The SPCA..."Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals" needs to live up to its name, and respond appropriately to the abuse and neglect of dogs. Repeatedly, members of the public have phoned the SPCA about a dog that is tied up in a yard 24/7 even in winter weather, and the SPCA's reply is "as long as the animal has shelter, food, and water" nothing can be done. The so-called "shelter" is often nothing more than an uninsulated plastic cage or kennel, or a lean to board used as a "roof". In many cases, the dog's food and water dishes have been tipped over or are totally inaccessible.

At least one dog has been found frozen on the end of its chain, when intervention by the SPCA might have prevented such a tragedy.Repeatedly, Animal Advocates is contacted about an abused dog, after phone calls to the SPCA brought about no change.

Let's not pussyfoot with words like "euthanized" and state the cold hard facts...healthy adoptable dogs have been KILLED by the SPCA due to overcrowding in its facilities. Animal Advocates prints the truth such as the SPCA's killing of healthy adoptable dogs, their refusal to intervene when animal abuse is reported, and their misuse of the public's monetary donations.

What about the case of Cheech the Rottweiler cross, a dog wrongfully labelled as "dangerous" by the former Delta SPCA,and sentenced to die? This dog was saved from death by the intervention of an SPCA volunteer who "stole" the dog from the shelter and whisked him away to safety. This dog was a staff favourite, and non aggressive. It took the intervention of a brave woman named Amanda Muir to save Cheech's life. This woman, and an SPCA employee, were suspended by SPCA management for the action they took to save Cheech's life. Amanda Muir was once heralded by the SPCA as a heroine, for positioning herself in the way of an aggressive dog, resulting in injury to her person, but avoiding injury to others. Now she is shunned and banished by the SPCA for standing up for what is right.

The SPCA hopes to force the Animal Advocates Society of BC into silence, so that the truth can be hidden from the public. But Animal Advocates will not be silenced, and will continue to reveal how the SPCA has failed the animals and the public of this province.

How much of the public's money is the SPCA going to waste on fighting Animal Advocates Society of BC in a court of law? The SPCA should be spending their money on the prevention of cruelty to animals, as their name implies, instead of slapping a law suit on Animal Advocates, who actually practice real animal advocacy.

It is time that the SPCA management in BC is held accountable, and lives up to their name.

Good job, AAS, in getting the truth out. I hope that the SPCA will drop their lawsuit against AAS. If they do not, and this lawsuit does goes go to trial, the truth will prevail.

Marion Lindsay
Squamish BC