Dear Marisa,

I think it is wonderful that a young person such as yourself is so interested in Animal Welfare.

The reason I post comments on AAS that could be interpreted as anti-SPCA is to spread awareness and hopefully encourage positive change.

Do I want the SPCA to close? Not a chance, but I do want to see them start practising Animal Welfare not Animal Disposal.

The SPCA presently is a far from perfect organization that needs to change most of their policies in my opinion.
The first step would be to start educating people that animals are theirs for the life of the pet....not just until they tire of them and that the BC SPCA will institute a policy of Limited Surrender as of a specific date.
Next perhaps the BC SPCA could spay/neuter all of the animals they sell before they sell them to help with the problem of over-population. The BC SPCA should also have a recognizable and helpful spay/neuter plan that can be accessed by low-income owners and those helping stray and feral cats.
The BC SPCA also needs to rehabilitate animals rather than kill them, yes it is more expensive but Animal Welfare is not about killing not now, not ever.
Animal Welfare if done properly means only those terminally ill and suffering would be euthanised....no animal should be euthanised when healthy unless every effort has been made to save it.
The dogs you mentioned tugged at my heart as I tried to help Lolo, Misty and George. Misty in particular brings up a feeling of much sadness as I was told she was safe and not to continue trying to find a foster for her and a few days later she was dead. I posted Misty and George's story on April 9, 2004 on AAS. Jimmy was not helped at all in Surrey but instead when he got to Victoria. Jimmy's teeth were so bad he must have been in agony the whole time he was in Surrey yet nothing was done then to help him. The BC SPCA could charge an owner of a dog suffering like Jimmy yet for weeks and weeks while he was under the care and control of the BCSPCA he continued to suffer in Surrey and the BC SPCA did nothing to help him. That too is not Animal Welfare.

Marisa, keep on learning and please keep on asking questions...you and your friends are the future of Animal Welfare.