Re: Lenore Leitch’s letter to the editor “Dog ban is good” (The NEWS, Aug. 13).
While it’s wonderful that the Saltspring SPCA has a large enough volunteer base to accomplish dog sitting at the market there, we find it difficult to have enough volunteers for the ongoing fundraising and dog socializing done for the animals without a home in our shelter’s care.
Many of us donate a lot of our time in several areas to try to cover this shortfall.
I challenge Leitch to take on/put into effect her suggestion and donate the money to the local SPCA.
Some things she might consider:
Volunteers available 52 weeks of the year for what could be a five hour shift.
Volunteers sufficiently trained to handle the altercations that would occur with dogs unknown to each other being handled by strangers in a small space.
(According to other writers these altercations seemingly occur at the market even when the dogs are under the alert care of their humans.)
Waivers to be signed by volunteers and the dogs’ humans in the event of injuries to either dogs or people.
First aid kits for humans and animals.
Crates for dogs volunteers may have difficulty handling or when all the volunteers can’t show up. [Ah yes!]
Volunteers will need to know how to have a dog enter a crate in a safe (for volunteers as well as dogs) and humane way. One crate per dog for sanitary/health reasons.
Sturdy fencing to surround the area in the event a dog gets loose.
At the end of the morning, disposal of full poop bags, with water bowls, crates and fencing needing to be disinfected and stored for next week’s use.
Garda Rowe, SPCA VolunteerParksville
