I am a retired high school teacher, living in Kelowna for more than 20 years. For the past six years, I have been a member of the Okanagan Humane Society, a non-profit charity that assists low-income families with the cost of spaying or neutering their pets. I foster around 25 animals and find them homes once they are fixed and vaccinated. In the past five years, I have placed over 600 animals for the OHS.
I have also been a volunteer and a supporting member of the SPCA for 7 years. I have observed and worked closely with four professional dog trainers in Kelowna, trying to learn as much as possible about "man's best friend." I have walked, fostered and arranged adoptions for both the OHS and the SPCA -- about 1,400 dogs altogether.
Many people were enthusiastic when the SPCA rescued a large number of dogs from Beaverdell last summer - the problem there had been recognized for many years. The poor creatures who had lived their lives tied up to trees were now at the SPCA kennels. Because of a court case through the summer months, they did not legally belong to the B.C. SPCA until November. At that time, about half of them were put down. Twenty-one remained and they were allowed to be taken for a daily walk with some of the more experienced dog-walkers. I was one of them.
I learned from SPCA management that the dogs had been through heavy drug therapy and that two teams of experts had assessed them. Apparently, they strongly disagreed with each other.
I did not expect much: lonely, confused dogs now living in a clean but very confined area, not neutered, lacking exercise and contact with humans, with nothing to do and barking for attention. The shelter is closed 16 hours a day. During the eight hours of operation, there are many duties for staff who can spend only limited time with the dogs. When I suggested asking for the help of local dog trainers and the members of other animal charities, I was told that the experts (Nadine Gourkow from B.C. SPCA and Dr. Rebecca Ledger from England, staying currently in Vancouver) were directing the staff over the phone. I understand the last time the experts actually saw the dogs was in November.
By the middle of December, I was pleasantly surprised to meet friendly, attractive dogs. They were jumping all over me and my girlfriend, competing for our attention. Some were shy, wanting to come close and be touched, but didn't quite know how. Others were licking my ear as I hugged them, even enjoying a bellyrub, which for a dog is a sign of absolute trust.
They desperately needed to get out of the shelter, to familiarize themselves with worldly things -- doors, stairs, cars, etc. So after caring for my own dogs for 1˝ to 2 hours (walking, scrubbing and cleaning) each morning, I then came to the shelter to spend at least another two hours walking in the afternoon with my new-found friends. Things were going so well. Some of the dogs needed lots of encouragement to make their way through the shelter's parking lot and along an extremely busy road to reach Mission Creek. Others coped surprisingly well. We met many folks with their dogs during those weeks of walking along the Creek. Not once did we experience any problem with aggressiveness or even growling. Many passers-by complimented the dogs on their good behavior and asked why they were not available for adoption. We spent a lot of time writing detailed reports about each dog and its reaction to everything.
About the middle of January, the shelter was closed for 12 days because it was feared two puppies in the adoption area had Parvo. All the Beaverdell dogs had been vaccinated the previous summer and, having no contact with sick puppies, were not in danger. But, I learned from management that their fate would be decided at B.C. SPCA that week. Many members of other animal groups in Kelowna were worried and started asking questions and sending e-mails. I was extremely pleased to be invited to a meeting with SPCA management and SPCA District Manager Bob Busch. I was told there was no need for panic, that it was just a regular assessment meeting of the whole shelter in Vancouver. Next day, January 17, Capital News ran a story on the dogs which said, in part, "This week, animal groups were in a frenzy after a rumor circulated that the dogs would be destroyed. The rumor was false…." Was it?!
On January 31, while on my way to the shelter, I had the car radio on and heard to my horror that 10 dogs had been killed the previous day. I was so shocked I almost drove into the ditch - it absolutely could not be true! They could not have lied to us! But, the truck parked by the SPCA garage and the man dragging large heavy green bags from deep freeze confirmed the horrible truth. Ten more of my wonderful friends were gone. I wanted to run and scream and break all the windows and let the whole world know. I do not know how I forced myself to go in and look at the empty kennels. I had felt this much pain only once or twice in my life. That morning, my friend and I took two of the remaining dogs out in numb silence. Some of the most wonderful dogs were gone. WHY?!
During the past six weeks, three small animal charities offered to help spay or neuter at least three dogs each. I communicated this to SPCA management on two occasions. I was told that money was no problem and the offer was not accepted. When I read later in the local paper that, "…we have really spent a great deal of time to rehabilitate these dogs, we gave them every opportunity," I felt sick to my stomach. The fate of the dogs had been decided by people who had never taken one of these dog for a walk and most probably had never entered their dog kennel. Everything indicates that the dogs were killed in the shelter by two members of staff. When questioned whether she had euthanized the animals, Dr Patt, the branch's vet, could not answer. To this day, not one dog has been spayed or neutered and not one is available for adoption. They never had a chance!
Okanagan Collie Rescue, a local animal welfare group, deals with horribly abused and neglected dogs every week - 28 just in the month of January. Some of the dogs had been kept in wooden boxes, never seeing the light of day. At Okanagan Collie Rescue, with no shelter and no government support, the dogs were all spayed or neutered, fostered and ultimately found new homes, thanks to the tireless dedicated volunteers. In the last four years, ONE very ill dog was put down.
All these fact can be verified.
On the night of February 2, 2003, as I was leaving the shelter completely exhausted, I said quietly to one of the staff members, "How do you guys sleep at night? I don't." The following morning the manager, Russ Forrand, called me and announced that I was not allowed in the shelter any more. This is the same man who has invited me on numerous occasions to his office to discuss various problems; this is the same man who told me three weeks ago at the SPCA management meeting that there was "no need for panic." He also admitted to me at a meeting in the Regional Office on KLO shortly after that he did not know the dogs since he is often out of the shelter on other business.
In the past 7 months two compassionate SPCA employees at the shelter were fired and replaced by young inexperienced staff.
Helena Pol
Kelowna, B.C