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Animal rights groups urge meat ban at SPCA events
Society accused of hypocrisy for barbecued meat at fundraisers
Nicholas Read, Vancouver Sun
Published: Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Energized by their success in Prince Rupert last week where they convinced the local SPCA to cancel a fundraising event that involved boiling live crabs, animal-rights activists now want the B.C. SPCA to ban the serving of meat at all society fundraising functions.
"This is prime time to ask the SPCA to revisit their own policies to do with fundraisers, and to roll out a new policy that would work towards events that would not involve the killing of animals," said Sinikka Crosland, president of The Responsible Animal Care Society, an Okanagan-based animal-protection group.
Crosland, who was instrumental in organizing an online campaign against a proposed Aug. 27 crab cook-off to benefit the Prince Rupert branch, said it was hypocritical of the SPCA -- an organization that seeks to prevent cruelty to all animals -- to condone the intensive farming and killing of animals for meat by serving it at fundraising events.
"The SPCA does a lot of good work," she said. "Who else would take in the homeless cats and dogs? That needs to be said. However, I think they need to go beyond that. This is not just about dogs and cats; it's about factory-farmed animals too."
The Canadian Voice for Animals, a North Shore-based animal-protection group, has posted an online petition demanding an end to all SPCA fundraising events that involve the serving and consuming of meat.
"We, the undersigned, join the Canadian Voice for Animals and its co-sponsors in condemning the B.C. SPCA and its branches for blatantly condoning the eating of other animals to raise money to help save dogs and cats and all cuddly animals," it says.
"We demand that all fundraising events that have animal products on the menu be stopped once and for all."
It says fundraising barbecues are planned in Kamloops, Penticton, Vernon, Powell River, Surrey, Squamish, Campbell River, Comox, Grand Forks and 100 Mile House.
Craig Naherniak, general manager of humane education for the B.C. SPCA, said vegetarian choices are often available at SPCA fundraising events, and that branches "are moving in that direction."
However, he said it was not B.C. SPCA policy to force branches to discontinue cooking and serving meat. That was a matter for individual branches to decide on their own.
"Each individual makes choices as to how they think they can make an impact," Naherniak said. "As the organization progresses, people become more critical of their food choices. I see in the foreseeable future that we will have people in the branches ready to make that step."
In the meantime, he said he hoped branches would serve SPCA-certified products -- eggs, chicken, beef and dairy products -- where possible. SPCA-certified meat has been raised according to a set of humane standards.
The Sea Shepherd Society, which organized the campaign against the Prince Rupert SPCA crab boil, is not involved in the current campaign, though society founder Paul Watson said he supports it.
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THE PETITION
We, the undersigned, join www.canadianvoiceforanimals.org, and its co-sponsors in condemning the B.C. SPCA and its branches for blatantly condoning the eating of other animals to raise money to help save dogs and cats and all cuddly animals. We demand that all fundraising events that have animal products on the menu be stopped once and for all.
Animal rights groups urge meat ban at SPCA events
Society accused of hypocrisy for barbecued meat at fundraisers
Nicholas Read, Vancouver Sun
Published: Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Like all who love animals, it is difficult to understand what part of the words Cruelty To Animals that the SPCA doesn't understand.
While we've had confirmation that the Prince Rupert branch cancelled the crab boil slated for August 27th because of bad public relations, they still have plans for several up-and-coming fundraising events.
The statement can be found at www.canadianvoiceforanimals.org
© The Vancouver Sun 2006