BC SPCA protocol I have been told is to vaccinate before animals are kennelled. This however is done by the intake person, sometimes with and sometimes without a certified veterinary technician checking the animal first.
Unfortunately this means ill animals with already compromised systems are vaccinated and put in with the general population be that population healthy or in some instances suffering from common environmental illnesses such as upper respiratory infections for cats and kennel cough for dogs. Vaccinating the animal does not give the animal immediate protection unfortunately so animals that were ill are now further compromised by the vaccine as well as being exposed to a communicable disease in some instances.
For years the BC SPCA did not vaccinate at all but pressure from rescue groups and the public resulted in change. However, common sense should play a part in this but does not seem to.
When the society I am involved with rescues an animal a veterinarian that we trust determines whether the animal being rescued is healthy enough to be vaccinated. If the animal is ill, instead of vaccination the suggested treatment is started and vaccination is done when the animal is considered healthy.
The SPCA assess personality traits individually. Why can it not assess medical treatment individually as well?