I am president of the Creston Pet Adoption and Welfare Society, the group that rescued the 56+ mixed breed dogs chained to trees at Topaz Creek last July.

I want to say how horrified I am at the direction the BC SPCA is going with their CAMP and other policies regarding the assessment and treatment of so many of the animals that have been seized lately.

We hear on a regular basis about one puppy mill seizure after another because of Craig Daniell's hard work and commitment. I wonder if he can really feel satisfied about what he has done to date when he looks at the fate of the animals he is supposed to be rescuing? I know I would begin to wonder what the point of all that work is if the animals he safes are just prolonging their misery and delaying their inevitable execution!

From personal experience, being the primary rescuer, foster mom, resocializer and rehabilitator of the Topaz dogs, I can attest to the fact that methods such as those in the SPCA's CAMP are unreasonable, unrealistic and absolutely ridiculous. NONE of the Topaz dogs would be able to pass those tests. The 50 plus proud, wonderful families that have taken a Topaz dog into their homes and hearts and send me regular testaments of what a little time, love, care and training can do are living proof that what the SPCA is doing is WRONG!!!

The SPCA seems to be nothing more than a bulk disposal service, bent on ridding the province on all but a few "perfect" pets!
Why doesn't the SPCA realize that the best pets are those that are given the proper environment of a safe, loving home, regardless of their background. The sterile, unfeeling, prison-like environment of the SPCA shelters are an impossible place for a pet to display its true character. Imagine what would happen if a 2 year old child were to be placed in such an environment. What kind of social behaviour would that child develop?

Our rescue of the Topaz dogs last summer, dogs that were completely unsocialized, underfed, chained, wounded and abused, is proof of the fact that MOST dogs are rehabilitatable, given the chance. WE did it, without temperament testing, without professionals, WITHOUT AN ANIMAL SHELTER!!! And last week, three of those dogs (ones that are still needing homes, but in the meantime are being fostered, loved, and obedience trained at my home) that would surely have been euthanized almost immediately by the SPCA and their CAMP test, calmly and happily marched down main street in our local Victoria Day parade, led by local children!

As far as I can see, the SPCA is going backward into a policy of coldness, brutality, and needless slaughter rather than one of care, compassion and rehabilitation. It makes me wonder if the ones making the decisions have their own, or even like animals at all!

When volunteers of the BC SPCA are quitting in such numbers, don't they get the message?? If the SPCA were doing it "right" there would be no need for all of us private rescues! It is time they faced the fact that they have made some drastic mistakes, and time they STOPPED!!! Get out of the "science" and "business" of animal "control" and get into the wonderful rewards of animal Welfare and Rehabilitation!

Vicki McDonald, President
Creston PAWS
Read how Creston PAWS rescued and rehomed many abused and neglected large-breed dogs at: http://www.animaladvocates.com/beaverdell-topaz.htm