I can empathize so strongly with Crystal.

Having spent years carefully rehabilitating and rehoming puppy mill dogs in the Okanagan, I came to feel especially close to each of these dogs and the suffering they endure.

When I agreed to share with Craig Daniell, BC SPCA Manager of Cruelty Investigations (and now also CEO) all my investigative information on the location and conditions of Okanagan puppy mills I made sure to tell him that I did so with the fear that these dogs might be seized and killed without a fair chance at rehabilitation by the BC SPCA.

The BC SPCA has a long history of making highly publicized donation-garnering seizures, then quietly killing the dogs when the fanfare has died. (see http://www.animaladvocates.com/beaverdell-topaz.htm).

But I made a leap of faith and gave my information to Craig Daniell while his Society was in the midst of killing the bulk of its most recent seizure, the Beaverdell dogs. I was hoping and trusting that Mr. Daniell would redirect the BC SPCA to truly serve animals. I was hoping that Mr. Daniell would ensure that the animals seized under his direction would be FAIRLY rehabilited, not left confined for weeks or months in concrete and chain link cells, terrified, and further psychologically destroyed.

I guess I was wrong. In May 2003, two puppy mill dogs were destroyed by Kamloops SPCA because, after six weeks in an SPCA cage, they were still fearful. Upon learning this, I emailed Craig Daniell and told him that until the BC SPCA could offer fair remedial therapy to its seized animals, I could no longer supply him with information regarding puppy mills in the Okanagan.

What is most frustrating though, is that I had offered to rehabilitate and pay all vet bills for any puppy mill dogs obtained by the BC SPCA as a result of my investigative work. I know these dogs. I know their behaviour problems, and am experienced in remedying them. I begged to be allowed to rehabilitate and pay the vet bills for any of these dogs that the SPCA would otherwise euthanize. I asked this specifically of Craig Daniell and Chief Operating Officer Kim Capri, in numerous emails. I was never acknowledged.

Last month the BC SPCA seized over 80 dogs from a puppy mill near Princeton. They are all being housed at the Kelowna SPCA, under the direction of Russ Forand and Kathy Woodward, the same senior staff who oversaw the culling and killing of 34 out of 46 Beaverdell puppy mill dogs earlier this year. Prior to the Princeton seizure, many of the puppy mill dogs seized from two previous raids in the Okanagan (both mills that I shared with Craig Daniell) were transferred to the Kelowna SPCA facility.

What is so disturbing to me about so many recently seized puppy mill dogs being transferred to Kelowna SPCA is that Kelowna branch manager Russ Forand has decided to hide them all from the public behind locked doors, security tape, and blankets tacked up against any chain link left uncovered.

Kelowna SPCA received a lot of bad publicity from people like myself and many others over the Beaverdell massacre. I can only assume that hiding any subsequent seized dogs is Mr. Forand's defense tactic against any further bad publicity.

Secrecy does not bode well when it comes to the BC SPCA. It comes with a long history of deceit. And SPCA deceitfulness is only self-serving, not animal serving.

I have emailed CEO Craig Daniell, COO Kim Capri, Regional Mangager Bob Busch, President Rick Sargent, and the Board of Directors, on numerous occasions, asking them why Kelowna branch now has a policy of sequestering seized animals, while Kamloops, Vernon, and Penticton branches do not. I have received no reply from any of the aformentioned parties. I also brought this matter up in a telephone conversation with President Rick Sargent, but he was quick to change the subject.

Almost every day someone asks me to update them on the dogs seized from the Princeton mill, or the Silver Creek mill, or the Falkland mill. All I can say is "I don't know, the SPCA is keeping them hidden, so I can't know what their condition or progress is, or even if they are alive or dead." And when they ask me why the dogs are hidden, all I can say again is "I don't know. I have asked many SPCA staff and directors many times, but no one will even acknowledge the question."

So Crystal, I really feel for you. People like us give all we have to help dogs like Missy, dogs in puppy mills, and countless other abused, confined, chained victims.

The BC SPCA said it was reforming. It said it was "moving forward in a new direction", so we decided to give it the benefit of the doubt. And where did that leave us? With unanswered questions and sleepless nights, wondering what it has done with the lives we entrusted to its care.

Being treated so inconsiderately by the BC SPCA is of little concern. What Crystal and I are greatly concerned about is the current and future welfare of the dogs whose plights we reported to the BC SPCA.

I have learned from experience that the old saying "No news is good news" does not apply to animals under the care of the BC SPCA. To me, no news means the betrayal of innocent lives at the hands of the Society that is supposed to prevent cruelty.

If I am wrong (and I do so hope that I am), then I welcome proof to the contrary. I would really love to know what has happened to ALL the seized puppy mill dogs, and I know that Crystal would love to know how her dear Missy is.

Jennifer Dickson
President, Okanagan Animal Welfare Foundation
Vernon BC