----- Original Message -----
From: Carol Coffey
To: animaladvocates@telus.net
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2005 10:10 AM
Subject: Mount Currie reserves animal control and abuse

I am the shelter director at Whistler Animals Galore (WAG). We are a small non-profit charitable organization that operates the animal shelter in Whistler. We are the closest shelter to the First Nations community of Mount Currie. Approximately one third of the animals that come into our shelter originate from the Mount Currie reserves.
We are constantly in receipt of phone calls about stories of animal abuse on the reserve. Like many other reserves in BC and Canada, there is a very serious animal control problem. In other words, no animals are spayed or neutered and they all roam as they please, giving way to so many unwanted litters that people shoot the puppies, drown them, or club them to death.
To make matters worse, the Band Council has adopted a terrible animal control technique, and not for the first time. They have hired someone to shoot dogs that are not wearing ID tags. They pay $20 per dog. The bodies are being dumped at the dump. The residents have found out that there is money to be made and so they are now actively seeking out dogs and shooting them, even dogs wearing ID tags. This policy only encourages a dispect for animals and inhumane treatment of them.
I can try to find out as much detail about specific cases as possible from out contacts there, however, those individuals who care about the animals and what is happening cannot give their names for fear of retaliation.
We have spoken with the BC SPCA and learned that there is very little they can do. Some SPCA representatives have told us that they cannot go onto the reserve. Others have told us that someone from the reserve must call in a complaint.
I have spoken with the Mount Currie liason from Indian and Northern Affairs. He also claims that there is very little that can be done as the community is self-governing.
One solution that we are looking into is a spay/neuter day. Unfortunately, we do not have the funds to conduct a spay/neuter clinic. We could probably find volunteers to help but we are stretched just to meet our own vet bills and operating costs (as I am sure you understand!).
I believe that the Band Council must be held accountable for the abuse and barbaric animal control policy they have adopted. I am frustrated as the band council does not return our phone calls.
The problem seems to be more of a dog problem than a cat problem. We receive far fewer calls regarding cats than dogs.

Carol Coffey
Shelter Director
Whistler Animals Galore Society (WAG)