I believe the SPCA has not done all it can, or even committed to do, for the animals and it seems to condemn its critics for pointing this out. I want to refer to the Community Consultation, that huge and presumably costly project in which I’d placed such hope. I’m not positive but I doubt that the following recommendations have even been begun, never mind completed. They were dated November 3, 2001.

“Urgent
Commit resources to upgrading older, sub-standard facilities owned by the BC SPCA, and actively encourage municipalities to bring their facilities up to BC SPCA recommended standards.”
Has this been done?

And if it hasn’t been done then how can the following be effectively done:
“Establish specific care guidelines for shelter animals to maintain consistently high standards of cleanliness, healthy diet, blankets and beds for dogs, enriched and/or communal cat cages for both dogs and cats to exercise.”
In the SPCA shelters outside my community, are there enriched and/or communal cat cages for both dogs and cats to exercise? Maybe in some SPCA shelters there are, but I suspect that other SPCA shelters are still lacking. Are there still SPCA shelters that are lacking?

“Urgent
Mount major educational and public awareness campaigns to encourage pet guardians to sterilize their pets; work with municipalities and the veterinary community to deliver responsible pet guardian information.”
Has this been done? Or did I miss it?

“Long Term
Expand spay/neuter assistance for low-income people.
Advocate for mandatory spay/neuter by-laws to demonstrate that it is socially unacceptable to have unsterilized pets.”
I guess the question to ask here is what ‘long term’ means. Has it been started?

“Short-term
Establish a task force to research and identify solutions regarding the control and protection of feral cats."
Has this been done? Has it been started?

These are items that I suspect still need to be addressed. So why would the SPCA sue critics instead of first addressing criticisms that the SPCA itself seems to have accepted as justifiable in 2001?

Maple Ridge, BC