Dear Animal Advocates: I thought you might be interested in a phone conversation I had with an SPCA staff member (in their fundraising dept. here in Vancouver). I was a regular monthly donor -- designated to spay and neuter only -- which I was assured would be possible by the fundraiser at the time I started donating. Yesterday I phoned her and told her that I wanted to cancel my monthly donation and did not want to continue donating to the SPCA. I gave her two reasons: first, lack of accountability. (In approx. six months of donating I had never received any confirmation that the funds were actually going to spay and neuter -- as I had requested, plus I had never received any information on how my money was being spent or any thanks for my donations.) Secondly, they were proceeding with their law suit against Animal Advocates which I told her I thought was reprehensible and unconscionable. I also said I did not want my donations being used to fund the law suit. Her response? She said "okay" and hung up! Now I am also a professional fundraiser and deal with donors every day at the non-profit where I work -- and I would never have not at least attempted to discuss the donor's concerns with them or tried to change their minds.

As far as the law suit against Animal Advocates goes -- I work with the media as part of my job as a fundraiser and have taken numerous workshops and courses on how non-profit charities can best work with the media. I can tell you that one of the basic tenets you learn in dealing with the media is that you don't start lawsuits if you don't want your dirty laundry aired in the newspapers and on t.v., and are not prepared to weather negative p.r. and the possibility of subsequently losing your donor base. Which brings me to the question: Why on earth are they proceeding with this law suit against Animal Advocates (and to what purpose)?