SPCA unveils efforts to reduce shelter noise

Malcolm Curtis
Times Colonist
Friday, October 22, 2004

A cat-and-dog fight between Victoria and the SPCA may be nearing an end.

The animal-care agency presented Thursday a much-delayed plan to stop the noise from barking dogs by soundproofing its Napier Lane shelter.

Burnside area residents have long complained about the yowling sounds from the SPCA's pound overlooking Cecilia Ravine Park. The city threatened to take the society to court to enforce its noise bylaw, a situation averted by a mediated settlement between the two sides in January.

Mary Lou Troman, BCSPCA president, said the organization has committed to a four-phase program to rebuild the shelter.

The first phase, costing $400,000 and to be completed by next November, would see some kennels enclosed, following up on other interim measures already taken to cut dog noise.

"There's been a dramatic reduction in the number of complaints we've received," said Craig Daniell, the society's CEO.

Further phases will enclose other kennels, create a dog-adoption centre, expand the room for small animals such as rabbits, create a cat-adoption area and improve staff offices. The society has hired Moore-Paterson architects to design the new building.

However, the society said the proposals depend on the city committing to a property-tax exemption worth about $35,000 a year. And the SPCA also needs a long-term commitment that it won't be moved from its current location. That is needed before it plans to launch a campaign to raise up to $3 million to finance the final phases of the building plan.

Councillors had pointed questions about the SPCA's finances and its lack of communication with the city and neighbours.

The provincial society has faced criticism for spending money obtained from bequests on overly rich salaries for administrators. Troman said that issue has been addressed with the firing of a former executive director who was paid $203,000 a year. The current CEO receives $105,000, she said.

Troman became the society's volunteer president following a shakeup of the organization earlier this year. She could not say whether bequests from Victoria residents, possibly in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, have been siphoned off for uses by the SPCA elsewhere.

But she said the society's operations in Victoria are running in the red this year by about $500,000, an amount that is being covered from the provincial budget.

The SPCA promised to provide the city with further financial information. City staff will be returning to council with a report on the group's proposal.

Mayor Alan Lowe said he hopes that work on a new shelter can still be completed in two years. If that doesn't happen, the city can go back to court to force compliance with the mediated settlement, he indicated.