Bad personal experiences means more people trust the alternatives to the SPCA

After many dealings with the Abbotsford SPCA from about 1990 to the present day, here are some of my observations:

1) callous and uncaring staff:
- Unwanted rabbits let loose by neighbour, SPCA contacted, told me to keep an eye on them. Made no effort to come and get them. My next door neighbour was trying to kill them with her shovel. SPCA aware of this as I told them.
- Same neighbour was trapping Raccoons- one Raccoon left in trap for almost 3 days. SPCA only came to speak to her, after many phone calls to them by me.
- Same neighbour still trapping squirrels- goes out for the day- trapped squirrels left in traps until she gets home in evening. Was told this is OK by SPCA as this how trapping works.
- Neighbour who had mother dog and puppies living outside under porch. As it was December I was concerned about their welfare - was told my SPCA that they were OK outside as they were dogs.
- Sick cats put in with healthy ones, no attempt made to isolate new animals that come in obviously sick, even feral cats who might have been carrying serious diseases were just dumped out of their traps and put in cages with domesticated cats. One year there were so many sick cats that the SPCA quarantined itself and killed all the cats. This was in the Abbotsford News or Now.
- I never saw any meds or veterinary care for sick cats. I'm a nurse and I would have noticed. One day they'd be sick and the next day, they'd be gone.
- Just last week I found a stray cat. I reported it to Abbotsford SPCA, and asked if anyone looking for it and was told no. They didn't even take my name and number.

2) profit driven criteria:
- staff that do not go make any effort for animals that the SPCA deems not in optimal shape for adoption.
-SPCA only interested in receiving younger, healthy animals. I brought in a very cute stray kitten and they asked me to bring more if I could find any, but weren't interested in the welfare of the mother cat who was crawling with fleas and unspayed.

After many years of dealing with the Abbotsford SPCA and volunteering there, the bottom line for me is that I believe that the SPCA is business, like everything else. With a system where the primary purpose is profit, then the only outcome for animals that are sick or old is death.