From S. Crosland: tracs@shaw.ca: edited by messagebaord administration:

Mass Extermination of Dogs at Kelowna SPCA! Help stop the killing....please circulate this widely!

If you were shocked and horrified by the 5 p.m. news today, please copy/paste the following letter and send to:
spca@spca.bc.ca .
Please also copy/paste the following media e-mail
addresses into your "c.c." field.
nread@pacpress.southam.ca;
edit@kelownacapnews.com;
ross.freake@ok.bc.ca;
info@castanet.net;
letters@cbc.ca;
tabtips@pacpress.southam.ca

Copy/paste the following text into a new message:

Date:

President Michael Steven and Board of Directors,
The Chief Executive Officer,
BC SPCA
spca@spca.bc.ca

It was with shock and horror that I received the news regarding the deaths of 10 "Beaverdell" dogs at the Kelowna shelter on Friday, January 31, 2003. These animals were allegedly euthanized in order to "protect" the public. Yet volunteers and ex-staff who had worked extensively with the dogs claimed that they were not a danger, and were progressing favourably with a walking program and socialization. Further, I quote an excerpt from a Victoria Times Colonist article (Thursday, January 30, 2003): "Animal trainer Don Sullivan believes abused dogs can quickly recover from their emotional scars, provided their new owners firmly discipline their animals....Sullivan has been successful with his tough-love approach...." ("Dogs, poultry saved from living in filth").

I strongly believe that the SPCA has made a serious judgment error, and ten beautiful dogs have recently paid the price. Therefore, I call upon the BC SPCA to completely oversee the operations of its individual shelters, and to enforce the existing no-kill policy. According to volunteers, most of these animals would have been adoptable within a reasonable period of time, and some could even have been adopted out immediately. Already exhibiting sociable behaviour, they would have continued to improve--particularly when removed from unnatural confinement. Therefore, there was no excuse for this mass killing.

Yours truly,

(your name and address)