The problem of animal abuse and neglect is not just rampant on remote BC reserves, it's a big problem on reserves everywhere. I have had the experience of living on the Esquimalt reserve in Victoria, BC. Veterinary care is at hand for everyone and still the majority of pet owners on reserve neglect to have their animals spayed/neutered, vaccinated, or provide care to sick and injured. The feral cat population is out of control, diseased and starved kitties are all over the reserves. If dogs are not wandering, they are chained in horrendous conditions. I walked past one house 2 days in a row where a dog had starved to death and was still chained, left to rot. I have visited other reserves in the area and have witnessed abuse so horrendous I don't think I can write about it. I don't know what can be done besides stealing chained dogs and trapping cats and having them spayed/neutered. But this doesn't do anything to fix the real problem as the people just get more animals. I've thought of raising awareness in native communities, but no one really seems to care, and the ones that do are few and far between. I'm so frustrated by this, and disgusted so many humans beings can look upon a suffering, neglected animal everyday and feel nothing. What is the answer? "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." ~Gandhi~