MARCH 23, 2009 PRESS RELEASE
March 23, 2009 NEWS RELEASESt. John's SPCA Prepares for Recession to Hit Pet Owners in 2009
Shelter Faced with Increased Requests for Financial Assistance from Pet OwnersSt. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador -
The global economic slowdown is starting to affect pet owners in Newfoundland and Labrador as many people struggle to pay for basic care for their pets. In 2009, the St. John's SPCA is receiving a higher number of requests than usual from pet owners who are seeking financial assistance from the SPCA.The requests range from veterinary assistance, food and shelter - to people relinquishing their pets to the SPCA due to financial circumstances.
Backyard Breeders on the Rise
The operation of so many unregulated dog breeders in the province has been identified as the biggest contributor to the animal overpopulation problem.
Backyard breeders breed unregistered animals and sell the puppies without papers for tax-free income. The SPCA received a number of complaint calls in 2008 from the public who had purchased dogs from unregistered breeders. The SPCA responded recently to an anonymous complaint call about a backyard breeder in Carbonear where unregistered Yorkie puppies are sold for $1200 each. The family keeps14 Yorkie adult dogs that are used as breeding stock with seven of the dogs kept in a shed in the backyard. "Under current laws, anyone can set up their own backyard breeding operation with no regulations in place governing the health of the dogs or the conditions," said Debbie Powers, SPCA Shelter Director. "It is an easy way to make tax-free income with the public completely unaware of the condition of these puppies and the inhumane conditions under which they are bred," Powers added. Backyard breeders operate everywhere in Newfoundland and Labrador. They advertise their puppies for sale on Kijiji, the Buy and Sell magazine and on NL Classifieds online.
Animal Protection Act - New Provincial Legislation in 2009
The office of the Minister of Natural Resources and Minister Responsible for the Forestry and Agrifoods Agency, the Honourable Kathy Dunderdale, has confirmed that the department will meet with the SPCA in 2009 to implement long-awaited changes to the Animal Protection Act. The SPCA's request to meet with the Department to review the outdated legislation has been outstanding since 2006. Changes to the Animal Protection Act that need to be addressed include:
• An increase in fines and penalties for persons convicted of animal cruelty and abuse• Prohibition orders for offenders which could involve offenders being banned from having possession of animals for periods up to and including a lifetime
• All costs for animal care borne by the SPCA be paid by the offender, in cases of conviction• Legislation similar to Alberta - anyone using animals in research would have to adhere to the standards articulated by the Canadian Council on Animal Care
• Included among the regulations would be the prescribing of forms for adoption and surrender of animals and for search warrants dealing with the seizure of animals in distress and the entry into dwellings for purposes of such seizures
• The right of unannounced inspection of premises where animals are kept for hire, sale or adoption
• Legislative change to permit immediate euthanasia where it is impracticable to seize or house animals because of their size or nature or because of the lack of facilities for doing so
• Legislative change to allow for constructive de jure or purely legal seizures as opposed to actual physical seizures where appropriate
• A prohibition against animals traveling without enclosure protection in the back of trucks, the biggest problem being dogs in the back of pick-ups whether tethered or un-tethered in as much as this poses a hazard to the animals and to the motoring public
• Legislative change prescribing that the SPCA and each of its branches are separate bodies corporate similar to what exists in the Nova Scotia legislation
• Regulations to deal with a variety of other matters relating to animal care"Newfoundland and Labrador has not kept pace with animal protection legislation in other Provinces such as British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Alberta," said David Buffett, President of the Newfoundland and Labrador SPCA. "Fines and penalties are so inadequate that they are no longer considered a deterrent. We will be working with Minister Dunderdale's Department to model our Animal Protection legislation largely after Alberta's with some modeling after Nova Scotia's legislation," Buffett added.
Plans for Spay Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP)
The SPCA held a targeted fundraiser in October, 2008 to establish a Spay Neuter Assistance Program for the pets of low income owners. Proceeds from the fundraiser, private donations and a donation from the cat food manufacturer, Whiskas, will be used to subsidize the sterilization surgery for low income pet owners. A detailed proposal was sent to all veterinary clinics on the Avalon Peninsula and the SPCA is reporting a positive response to date from many of the clinics. Details of the program will be announced when the program is finalized."The SPCA is committed to reducing shelter euthanasia," said Debbie Powers, SPCA Shelter Director. "We want to work together with people and veterinarians to address the overpopulation of pets, which is becoming a community-wide problem. No birth is the first step to stopping the flow of so many unwanted animals," Powers added.
Feral Cat Colonies Increasing in Rural Communities
The St. John's SPCA receives daily calls from citizens across the Avalon Peninsula who request assistance with the growing colonies of feral cats that they are feeding on their properties. In some cases the SPCA is able to respond and provide assistance however, the shelter does not have enough staff to respond to the high number of calls coming in from all the communities. A female cat can go into heat at six months of age and produce up to three litters in a single year. Instead of spaying and neutering their cats, people are abandoning them in apartments, municipal dumps and in wooded areas. The SPCA is concerned that worsening economic conditions will add to the problem of people not spaying and neutering their pets.
Municipalities Need to Step Up
Many municipalities and towns across Newfoundland and Labrador have no animal control service with the responsibility for animal care falling on the SPCA. In 2008 the St. John's SPCA responded to 400 calls of neglect and assistance with stray and injured animals across the Avalon Peninsula. All travel costs and veterinary bills are covered by the SPCA's fundraising resources."The SPCA can not be an animal control service for so many towns and municipalities," said Debbie Powers, SPCA Shelter Director. "The time has come for the municipalities to accept responsibility for running their communities and provide basic animal control," Powers added. "Sadly, there are dogs in all our communities that live a miserable existence at the end of a short chain where they are forgotten," said Powers. "Better animal control by-laws can address this serious problem by requiring that owners provide optimal levels of care for their animals," Powers added.
Medicare is Free - Veterinary Care is not
At a time when the SPCA is faced with higher veterinary bills, 2008 also marked the end of Sobeys and Dominion's grocery store tape program which accounted for $18,000 in bottom line fundraising.
The St. John's SPCA statistics for the year ending December 31, 2008 are as follows:
TOTAL ANIMALS: 2264
DOGS - 470 total
Stray 174; Abandoned 15; Owners brought in 250; Seized 31; Adopted 399; Euthanized 71
CATS - 1418 total
Stray 480; Abandoned 226;Owners brought in 684;Seized 28;Adopted 662; Euthanized 756
OTHER ANIMALS (rabbits, Guinea pigs & other animals) Total: 26
ANIMALS HELPED OUTSIDE SHELTER*Total: 350 * In emergency cases, the SPCA provides outreach services to animals in distress.
Facts
• In 2008, it cost $350,000 to operate the St. John's SPCA.
• The SPCA has four cat rooms and can accommodate 25 cats comfortably. Eight dogs can be housed at the St. John's SPCA.
• Less than 5% of stray animals wear identification.
• There are two special constables who respond to neglect calls for communities across the Avalon Peninsula.
• The most common reasons cited for giving up a pet is "can no longer afford", "moving" or "allergies."
• Hundreds of dogs across the province spend are chained in isolation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
How to Help:
• Report animal cruelty and suspected animal abuse to the St. John's SPCA at 709.726.0301 Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (1-800-222-8477) or the City of St. John's Humane Services or the Police.
• Sign the online petition against the chaining of dogs at www.petitiononline.com/unchain
• Adopt a Pet - A friend for life is waiting at the shelter.
• Make a donation. The Newfoundland and Labrador SPCA is a non-profit charitable organization.
About the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA)
The SPCA has been in Newfoundland since 1888 when their early work was focused on horses and the hardship they endured from pulling heavy loads up steep hills from the St. John's harbor.
There are seven SPCA branches in Newfoundland and Labrador; St. John's, Clarenville, Burin, Gander, Bay of Islands, Exploits Valley and Happy Valley Goose Bay.
The Newfoundland and Labrador SPCA provides province-wide leadership on matters relating to the prevention of cruelty to animals and the promotion of animal welfare, and works with its branches to encourage humane and suitable animal care; calls attention to unacceptable practices that harm animals; investigates cruelty complaints; advocates for humane laws; and provides care to all animals in need.
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