It is so gratifying to see AAS's years of hard and relentless work putting together an organization that is so wide-spread and credible that we are able to help animals that we haven't even met.

It has not been easy building this large base of actively kind, decent and unselfish people.

It meant years of 10 to 12 hour days, every day, keeping on top of rescued dogs, vet bills, other animal rescue, training and rehabilitation, the website, the messageboard, educating and informing, networking and bringing people together so that there is a strong alternative organization speaking for animals - so that there isn't just one point of view in BC.

Since August 2004, two months after Cheech was rescued from death at the Delta SPCA by employees and volunteers after AAS offered to rehabilitate him for the SPCA so they wouldn't kill him and was refused, we now are paying for and dealing with the SPCA's massive SLAPP suit against us, so that our voice is no longer heard. This has added immeasurably to our burden.