Surrey Leader
More bite needed: SPCA
By Jeff Nagel
Jun 03 2007

More money. More officers. More powers.

That's what the B.C. SPCA says is needed to take a much bigger bite out of the problem of animal abuse and neglect across the province.

Unlike most other agencies with policing powers, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals isn't an arm of government.

The non-profit agency is given the authority to investigate animal abuse and neglect through provincial legislation - the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Yet despite those delegated duties, the SPCA gets just $70,000 from the provincial government each year - money that goes to train officers.

Cruelty investigations general manager Marcie Moriarty says the contribution is a drop in the bucket compared to the $1.6 million her office spends each year.

The shortfall comes from donations from SPCA supporters, but it doesn't go far enough, leaving the organization cutting corners to save money.

"Our constables are driving around in vehicles you wouldn't let your own kids drive," Moriarty says.

"They're driving on back roads and these vehicles have upwards of 200,000 or 300,000 kilometres on them. They're in an absolute state of disrepair."

Similar bodies in the rest of the country get much more government support. Ontario gives its SPCA $1 million a year, and Alberta's gets more than $600,000.

"If we weren't here there would be nobody to do this job," Moriarty said.

A total of 23 full-time constables handle the cruelty investigation work, fanning out across the province.

"If we had 10 more constables full-time, we would be able to reach many more animals, especially in the northern areas of our province."

A case in point: Smithers residents found a taped-up cardboard box full of kittens. Just one was still alive. It had eaten the rest.

An SPCA presence could have made a difference, she says.

"There are horses starving out there that I hear about and I have to say, 'I'm really sorry, I can't do anything'."

Besides more funding, the SPCA is also pushing for changes to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

The group wants the power to issue compliance orders that if not followed, could result in an easy-to-issue fine - similar to police officers writing tickets for violations.

They also want expanded powers to enter yards or outbuildings without a warrant to make sure an order is being followed, and expanded power to inspect slaughter houses, boarding, breeding or training kennels, research establishments and vehicles used to transport animals.

Another change sought would expand the definition of "distress" - which can trigger a violation - to also include conditions that will over time hurt the animal's health or well-being.

Moriarty said that reflects a growing body of evidence on the emotional suffering of animals.

Proposed tougher federal law on animal cruelty is also before Parliament, but the SPCA here has little hope it will be of much use. It won't make it any easier to gain a conviction, Moriarty said, and without that, the threat of jail sentences are empty.

Instead, constables here will continue to primarily use the provincial law - which makes animal owners responsible for the conditions of care whether they intended to cause neglect or not.

The current maximum penalty it provides for cruelty to animals is a $2,000 fine or a maximum six months in prison, but the top penalties are rarely applied.

However, the judge can also order owners to pay restitution - sometimes hitting them with bills of more than $10,000 for the cost of care after animals are seized.

And the judge also has the power to slap offenders with a lifetime ban from owning animals.

"That is the most effective tool we have," she says.