To: Valerie Lykkemark, Victoria SPCA Manager.

Victoria Cat Rescue Corps Society is absolutely fed up with the Victoria branch of the BCSPCA referring pet owners to us for spay, neuter, and especially medical assistance, without also offering to help us with these matters. I am especially outraged that some of your staff and telling callers that "Cat Rescue Corps (and other groups like GVAC, etc) offer assistance in these matters for the SPCA"

We DO NOT offer our callers assistance "for the SPCA", and we are NOT your resource in the community for spay, neuter, and medical assistance for low income pet owners. It is your mandate to help ALL animals, especially in medical emergencies, whether the animal is owned or not. Please consult your Five Freedoms - particularly Freedom numbers 2, 3,and 4- to refresh your memory.

We work with certain veterinarians in the Greater Victoria Area who are compassionate enough to offer our callers reduced costs; the SPCA will not even offer a small monetary donation toward treatment despite the millions of dollars in donations it receives each year. Forthwith, our selected veterinarians are the ONLY people who may refer callers to us for financial assistance.

Please immediately STOP referring callers to the Victoria Cat Rescue Corps for assistance of any kind unless you are also prepared to help. It's time you were finally honest with the public; it's time to tell callers the real reason you won't help them. If you don't, I will be more than pleased to.
Sincerely,
Sherry Buttnor,
President,
Victoria Cat Rescue Corps Society.