From: lori cumiskey
Sent: Sunday, October 20, 2002 1:42 PM
To: canderson@thenownewspaper.com
Subject: RE: Nichols asks that the spca not be blamed (letter to the
editor, opinion page)

I have been a long-time volunteer at various SPCA animal shelters and the Vancouver pound and have taken my fair share of animals in and found homes for them.

I have also paid out of my pocket for many neuters and spays when I hear that people can't afford this. I absolutely still blame the SPCA for animal overpopulation.

Why has the SPCA not pushed for control of breeding laws? They are the one body the government might listen to to enact such laws. How about if everyone who wants to breed dogs has to have a license to do so and must list this license number in the paper when they advertise? The licenses can be obtained from and paid to the SPCA. The SPCA could do spot-checks on
these breeders to check to make sure the premise is clean, and above all to make sure they are only breeding so many dogs per year. This would at least be a start to control the animal overpopulation.

Right now the fact that it is a free for-all and that there are no laws in place and anyone can breed anything, it is no wonder the shelters are exploding. And asking people to be responsible is ridiculous. There are always, always, always going to be irresponsible people breeding and irresponsible people who own pets. How about starting with making it illegal to breed pit bulls? It is beyond me as to why anyone can breed these dogs when the shelters are overflowing with them, and when they are often the most abused dogs I've seen. I can easily pick out the back yard breeders in newspaper advertisements. These are people who breed and breed and sell dogs to whoever has the money, and if I can pick them out, so can the SPCA.

These are the dogs that often get dumped at the SPCA. Why has the SPCA not shut these many puppy mills down?

I absolutely hold the SPCA responsible for every dog they euthanize and every dog or cat that ends up at their shelter. They are the governing body
that is supposed to do everything in their power to protect animals and they aren't doing that.

To expect citizens to be responsible is just ridiculous. It's like saying we don't need a police force because we expect people to be
responsible. I am beginning to find it patronizing every time the SPCA tries to defend itself.

Lori Cumiskey