Posted By: AAS Date: Friday, 9 May 2003, at 1:47 p.m.

"New SPCA policy under fire

Critics say SPCA’s new CAMP process will put animals to death unnecessarily
By Mark Browne

A new policy that will see a lot more cats and dogs put down at the Victoria branch of the SPCA has raised the hackles of animal rights activists.

Dave Shishkoff, a volunteer with the Victoria SPCA and a member of the Animal Rights Kollective known as ARK II, says the BC SPCA’s head office is planning to implement a new policy under which many more cats and dogs being sheltered at all the organization’s facilities will be put to death.

The Companion Animal Amendment Management Program (CAMP) represents a reversal of the Victoria SPCA’s existing policy, where most cats and dogs have been kept alive, Shishkoff argues.

“It will result in the deaths of many more animals here in the city,” says Shishkoff.
He points out ARK II members have been working hard during the past eight months to try and ensure the Victoria SPCA is a “no-kill shelter”.

Diane Hart, manager of the Victoria SPCA, concedes that CAMP is being implemented, and a lot more cats and dogs will end up being euthanized because of it.

“I don’t think it’s the intent of the program, but I think it will be the result. Let’s face it, the bottom line is there’s way more animals than we can cope with,” she says.

That said, Hart says its important that the public take the responsibility to ensure their pets are spayed and neutered. Otherwise, the Victoria SPCA will be forced to adhere to CAMP and put more cats and dogs to sleep, she says.
“As long as the public doesn’t understand it’s their problem, we’re always going to be overrun with animals, which means we’re going to have to kill them,” says Hart. “I don’t like killing animals. it’s horrible for our staff to have to do this.”

An information meeting was held at the Victoria SPCA on April 28, where interested members of the public were given an overview of CAMP.

“Not too many people in the audience were very impressed. It confirmed a lot of our fears and brought up new fears,” says Shishkoff.

Shishkoff is critical of CAMP criteria outlining when an animal is adoptable and when it should be euthanized.

If a dog arrives at the SPCA the animal is placed in “solitary confinement” for four days in case the owner shows up looking for the dog, he says. The dog is also segregated in case the animal is suffering from any illness.

The dog is then assessed to determine whether the animal is prone to aggressive behaviour, says Shishkoff.

A staff member will lean “menacingly” toward the dog to determine its level of aggression, claims Shishkoff.

Then the dog is subjected to the CAMP process, he says. Based on the dog’s response to the assessment, the animal will then be classified as either orange zone, green zone or red zone, which is the most severe, he says.

“If a dog is red-zoned, they’re immediately slated for killing. They like to call it euthanasia, but technically euthanasia is the mercy kill of a terminally ill or injured animal,” says Shishkoff. “That does not apply here because there’s nothing wrong with the dog, they’re just acting the way that they act.”
Dogs who fall into the orange zone are deemed to be not quite as aggressive while dogs marked as green zone are considered adoptable, he says.
Shishkoff says many dogs are simply scared and being protective. Even with no history of aggression, they are deemed aggressive before being red-zoned.

Hart acknowledges concerns have been raised about the subjective form of assessment being employed before a dog is classified under CAMP.

“So we’re using a temporary tool and unfortunately the temporary tool is not adequate. And it’s what’s causing all these (animal rights) groups to get upset,” says Hart.

However, she says while the existing temperament test might not be perfect, she suggests it is still necessary to subject a dog to stress as part of the assessment, providing at least some clues to a dog’s temperament.

But, at the same time, Hart says dogs who are adopted won’t be placed under such stress.
“So I agree that we should go by the test — that gives us information — and we should go by the (dog’s) history, and that gives us information,” she explains.

In any event, she notes a new and improved temperament test for dogs, currently on trial run at the University of British Columbia, will soon be implemented at the SPCA branches across the province.

Shishkoff criticizes the SPCA’s policy of euthanizing orange-zone dogs to make room for the adoptable green zone dogs.

Hart says most dogs at the Victoria SPCA fall into the orange zone.

If resources can’t be found to deal with orange-zone dogs, she says they will have to be put down so there will be room for dogs in the green zone.
Hart says she’s hopeful that more dog trainers in the Capital Region will donate time in modifying orange-zoned dogs so they will become adoptable.
At the end of the day, she reiterates that Greater Victoria residents need to be more diligent in ensuring their pets are spayed and neutered.

“That’s the bottom line, we need everybody’s help,” says Hart."

Two months after Hart tells the media "that CAMP is being implemented, and a lot more cats and dogs will end up being euthanized because of it", look what happens ....

BCSPCA Fast Tracks - July 4, 2003

"Layoffs Announced

Acting CEO Craig Daniell met with staff this week to share the difficult news that several management and supervisory positions have been eliminated from the 2003 final budget. The Board of Directors approved the cost-reducing measures at its meeting on June 28th in order to ensure that the Society does not incur a growing deficit. The Society has been required to draw on reserves in recent years as the cost of providing direct care for animals and conducting cruelty investigations has risen. Craig Daniell said the layoffs were necessary in order to be financially responsible but were made with deep regret. “These are highly-skilled, quality individuals who have given so much to the Society.”

The affected positions are: Kim Capri (COO), Steve Raper (Regional Manager, North), Cindy Soules (Regional Manager, Fraser Valley), Jacqui Hall (Companion Animal Welfare Research), Lynne Dunnett (Bookkeeping), Kae Harman (Education), Laura Mowbray (Farm Animal Welfare), A. D. (Communications), Bernice Demchuk (Volunteer Supervisor), Steven McGibbon (Branch Manager, Boundary), Diane Hart (Branch Manager, Victoria). The internal clinic that services shelter animals at the Victoria Branch will also close, resulting in the layoff of two animal health technicians, Tara Carlson and Raelle Hanley. Bob Gordon (Manager of Shelter Logistics) will begin a 20-month working notice period.

The BC SPCA has 400 employees throughout BC. None of the layoffs affect front-line shelter staff."