As long as the SPCA has dogcatcher contracts (and it has many of them) it is going to have to hire dogcatchers - people who protect the public from dogs, instead of people who protect dogs from the public. Animal Control Officers are what they call themselves. Animal Control is a euphemism for dogcatcher. "Lower than a dogcatcher" is an expression based on hatred of the dogcatcher.

As the case of the dog in the car illustrates so perfectly, dog-catching employees aren't even familiar with the PCA Act, the Act that the SPCA is supposed to use to prevent animal suffering. They know how to impound and dispose of dogs. Some the SPCA trains to kill animals, bu there is little evidence that the SPCA trains its employees in animal health or behaviour or in what animals' needs are. In fact, there is little evidence of any training in anything. We have reports of employees being hired and being put to work immediately. They learn frorm the old lag dogcatchers and become dogcatchers in their turn. This is a very sick "Animal Protection Society" in our opinion.

The dogcatcher makes dogs' lives miserable. If your lonely dog is in the yard 24/7 and barks, the dogcatcher may ticket you and may suggest (as the SPCA has many times) that you add cruelty to neglect, by muzzling your dog.

If your dog is running off-leash in an on-leash park, the dogcatcher may ticket you and make you keep your dog on a tether or leash.

If your dog displays any "aggressive" behaviour the dogcatcher may get a warrant, seize your dog, and kill your dog.

If your dog is running around loose, the dogcatcher will grab your dog and put it in a miserable cell and if you don't claim it will sell it or kill it.

Dogcatcher contracts are the antithesis of animal welfare and protection, and yet the SPCA is actively selling its services as a dogcatcher. Especially in Surrey where CEO Craig Daniell actually carpeted the City with a letter urging Surrey residents to write to the Mayor and Council and tell them what a wonderful job the SPCA is doing as Surrey's dogcatcher.

Nothing the SPCA has done in its long history of mistakes is more mistaken than making money as the dogcatcher. Nothing has led to more anger and loss of donations.