
Carol Sonnex -- Sunday, 22 May 2005, at 8:16 a.m.

Same old same old...but it works thanks to a lazy, ignorant media that does not even notice glaring hypocrisy *LINK*
AAS -- Sunday, 22 May 2005, at 8:21 a.m.

In the Surrey incident, Big Heart Rescue got the true story to the local papers *LINK*
AAS -- Sunday, 22 May 2005, at 3:49 p.m.

The Big Heart Rescue Press Release that may have stopped the SPCA from anymore mass killing of dogs
AAS -- Sunday, 22 May 2005, at 3:51 p.m.

The SPCA is a slow learner: being exposed in the media for killing dogs at the Vancouver SPCA scared them, but not enough obviously
AAS -- Sunday, 22 May 2005, at 3:54 p.m.

Re: Victoria spay / neuter clinic opportunity
Mike Stephen -- Sunday, 22 May 2005, at 11:03 a.m.

Practice what you preach Kamloops SPCA
Lucy Cochrane -- Sunday, 22 May 2005, at 10:22 a.m.

No Set Policy For Spay/Neuter of Rabbits
Carmina Gooch -- Sunday, 22 May 2005, at 7:57 p.m.