The sand, and especially the sawdust that the SPCA is keeping the dogs on, is ignorant animal husbandry. Sawdust is a dangerous irritant to eyes, ears, mouth, feet and genitals. But the SPCA's demand of breeders to keep dogs in outdoor, cement-floored kennels is wrong too (though of course, as it is also in the dog selling business, it approves of cement, and the other similarities between the SPCA and dog breeders and neglectors is equally interesting).
In our opinion, the only thing that is "right" for the canine species, is to be on a comfy bed, with hours of freedom, and lots of socializing. That is what they have in their natural state, and natural state is the only ethical and valid criteria for animal husbandry.
Until no animals are made to be our "companions", animal-owners are morally required to provide a life as close as natural as possible, and that does not permit cement kennels which is the SPCA standard that it is bent on enforcing.
In Port Alberni, the Graham's seized pure-bred Lhasa apsos lived inside, slept on the bed, played with the neighbour kids, but the SPCA tried to force the Grahams to move the dogs into outdoor kennels.
This is proof that seizures are not animal welfare, they are part of the animal business. Just as DTA4, the SPCA's dog temperament test, is not about animal welfare, it is about the animal business.
Until the SPCA writes standards and gets them into law, it is seizing illegally. Doing honest law takes time and does not attract the media or money. Illegal grandstanding does both.