Rescue versus SPCA

[Scribbler]

So I’m following this at a distance. BC Horse Angels Rescue in Salmon Arm, BC

This is a one woman slaughter rescue that constantly begs for cash and has about 60 horses, doesn’t adopt out much. I’ve had my doubts for a while.

However, a few days ago she started posting about SPCA visits. It sounds like it’s not the first time. Unclear what sparked off this visit, perhaps an anonymous complaint. From what she’s posting it sounds like the SPCA could find no real issues so they are writing her up on a lot of minor or imaginary issues like “contracted heels.” It really does sound like the SPCA is harassing her.

I’ve heard anecdotally about people having similar experiences with the BC SPCA.

I feel in this case the horse owner is problematic but also that there is nothing going that currently requires SPCA involvement.

BC Horse Angels

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02VacfY2SUGPXFe1mikyiZQ7C6zDvRCuade3mJRR5QTwYVPqtsHK5dMQN4T9597aD5l&id=100068092549583&mibextid=Nif5oz

[Old_Mac_Donald]

The rest of her page is quite evident she has fallen down the whack-a-doodle rabbit hole, but the horses she does show look ok. Can’t say I saw all 60 of them though…

[Highflyer1]

At least in my area, if someone reports something, they are obligated to check it out. I had a horse with a quarter crack as a kid, and that was reported (by someone trespassing, as the horses aren’t visible from the road) and merited a visit. Ditto for an old pony with a goiter. All of the horses were a good weight and had access to water/ pasture and the person investigating was a bit apologetic.

[clanter]

the powers of the SPCA vary by State in the US from little to great

https://www.animallaw.info/intro/humane-socieities-and-enforcement-powers

here the animal control of the city is directly under city police department as a subdivision. The most common problem with this arrangement is when the city’s ordinances for animal control ordinances that do not align with the state laws thus makes a mess. When the State changes or amends State law these city ordinances have to be corrected.

[ReSomething]

Here in KY animal issues are handled by a county Animal Control, with varying budgets and policies. SPCA exists as a national agency that does a lot of pathetic-animal type fundraising from a distance here, but in my county it competes with the Humane Society, which operates alongside AC and has a cooperative arrangement with them, shelter animals get sent to the Humane Society, which also has a shelter a few miles away. AC really does NOT want to seize horses, they cost a lot to feed and house.

Can an agency take a set against an operator of a rescue? You bet. Probably that’ll have to do with how many animals they have, how many calls they’ve gotten in the past, any news on the grapevine regarding whether the rescue is not able to pay for feed and vet care, and I expect sometimes how “likeable” the rescue operator is.

[hoopoe]

Unfortunately the term Humane Society can sometimes be HSUS and not your local independent humane shelter.

I don’t consider HSUS anything more than a money grabbing group the same as PITA

[Scribbler]

Here I think SPCA is empowered to do all seizures.

[sherian]

sadly from what I have seen most rescues degrade into hoarding situations and at least here the provincial vet has very minimal standards and resources so they can do little about it.