Delta dumps SPCA contract
Surrey Leader Wednesday Sept 1, 2004.

Delta drops SPCA contract

By Dan Ferguson
Staff Reporter
The SPCA may be about to lose its contract with Delta to operate the municipal animal shelter and provide animal control services.
Delta council voted unanimously Monday night to give the animal agency notice that the municipality will not be exercising its option to renew the current two-year contract, a decision that allows other groups to bid for the service.
Council also set a deadline for proposals by all interested groups, including the SPCA, of Oct. 18.
The current contract expires Dec. 31.
All bidders will have to agree to seven conditions, including a no-kill policy that bans putting animals down "except for rare and/or medically warranted situations."
The conditions are the result of a city staff review sought by Coun. Robert Campbell in the wake of the "Cheech" case, where two SPCA staffers spirited away a Rottweiler-Labrador cross from the Delta shelter to prevent the dog from being euthanized in June.
At the time, Campbell said he was personally offended by the agency's refusal to consider anything except putting the dog down.
"It's pretty heavy-handed," Campbell said.
SPCA spokesperson Lorie Chortyk said the agency was informed of the decision in advance of Monday's council meeting.
"It's disappointing, but that is their right," Chortyk said Tuesday.
"I think there's a lot of knee-jerk reaction in some places and it would be a shame if people made decisions based on a lot of letters to council," Chortyk added.
She could not say whether the SPCA will bid for the contract, but warned a blanket no-kill policy could mean dangerous animals on the streets.
Bidders for the contract are likely to include the recently formed Delta Humane Society, which was officially registered earlier this month with a board of directors that included former staff from the Delta SPCA.
Surrey's contract with the SPCA also expires this year.