SPCA Tampa Bay proclaims:
Misrepresentation or selective use of our data—regardless of disclaimers—can cause real and measurable harm. SPCA Tampa Bay does not permit the unauthorized alteration or misuse of our statistics. We welcome questions from anyone who is seeking clarity or context, and we remain committed to honest dialogue and shared accountability.
We are fortunate that the SPCATB “welcomes questions from anyone seeking clarity and context.”
In the spirit of the SPCATB ‘s commitment to “honest dialogue and shared accountability,” the following questions seek “clarity and context.” Accompanying these questions are some observations.
Killing for space. The elephant in the room
Agencies with leadership like the SPCATB do their best to bury this conversation. “Killing for space” is a sad practice for population control to make room for incoming animals. It is a widespread practice. It is disguised with clever labels, categories and policies of which the SPCA is very proficient.
The SPCA administration knows it, the employees know it and the entire animal welfare industry knows it. Do the donors know it?
We are fortunate that the SPCATB “welcomes questions from anyone seeking clarity and context.”
In the spirit of the SPCATB ‘s commitment to “honest dialogue and shared accountability,” the following questions seek “clarity and context.” Accompanying these questions are some observations.
Question: What percentage of surrendered animals entering the SPCA are adoptable?
Question: What percentage of those surrendered adoptable animals are adopted out?
Question: What percentage of adoptable surrendered animals are destroyed/killed?
Question: Why did the SPCA abandon participation in the low-cost spay/neuter voucher program?
Our commitment to transparency is as bold as our mission.
Observation: Producing this data as questioned above would show genuine transparency and accountability.
Because to truly serve a community, you must see all of it. And that’s exactly what we strive to do.
Observation: The fee to receive a call back to reclaim a surrendered pet used to be posted on the agency’s website. It is no longer.
Question: Is that fee for a phone call still $100?
Observation: In the COMMUNITY SERVICES category of the “Community Impact Statistics” is listed:
1,173 “orphaned or injured wildlife were brought in by the community.” In earlier reporting this category of animals was listed under “intake.”
Question: Why this change of category?
Question: What happened to this wildlife? Were they euthanized? Did they go to a wildlife rehabilitation? Did they get adopted?
Observation: They seem to have just kind of vanished, as if into thin air! Why not a breakdown of their disposition in the proclaimed spirit of transparency?
Our commitment to transparency is as bold as our mission.
Observations: It is remarkable that in 7 months there was only 1 puppy and one kitten reported as born. Did you recognize that the chance of having a singleton puppy born is 1% and it is extremely rare to have a singleton kitten born. And SPCATB had both!!
Animals in. Disposition of animals out. How hard is that?