Sent to CEO Craig Daniell, alternative rescue groups, media and the members of the BC SPCA Board of Directors:
Ms. Gourkow treated the rescue groups and members of the public in an appalling manner. She was insulting, she belittled, she talked down to, she was sarcastic, she rolled her eyes, she snickered as she looked over at her fellow employees, all this while people were speaking to her. Not one person that spoke at the meeting was out of line, yet Ms. Gourkow spoke to the group as if we were wasting her time and beneath her. Her arrogance and ego were suffocating to everyone in the room.
July 15, 2004
To: Mr. Craig Daniell, CEO, BCSPCA
I am writing you this letter to inform you, SPCA Board of Directors, and concerned citizens what my views are on the DTA4 Assessment Test (a way of 'assessing' dogs temperament and personality) being used at the Victoria SPCA. I would also like to let you know how unprofessional and insulting Ms. Gourkow (Animal Welfare Manager) was at the Victoria meeting held on Monday July 12.
I am having a difficult time understanding why the SPCA has in its employ Ms. Nadine Gourkow and why she is a public representative of the SPCA when clearly she lacks professionalism, is unable or unwilling to respond to questions, and shows disregard for the general public's concerns. This was apparent with every interview and every lie regarding Cheech and was reinforced on Monday at the DTA4 meeting held by Ms Gourkow in Victoria.
I was informed of this meeting only days before and knew nothing of it until Carol Sonnex from Greater Victoria Animal Crusaders informed me. I am guessing there were 15 people in attendance, not including SPCA staff & Volunteers and I know for a fact 10 of us (maybe more) would not have been there if Ms. Sonnex had not shared information that this meeting was being held.
If this was an 'open public forum' why was it not advertised on the Victoria SPCA website? And if there was an actual concern about what the general public, donators and members thought certainly advertising in the local newspapers and on radio would have ensured a larger cross section of views and opinions. Considering these are the very people that keep the SPCA funded and allow for employees to receive paycheques, then should they not also have had a voice in regards to the welfare of animals? My guess is this is the exact reason it did not happen - the public would not allow the DTA4 if they actually knew more details about it. It appears this was another scheme well coordinated by the SPCA.
I will provide you the example I gave Ms. Gourkow (who rolled her eyes and dismissed me at the meeting) as to why the DTA4 is ridiculous and unfair to dogs being assessed by SPCA employees.
#1. Large Rotty X - Lived 2 years under a 1' high deck. Occasional water, occasional food, occasionally off a tether, no shelter, nails curling under his feet, never groomed, hair falling out from malnutrition, eyes oozing, both ears infected and, infested with fleas. He had never seen another dog or cat or human, other than his abuser who beat him on a regular basis with a broom handle for barking.
#2. Large Husky X - Chained for 2 years. Even less water and food then #1. The owners abandoned and chained him to a tether when they were evicted. He was there for one month before an angel of a neighbour heard the cries, found him and asked Big Heart for help. He should be well over 100lbs but was under 70lbs when found. You could wrap your fingers around his spine at his waist he was so skinny. On his final day attached to a chain, someone (probably a frustrated neighbour who had enough with the crying and barking and got tired of calling the SPCA and being ignored) poisoned him. He should have been dead and I honestly still do not know how he made it. His stomach was filled with rocks/sticks & grass. He was doing what he could to barely stay alive.
Note:Although off topic I would like to take this opportunity to inform you that the SPCA was called NUMEROUS times regarding both these dogs and nothing was done - thankfully Big Heart Rescue did respond!
Both these dogs are loving, sweet and gentle. #1 was top of his class for training and will be starting training to do Hospital & Care Facility visits and therapy. #2 has only been in training for two weeks and is already doing advanced classes because he is so intelligent and eager to please. They spend their days with 10 other dogs in day-care who they love and play with and spend their home time with numerous small children coming and going, all of this without issue, concern or problems.
If #1 had been cut from his tether, pulled into a SPCA Van, brought back to the so called 'shelter' and stuck in one of the cement cells - he would have become insane, curled up in the back of the cell shaking in fear and showing his teeth at anyone that walked past.
If a male "assessor" was sent into his cell on day 2 to do the DTA4 Assessment he would have growled and lunged in fear. This, according to Ms. Gourkow would have meant RED ZONE because she considers lunging in fear as 'attacking'. She has also stated that fear aggression is the worst type of aggression because it is unpredictable and you never know when the dog will 'attack', and made it clear that she couldn't possibly send these dogs out into the public. With this evaluation he would have been killed and no one would have ever known of his struggle for life or his needless death!
As far as #2 is concerned, if the SPCA had attempted to seize him most likely he would have attacked on site before he was actually removed. But if this did not happen and he was taken to an SPCA facility, given a bone and then an assessor attempted to remove the bone (an example Ms. Gourkow gave as being part of the test) he would have, at the absolute very least, resisted and growled and I have no doubt in my mind the reaction would have been much worse. This would indicate a Red Zone dog and he also would have been killed immediately without just cause.
I have now demonstrated two cases of how DTA4 would NOT work and sets dogs up for failure. Proof that innocent dogs ARE dying and will continue to die if this method of 'testing' them continues. After a short time of rehabilitation neither of the two rescued dogs show aggression. Why? Because they were handled and dealt with correctly from day one. They were looked at as individuals. The neighbours were all spoken to so as to get a history on them. They were loved, made to feel safe, made to feel like there is nothing to be scared of and no one is going to hurt them. It is the SPCA and the SPCA procedures that cause problems in many of these dogs. Dogs that are wonderful problem-free animals GET problems and TURN aggressive from being terrified in unfamiliar territory. Any dog that had an ounce of neglect or abuse in the past would be 10 times worse in an SPCA environment, and to say you can test a dog under those circumstances is absolutely incredulous.
When the above stories were put to Ms. Gourkow (in much shorter form) she stated, "how do you know they would have been killed?" and "we don't base killing on these tests". If every dog is looked at individually and the test doesn't mean anything, then why have it, why do it and what does it mean? When I asked the question, "If an dog is Red Zoned what would happen?", Ms. Gourkow did not respond. This is not surprising because she did not answer questions, she just rambled and said,"PhD and scientific" every now and again. I guess we were supposed to be impressed. For the record, I was not.
According to Ms. Gourkow there isn't enough money or resources to deal with dogs like this (red zone) and she asked an audience member, "What are we supposed to do with them, are you going to take them?" I'd like to make it VERY clear that that IS what WE do. WE take these dogs. WE rehabilitate them. WE foster them. WE find them perfect homes and WE have a ZERO return rate, so apparently WE are doing something right and that is without 'PhD' or 'scientific' anything.
This is what Rescue is about, to SAVE abused & neglected dogs and we do all of this with limited funds, no paycheques, no awards and no recognition.
Ms. Gourkow treated the rescue groups and members of the public in an appalling manner. She was insulting, she belittled, she talked down to, she was sarcastic, she rolled her eyes, she snickered as she looked over at her fellow employees, all this while people were speaking to her. Not one person that spoke at the meeting was out of line, yet Ms. Gourkow spoke to the group as if we were wasting her time and beneath her. Her arrogance and ego were suffocating to everyone in the room.
Valerie Lykkemark (Victoria SPCA Manager) made a statement in a pretentious manner about wanting to work together with rescue. The above is exactly why there are so many who are involved in rescue that want nothing to do with the SPCA. It is because of people within the SPCA like Nadine Gourkow and Valerie Lykkemark that push us further and further away. It is because of the calls we receive saying, "The SPCA told me to call", or "I've called the SPCA and they won't do anything, can you help?", that cause us not to be able to work together. It is the unanswered questions, the lies and the arrogance.
I would like to leave on a positive note to thank the SPCA employees & volunteers who have stood their ground on not wanting DTA4 brought in and to those few that are actually there for the animals and do work together with rescue.
Thank you,
Jenn Wagnor
Board Member
Big Heart Rescue Society
E-mail: harleywags@shaw.ca