Perhaps one day the human race will crawl up a rung or two on the humanity ladder and stop imprisoning other species for their own amusement. I doubt it will happen in my lifetime though.

The battle, as I see it, is to force the century old Society that purports to "speak for animals" to actuallly lead by example when it comes to animal welfare. Why is it that we have to continually hammer the SPCA and force it kicking and screaming, with its legal team in tow, to do true animal welfare?

If I knew that the SPCA was doing its job, then I could die knowing that there is hope for animals - that a strong and compassionate Society, with its moral compass pointed in the right direction, would be there to really "speak" for the animals.

From the Vancouver Sun, December 2, 2002, re the SPCA's seizure of over 100 animals kept in inhumane conditions in Kaslo BC:

"Attending veterinarian Ken Macquisten said he was unable to comment on the case for legal reasons. But Daniell said Macquisten was concerned about the lack of enrichment for the primates. They were kept in small cells with nothing to climb on or forage through, and only a single lamp hanging on a chain-link fence for warmth."

BC SPCA CEO, and then General Manager of Cruelty Investigations Craig Daniell is quoted:

"The attending veterinarian took the decision that the animals were in distress, not least of which was the emotional and psychological distress they were suffering from.

"There was no enrichment in the enclosure."

http://www.animaladvocates.com/cgi-bin/newsroom.pl/read/1725

So how is it that the SPCA can seize animals for psychological distress due to confinement and lack of enrichment, yet it confines rabbits in little cages with little or no enrichment?

I agree with you Gerald, that the argument over how best to cage an animal is meaningless from a truly ethical standpoint. But I am also deeply disturbed by the apparant hypocrisy on the part of the most powerful animal welfare Society in the province.

I'd try asking the SPCA for an explanation, but I never get a response. If I'm lucky, I might get an acknowledgement that I even had a question.

And the poor rabbits continue to sit in their cages, awaiting an unknown fate, their lives only brightening when some kind VOLUNTEERS bring them a few extra nice things to eat and spend some extra time with them.