Animal Advocates Society has questioned the veracity of many SPCA statements made for many years; consequently AAS and I are being sued for defamation by the BC SPCA. Nevertheless, I have to go on questioning the strict veracity of some of the SPCA's statements, particularly this one: "When the SPCA must euthanize an animal, it is for the same reason so-called “no-kill” facilities euthanize animals — to end the suffering of an animal that is beyond medical help or to protect the public from a highly aggressive animal that has not responded to rehabilitation."

The SPCA admits that it kills cats for having Upper Respiratory Syndrome - a cold, and very treatable. It has admitted to killing puppies with ringworm and dogs with kennel cough, both treatable. It admits to killing many "aggressive" cats. What rehabilitation is Mr Daniell talking about for all those cat "public dangers"? Is keeping them in tiny cages 23 1/2 hours a day the SPCA's progressive animal welfare Mr Daniell refers to?

The no-kill rescue network now comprises almost 100 registered charities in BC and hundreds more individuals. It is they who rescue animals from the SPCA. They pay the sometimes huge bills for these animals saved from the SPCA. It is they who are doing community spay/neuter. It is they who are helping chained dogs. It is they who are helping feral cats by trap/neuter/return.

In 2004 Mr Daniell told your columnist, Barbara Yaffe, that he would soon provide her with the SPCA's kill statistics. Why would a huge organization like the SPCA not have those statistics, especially when at the same time Mr Daniell said that the BC SPCA has the lowest kill stats in North America. How could he know that without any stats?

Ms Yaffe questioned this herself:
May 8, 2004
"The head of the SPCA, Craig Daniell, also noted that B.C.'s SPCA has one of the lowest euthanasia rates anywhere in North America.

Such an assurance is puzzling since Mr. Daniell has repeatedly stated no current statistics on euthanasia are available for the Lower Mainland, that he would provide them as soon as they become available. How then can he know how the SPCA compares to counterparts elsewhere?"

There are a lot of puzzling things about the BC SPCA; a lot of unanswered questions; and a lot more to be asked. It won't be easy as the SPCA is not answerable through FOI and, to many people's frustration, it often simply does not answer questions.