Ms. Rowe's plea for support of the SPCA "to fight for animals" left a sour note with me. The animals certainly need our support but I cannot understand SPCA's justification in spending tens of thousands of your donation dollars pursuing a lengthily and very costly legal suit against seven women and two men.

The defendants are accused of defaming the SPCA by questions and comments they have made regarding policies and practices of the organization. The suit has been in the works for over two years and is scheduled in court in September 2007. All the legal attention to such a law suit must come with a huge price tag. Since SPCA operates on a donation basis, it must be your donation dollars that are funding this suit.

These people are not part of some large corporation that could potentially result in huge monetary settlements in favour of the SPCA. They are individuals &/or members of voluntary rescue groups. There is no windfall to be had from any one or from all nine of them.

I'll answer your plea to support better conditions for the animals or improve the working conditions for the shelter workers. Just don't ask me to help pay lawyers' fees and court costs.

Bev Davis
Parksville, BC