I think the SPCA can say that they have a zero euthanasia rate for "adoptable" animals in the Lower Mainland because it does not "euthanise" them, it just plain kills them.

The word euthanasia only applies when an animal is in critical distress, or there is no other option to relieve it's suffering.

The SPCA's use of the term adoptable is elastic.
Any animal that they do not easily find a home for, may be termed "unadoptable" and "euthanised". It is absurd to think otherwise.

The SPCA throws catchwords and statistics around to suit their own purposes, but when asked specific questions, they either ignore the question, or say it is impossible to keep statistics.

When I worked for the SPCA on Saltspring Island in 2000, a healthy cat was ALWAYS killed so that there would AlWAYS be an empty cage.

When I questioned this, I was told that there must always be an empty cage, so that the public would know that there was always room for them to bring in an animal. So the cat that got killed was the one that the shelter manager disliked - usually a tortie, or one that looked at her funny.

But no-one was ever turned away from dumping their animal because of lack of space.