The Animal Advocates Society WatchDog News

Is any SPCA no-kill?

Posted By: AAS
Date: Monday, 26 January 2009, at 8:40 a.m.

In Response To: Maple Ridge SPCA buck provincial trend (AAS)

It's not very likely that Maple Ridge SPCA employee Michel Massey said the SPCA was no-kill as no one at the SPCA (so far) uses that term. But ever since 2002, when the SPCA was exposed by volunteers on TV for killing a lot of nice dogs for space (claiming falsely that the dogs were all aggressive and then being exposed for that deceit too), and it did frantic damage-control by announcing that it would no longer kill for space, the public has thought (not surprisingly) that the SPCA is no-kill.

The "moratorium on killing for space" was soon revealed as bogus, but was replaced by SPCA statements such as this one made by BC SPCA Craig Daniell in the Vancouver Sun (February 13, 2008), 'When the SPCA must euthanize an animal, it is for the same reason so-called 'no-kill' facilities euthanize animals — to end the suffering of an animal that is beyond medical help' , further led the public to assume that the SPCA is no-kill. AAS is told frequently by confused animal-lovers that the SPCA is no-kill.

AAS did a poll of many animal rescue groups and none of them agree that they euthanize for the many reasons the SPCA does (See '56 Reasons' list below). In fact, most of the reasons on the SPCA's list 'euthanasia' list aren't euthanasia: they are flat-out killing for space, or the SPCA's version of 'disease control' or to save money.

Messages In This Thread

Maple Ridge SPCA buck provincial trend
AAS -- Monday, 26 January 2009, at 8:36 a.m.

Is any SPCA no-kill?
AAS -- Monday, 26 January 2009, at 8:40 a.m.

The SPCA's list of 56 reasons it can kill for while saying it doesn't kill except to end the suffering of an animal that is 'beyond medical help'
AAS -- Monday, 26 January 2009, at 8:52 a.m.

I currently have a cat hanging around my house who meets #21, #13, #25 and #55 on the SPCA's list of 56 reasons to euthanize
Glenda Cosgrove -- Monday, 26 January 2009, at 6:24 p.m.

SPCA: #27 - Head trauma and/or #38 - Neurological problems and consequently require #18 - Behavior assessment!
Diane Young -- Wednesday, 4 February 2009, at 6:41 a.m.

I rescued a mother cat and her 3 beautiful kittens and turned them over ...
Carol Johnston -- Friday, 6 February 2009, at 6:08 a.m.

Experiences at the NFLD SPCA raises questions
Kelly Aitken -- Tuesday, 3 March 2009, at 10:37 p.m.

If someone is going to kill them, should that agency be an animal welfare society?
AAS -- Saturday, 7 March 2009, at 2:34 p.m.

Simple: just be honest and soon there will be nothing to criticize and no more critics to threaten to sue
AAS -- Monday, 26 January 2009, at 8:57 a.m.

Why are fewer animals being left at SPCA 'shelters'?
AAS -- Monday, 26 January 2009, at 9:19 a.m.

People are trusting the alternatives to the SPCA
AAS -- Monday, 26 January 2009, at 9:22 a.m.

Action for Animals in Distress "takes senior cats from shelters like the SPCA where they would normally be euthanized"
AAS -- Monday, 26 January 2009, at 9:24 a.m.

Bad personal experiences means more people trust the alternatives to the SPCA
Glenda Cosgrove -- Thursday, 29 January 2009, at 6:45 p.m.

My experience with most of the staff all those years is that they were uncaring and even rude and arrogant
Glenda Cosgrove -- Tuesday, 3 February 2009, at 8:53 a.m.

Hard to choose my favourite reason to kill on the SPCA's list
AAS -- Monday, 26 January 2009, at 9:26 a.m.

If goverment had a list like this for humans, think of the money that would be saved
Lucy Cochrane -- Monday, 2 February 2009, at 8:01 a.m.

Same old, same old: #17 'Excessive vocalization'
AAS -- Monday, 26 January 2009, at 9:28 a.m.

What reasons on the '56 Reasons' list did the SPCA use to kill Richmond resident Michael Carich's cats? *LINK*
AAS -- Monday, 26 January 2009, at 9:45 a.m.

#11 'Declared dangerous' - Raymond's video
AAS -- Monday, 26 January 2009, at 9:48 a.m.

This is why some SPCA staff are still stealing animals from SPCAs
AAS -- Monday, 26 January 2009, at 9:50 a.m.

I think the public deserves to know so it can decide who to donate to based on true facts
Marilyn Seivers -- Tuesday, 27 January 2009, at 3:23 p.m.

Faith destroyed
Tove Olsen -- Tuesday, 27 January 2009, at 3:18 p.m.

Where I live there is a humane society that is the same as your SPCA
Rosemary Wilson -- Wednesday, 28 January 2009, at 6:25 a.m.

One way to relieve distress is to kill the distressed
AAS -- Saturday, 31 January 2009, at 5:43 a.m.

Re: One way to relieve distress is to kill the distressed *LINK* *PIC*
AAS -- Saturday, 31 January 2009, at 6:07 a.m.

Please honour Gwen by reading her story *LINK* *PIC*
AAS -- Saturday, 31 January 2009, at 6:18 a.m.

Do the SPCA fine words match its actions?
AAS -- Saturday, 31 January 2009, at 6:34 a.m.

Not the case for small animals
Lisa Hutcheon -- Monday, 26 January 2009, at 10:21 a.m.

How many of the SPCA's reasons are reasonable?
Carmina Gooch -- Monday, 26 January 2009, at 5:37 p.m.

L.A.: Settlement Sets Stricter Rules for Animal Killing at Shelters *LINK*
AAS -- Wednesday, 28 January 2009, at 9:46 a.m.

Shamefully, animal advocates in BC will have to make the BC SPCA limit the reasons it can kill
AAS -- Wednesday, 28 January 2009, at 9:49 a.m.

"Our limited resources are better used in caring for animals than in litigation,"
AAS -- Thursday, 29 January 2009, at 9:06 a.m.