Euthanasia necessary part of life at SPCA

By Naoibh O'Connor-Staff writer

The Vancouver SPCA is euthanizing dozens of animals each year despite introducing a program more than two years ago to find homes for all adoptable pets.

In March 2002, the organization decided to put down pets only for untreatable health problems and aggressive behaviour. Euthanizations to make space at the shelter or at an owner's request are no longer permitted.

Between March 2002 and February 2003, 1,200 cats (95 of which were euthanized)and 600 dogs (72 of which were euthanized) went through the shelter.

B.C. SPCA spokeswoman Lorie Chortyk said 52 of the canines were killed for aggressive behaviour or temperament problems, 11 for medical reasons, and nine after owners who couldn't afford vet bills brought them in to be put down for ill health. Of the 195 cats, 27 were euthanized for bad temperament, 151 for medical reasons and 17 at owners' request-also for health reasons.

Between March 2003 and February 2004, 74 dogs were put down-45 for temperament, 24 for medical and four for health issues at their owners' request. One was for an unspecified reason.

During the same period, 170 cats were killed-30 for temperament, 128 for medical, five for poor health at owners' request. Seven cases were for unspecified reasons.

Chortyk suspects the drop in cat euthanasia comes from the introduction of hideaways and perches into cat cages. The perches alleviate stress, which contributes to serious upper respiratory illness in felines.

"They can go down hill very quickly. It then spreads so you have to isolate them-it's a problem in shelters everywhere," Chortyk said. "[Now] their level of stress has gone down so the level of medical problems has gone down."

Temperament problems typically involve aggression. "We try and work with an animal but [we euthanize] if no progress is being made and we don't feel that things are going to be improved and we can't safely adopt them," Chortyk said. "With cats, it's primarily those that come in and are feral. We work with them for a period of time. Sometimes they're too aggressive, uncomfortable and stressed around people." The fact cats are no longer being killed because of space problems is a great accomplishment, according to Chortyk. Although animal welfare activists are critical of any euthanasia, she insists it's sometimes necessary.

"Decisions are always made with animal welfare in mind. Every no-kill shelter makes exactly the same decisions about temperament and medical euthanasia," she said. "That's the reality. Ideally, we would love every animal that comes to us, which we've rescued, to be in perfect condition and there is a loving home waiting for it, but that's not the reality of the way people treat animals in B.C."

Peter Fricker, the project and communications director for the Vancouver Humane Society, would not comment on the SPCA euthanasia rates until he had more information. But he said animals should only be killed as a last resort. The animal welfare group has pushed city hall for a bylaw forcing owners to spay and neuter their pets, but the municipality argues it doesn't have the legal authority to do so under the Vancouver Charter.

Other municipalities, including Richmond, Surrey and Coquitlam, have passed spay and neuter bylaws.