From a CTV newscast: The newscaster asked Ms. Towell how the people got away with keeping dogs in these conditions for so long.
"I guess because nobody could see them. I guess that - you know - obviously if we'd have been aware of the conditions prior, we would have been out there before we were. We responded as soon as we received a complaint."
The Port Alberni SPCA didn't know about this? From the Vancouver Sun story: "... the dogs found were emaciated, dehydrated, flea-ridden and some so matted, it was hard to tell they were dogs, (18 year Port Alberni SPCA manager) Towell said. Some were unable to walk because their paws were so matted, and a few are blind.
Most were found in living spaces covered with feces and urine. A few of the dogs had water, but it wasn't drinkable, Towell said. There was no food when the officers searched the home."
AAS has been investigating the SPCA and puppy mills for years and we have never had a puppy mill reported to us that wasn't already reported to the SPCA, usually many times, often for years, even decades. The SPCA admits to knowing of one breeder that has operated in the interior since 1956. Everyone always reports all abuse to the SPCA long before they report it to AAS and then only out of anger and disgust at the SPCA for not acting.
AAS has known about this puppy mill since 2001. The people who reported it to us told us that they reported it to the SPCA.
Not only that, but this puppy mill operated right in Port Alberni, before it relocated outside of Port Alberni - because of complaints!
We don't believe that the Port Alberni SPCA had no previous knowledge of this puppy mill.
Why would the SPCA ignore this and other puppy mills for so long? And why raid it now? And why claim not to have known?
And if the SPCA is sincere about wanting to prevent cruelty why has it declined AAS's offer of it's Puppy Trafficking database?