Well the NS SPCA made good on it's - I don't want to say threat - and issued a news release today saying that "The Nova Scotia SPCA was denied core funding by the Province and has imposed an interim suspension of animal cruelty investigations as a result...The suspension is effective April 1, 2013."
There has been a huge response on local social media - of outrage and anger - and interestingly enough - none of it is directed at the NS SPCA - it is all being directed at the Nova Scotia government and the Minister of Agriculture, John MacDonell.
He actually went on the news tonight and said the following -
"MacDonell said the SPCA has more than enough money to handle animal-cruelty investigations....“Their most recent revenue statement shows that they took in over $1 million, and they’d indicated that the investigations cost them $200,000 to $270,000,” he told reporters at his office in downtown Halifax."
I have to say that this could perhaps be the most ARROGRANT thing I have ever heard a politician say in my entire life.
Where does he think that one million dollars came from?
Did he think it came from fairies or some money tree? It came from hard working Nova Scotians who DONATED that money to the Nova Scotia SPCA - and through the hard working volunteers at the SPCA who spent tireless hours fundraising for the homeless and abandoned animals of Nova Scotia.
What unmitigated gall does Mr. Mcdonell have to just claw back that one million dollars into his own coffers and say that that money is pretty much his own by saying that the NS SPCA can use that money to do the government's work?
I do a lot of volunteering with an organization called "Second Chance Charity for Animals" - and we give money to local rescues - and one of those rescues is the NS SPCA - and I have spent a lot of my personal time volunteering to raise money - so that John Mcdonell can then say that my tax dollars can be spent in places that I have no interest in.
I can pretty much guarantee you that not one dollar of that one million dollars went to purchase a generator to be installed in the personal home of the President of the NS SPCA, or for other frivolous items that you hear about every day being bought by the Nova Scotia government.
Every dollar of that one million dollars went to actually working on helping homeless and abandoned animals in Nova Scotia.
The outrage that is poring out today that is being directed at the Nova Scotia government is being directed at the correct organization.
You can contact your MLA from a list found here
You can contact John Mcdonell directly here - and his direct phone number is 1-888-827-2212
The NS SPCA's press release from today is here
A facebook campaign to "Keep the SPCA Cruelty Unit Going" - has been started and you can join it here
CTV News story about the story
if they have raised that much money where is it all going to justify them not being able to pay for a service they are bound to give by law, what is more important than what they exist to do? Kudos to those that helped raise that much money that is awesome, maybe we should be looking at how it is being spent! Also, if the government does give them money, do you think that volunteers should be running the organisation or should it all just be taken over like the school board.
ReplyDeleteThe fundraising is being spent operating animal shelters throughout Nova Scotia. DUH! Rescued animals need veterinary care that is costly, food, shelter, litter, heat, care etc. It is a miracle that the SPCA can operate the shelters on that much money to start with. Should we close the shelters to the funds raised can be spent providing government services instead?
DeleteVolunteers do not run the provincial shelter! It is staffed by paid employees. Where do you think the revenue comes from to pay said employees? Certainly NOT the government. How much do you think it costs to run a shelter on a yearly basis?
ReplyDeleteAnd what about the investigators? Who do you think pays their salaries? Again - certainly NOT the government. And bytheway, these two hard working people are now out of a job!!
The government should be ashamed of themselves - two investigators for the entire province. It's time to step up and stop wasting taxpayers hard earned dollars and do what's right!
anyone who thinks you can run a province wide orgranization on nothing but volunteers just doesn't understand. i can sympathize with small rescues who run on blood, sweat and tears looking at the spca donation income and getting angry but the spca is the building, and small rescues are the mortar that fill in the gaps that inevitably appear. it doesn't mean the spca is doing a bad job, or squandering the money. it's that small, local rescues can do things the spca cannot do. boots on the ground. stealth missions.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I am not a licences rescue nor do I call myself a rescue, but I do alot of bottle feeding, and shots and feeding, and puppy pads, alot of Purina puppy chow, and it dose cost alot of money and time. Wich I love every minute of it, even late night around the clock feedings. I also take in pregnant and nursing dogs, So I know it cost tons of money. I have put 1200.00 into 1 dog in 6 months, she had to have an eye removed, and later found out she was pregnant too, and she had to have an er c-section in the middle of the night, plus after all that she need a cherry eye fixed. And it was all money out of pocket. I love animals and just got done treating a stray cat that had been in a nasty cat fight, it was money out of my pocket, he is well and on his way back outside, never was happy in captivity so I feed him out doors.
DeleteI guess maybe a demonstration is necessary. For me calling the minister is a complete waste of time. I will be speaking to my local MLA I remind him frequently that I voted for him and worked on his campaign and he absolutely loves dogs. He is a good man and I know he will try his best to help.
ReplyDeleteÁgain a great post Joan! It needs to be shared far and wide to read.
ReplyDeleteFor Anonymous poster asking where the money is spent please read this:http://www.spcans.ca/news/683-20130219.html
Spending is about half way down the page.
We cant be silent on this... we need to do info pickets so people LEARN what is happening and has been happening.
I guess its the Animal Welfare version of Idle No More.
Heather Morrison
The government should be ashamed of themselves. We in the USA are very dissapointed in this recent attack on the animals of Canada. Fire that terrible Rep.
ReplyDeleteTo the first commenter - you are kidding right??????
ReplyDeleteDo you have ANY idea how expensive vetting, paying employees, and just running a physical location is?
Consider this - to vet 1 cat per year can cost an average of $900. ONE CAT. Not even taking under consideration dogs, who are often more expensive. So now consider that the SPCA often takes in animals who need an extreme amount of vetting, not just normal checkups. And then medication, even the sadly-sometimes-needed euthanasia for those who cannot be saved. Food. Phone bills. Power bills. Investigators. Staff. Supplies. Cages. Property taxes. and on and on and on.
If you are questioning how a million dollars could be spent by the SPCA, I'd like to see how you would handle all of those costs better - because if you have a better solution to all of this they badly need your advice!
I'm amazed that the SPCA has been able to do as much as they have province wide with just a million$! This is very distressing news and everyone needs to really step up to the plate and voice their concerns before we end up being the new puppy mill capital of North America, because there is no one to prevent it.
ReplyDeleteand if you want to weep seeing how our MLAs spend our money on their expenses, follow this link. the waste would more than fund the investigation/enforcement program. and that arrogant john macdonell leaned back in his chair and said 'maybe they need to check their priorities'. buster, you check your cohorts' priorities about dinging the taxpayers for $2300 for christmas cards.
ReplyDeletehttp://nslegislature.ca/index.php/people/offices/house-of-assembly-management-commission/expenses/#