PRESS RELEASE
contact for more information:

Donna Liberson email liber@telus.net

March 22, 2005

The Animal Rights Coalition has finally obtained copies of the complaints against the BCSPCA with the intervention of the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner. The documents were received by The Animal Rights Coalition after a year long battle with Burnaby which tried to withhold the information despite being required to under the Freedom of Information Act.

Despite 22 gruesome allegations of animal abuse against the BCSPCA, Burnaby City Council renewed their Pound contract with the BCSPCA for three more years after holding an in camera meeting. The contract renewal comes with significant budget increases. The abuse allegations against the BCSPCA at the Burnaby Pound include:

· Cat with flesh rotting and covered with maggots left bleeding. Cat given no medical treatment was left to suffer before finally being killed by the SPCA

· Skinny pregnant cat did not receive medical treatment. Later killed by the SPCA.

· Cat with broken jaw waited an inhumane length of time before finally receiving care

· Rabbits left without food, water and medical care

· Dog requiring medical attention left to suffer for several weeks before receiving treatment

· Dog with torn ligaments suffers in a cage for 3 weeks before receiving medical care and then killed

“We were aware of the accusations a year ago but Burnaby withheld the information for over 8 months. Some of the incidents are gruesome. We are still fighting to get more details as most of the abuse has been whitewashed by Burnaby. We turned over what we could get to the RCMP to investigate.” said Donna Liberson of the Animal Rights Coalition.

Constable Bassi of the Burnaby RCMP was assigned to the case. After reviewing the evidence Bassi stated time had run out to press charges as animal cruelty incidents are summary convictions and charges have to be laid within 6 months of occurrence.

“It is time to create an independent organization to protect the animals of British Columbia. One that is accountable and paid for by government. What we have now is wrong. The BCSPCA is in charge of protecting animals for the province but here is evidence of them, the protector, being the grossest abuser.” said Barbara Fellnermayr, Burnaby resident and former manager of Vancouver and Coquitlam’s Municipal Pounds.

“There is no way to defend the animals against cruelty inflicted by the BCSPCA.

Trying to lay a complaint with the Police Services Commission is useless. The BCSPCA investigates itself or they choose and pay for an investigator whose findings of innocence are rubberstamped despite evidence of BCSPCA guilt.” Said Liberson

Burnaby City Councilor Redman initially obtained the complaint in November of 2003

The Council held a secret in camera meeting to discuss the abuse on November 17, 2003. Ten days later they renewed the BCSPCA contract for three more years with generous cost of living increases. Then a week after renewing their contract Burnaby sent a letter to the SPCA condemning the abuse of the animals in their care at the Burnaby Municipal Pound.