Martha Boden, CEO of SPCA Tampa Bay and former CEO of the Humane Society of Indianapolis, told a television reporter earlier this year that her new approach and policies at SPCA/TB “are working”, and that the proof is in lower intake and euthanasia numbers.
Well, when you refuse to accept homeless stray animals at a shelter and require an appointment to surrender a pet, intake numbers certainly DO go down. And when you send less-desirable dogs – those who are not young, not small, or not in perfect health – to county animal services to be killed there instead, the number of animals killed at your facility may indeed appear smaller.
But animals are still dying.
The many volunteers and staff members – more than 100 – who have either been fired or have left SPCA/TB because they refuse to support these policies have reported other ways in which they see the policies working.
The “proof” is in the incidences of neglect, intimidation and abuse.
The “proof” is in a 75-90% kennel vacancy rate while dogs are being killed at Pinellas County Animal Services.
The “proof” is assuring that animals are quickly killed and/or allowed to suffer.
The “proof” is not recording animals who come into the facility.
The “proof” is that the city of Largo has asked the SPCA/TB not to include them as a current supporter.
The “proof” is that fewer rescue groups than ever before are engaged with the SPCA.
The “proof” is the callous dismissal of caring community members from an agency to which they have given years of service and which they are committed to saving.
The “proof” is the growing momentum to educate the community as to what is really going on behind the kennel doors at SPCA Tampa Bay.
The “proof” is that the SPCA now appears to stand for Society for the Perpetuation of Cruelty to Animals.
The “proof” is that the city of Largo says it has never received an acknowledgement or thanks for a $5K per year allocation of tax dollars to SPCA/TB. Consequently, that subsidy will end.
The “proof” is in the fact that SPCA/TB is not the same organization it was before 2011.
In the words of those who continue to fight the approach and policies that “are working”:
We ARE NOT disgruntled volunteers. We are caring and compassionate people who care deeply about the animals that enter that “shelter”. While some of the former volunteers recently left and some have been gone more than a year, we still care. I think that in itself proves our point that we are not disgruntled, as others would have given up by now. We will continue to fight until we get back our SPCA from the demons who have driven it into the ground and for the future of the animals that unfortunately find themselves at this horrible place.
That’s not “disgruntled”. That’s courageous.