In response to Louise Walker’s letter to this newspaper, I would like to clarify the current contract between the City of Richmond and Richmond Animal Protection Society. The City hired our society to operate the municipal animal shelter and provide animal control services during regular office hours, 7 days a week. During the evenings, our voicemail directs callers to a phone number for the City Bylaws Department, who take care of animal problems until 9 p.m. After-hours calls for help regarding injured domestic animals can be made to the Vancouver SPCA.

We searched our voicemail log and cannot find any record of a call from Ms. Walker to Richmond Animal Shelter. That is why we weren’t able to respond to her situation. Since Ms. Walker made several calls that night, we believe she must have left her message with another organization.

It is unfortunate that Ms. Walker wasn’t able to shelter the stray dog at her home overnight. We wish she had called us again the next day with a description of the dog, so that we could have helped find it. It is possible, though, that we may have since picked up the dog and brought it to the safety of our shelter, or returned it to its home.

If Ms. Walker were to visit our shelters, she would see the high standard of care and compassion provided by our staff and volunteers. She would experience the many positive changes that have been made in the short time since we assumed management of the City shelter and turned it into a no-kill facility.

We understand Ms. Walker’s frustration when the stray dog appeared in her yard, however she wrongly accused us and discounted all of the good work we do for our community. In an ideal world, skilled help would always be immediately available to rescue every animal in need. However, the reality is that animal welfare in Richmond needs to be a partnership between caring individuals like Ms. Walker, our shelters and the municipality.

Leslie Landa
Richmond Animal Protection Society