The Editor,
Re: "SPCA defends adoption policy," Letters, Aug. 31. "SPCA barking up wrong tree," Letters, Aug. 24.
We read Geoff Cooper's letter from Aug. 24 and could very much sympathize with his story as we experienced something similar.
I will be very clear that our experience took place at the SPCA office on No. 3 Road as Lorie Chortyk stated that Mr. Cooper may have been confused as to where he went to adopt a kitten.
We took our four young daughters to the SPCA office to see the kittens and decide on one to adopt. We did fill out the application and spent about half an hour with the kitten we all agreed upon. I stated on the application that we had a 15-year-old cat at home and was told we had to have a vet check the cat before we could adopt the kitten. So, I took our cat to the vet and learned she was diabetic but was told not to medicate her as it would be too stressful and uncomfortable.
I then phoned the SPCA and the representative advised me that our application would have to be approved by the office manager, so we would have to wait another day to adopt the kitten.
I called again the next day only to be told our application had been denied because of concern for the care of our 15year-old cat! I advised her our cat had been very well cared for, and that is how she managed to live very happily for 15 years.
My husband then called to express his concerns regarding this judgement of us based on such limited information. He was hung up on. A short while later, an SPCA constable arrived at our home having been told there was extreme concern for the mistreatment and denial of medication for our cat. He viewed our home and our cat and was able to quickly assess she was quite comfortable in our home.
We filed a complaint at the provincial office where the manager was great and assisted us in finally adopting a kitten - not from the SPCA office but from a Bosley's store where some of the SPCA cats are housed.
Ben and Michelle Biancofiore Richmond
