The Vancouver Sun article Lyn is referring to covered this issue beautifully and really put the focus where it should be. The Kamloops Daily News then picked it up and did a further excellent article exposing the fact that various SPCA branches use meat in their fundraising BBQs. Anyone concerned about the hyprocrisy of grilling some animals in order to prevent cruelty to others should approach their local shelters in order to help steer them in a humane veggie direction. We will be doing this in Kelowna, and I'm receiving feedback from activists (even one group in Nova Scotia) that they are doing likewise. There is a similar movement underway south of the border...the Pioneer Valley branch of the humane society has now agreed to serve vegetarian food.
Just to clarify what Lyn is questioning: in the course of being interviewed, I did indicate that the SPCA takes in "large quantities" of homeless cats and dogs (rather than the inference that they do all of the rescuing and that no one else does anything), and I suspect that the lack of these words in the printed article appears to have deflected from the main issue, thus upsetting certain folks who are involved in rescuing animals. Under no circumstances do I feel that the SPCA is the "only" organization to re-home needy animals. If this were the case, I would be seriously undermining our own society, TRACS (we have found homes for hundreds of at-risk horses over the last decade, as well as many, many dogs, cats, rabbits, etc. ....see www.tracs-bc.ca ). Over the years, I have been very concerned with the mass killings of shelter animals, have campaigned fervently against this, and have achieved some media and resulting public awareness concerning the issue. It is my opinion, however, that the SPCA needs to be credited for the good things they do, and in our campaigning for individual branches to switch to veggie fundraisers, I believe that a pat on the back is crucial when they decide to do what is in the best interests of all animals.
Sinikka Crosland