The BC SPCA and Petcetera

The BC SPCA and Petcetera's rabbit program

March 31, 2008

The BC SPCA and Petcetera continue their controversial business partnership into 2008, which began back in 1997. While part of the deal was that dogs and cats wouldn't be sold, this didn't apply to a vast assortment of other caged animals. After much public pressure, it was announced in March 2007, that Petcetera was selling out its remaining stock of rabbits and that they would only adopt out animals from the SPCA. Through the P.A.W.S. program the SPCA branches were going to supply sterilized rabbits to all Petcetera outlets in BC. Breeders were put on notice.

However, not everything is going smoothly, and a year later the six stores outside the Lower Mainland still stock baby bunnies, keeping the breeders in business. Somehow, Mr. Urbani’s commitment to reducing homelessness and “euthanasia” doesn’t ring true.

There have been numerous complaints to both the BC SPCA and Petcetera regarding the inadequate care of the rabbits at a number of the stores, and out of sheer frustration, members of the rabbit rescue community have adopted some of them. The SPCA has pulled all its animals from the Richmond store, and Petcetera acknowledges that the issues, problems, and logistics of the program are under review.

Meanwhile, two rabbits from the Burnaby SPCA were recently put into the Rupert store for adoption. Volunteers within the SPCA suggested to management that Martin, a black bunny, was not a suitable choice. Despite objections, he went. Over the course of several weeks, a network of rabbit advocates who monitor the stores, noticed that he was becoming overweight and stressed to the point of pulling out his fur. The SPCA was told and after repeated requests, on March 31st, the bunny was removed. The grey one remains.

September 2008 The BC SPCA pulls all its rabbits from Petcetera stores.

There have been a number of problems with the program, going back to February 1, 2005 when a pilot project was started at the Rupert store in Vancouver. We expressed concerns and were there regularly to monitor the rabbits and to bring educational materials. The information kept disappearing and the SPCA provided no care materials of its own. Meanwhile, Petcetera was still stocking the store with intact baby rabbits, and selling them at a lower price ($29.98) than the sterilized ones provided by the SPCA for the PAWS centre. ($49.98) An average of 5-7 babies were being sold weekly in the store, while the altered adult rabbits languished. Rabbit advocates pulled out at least half a dozen of the twelve that were provided to the store for the entire year! In the Spring of 2006 meetings between SPCA management and Petcetera's President, Mr Urbani, weren't going well. Finally, in the Fall of the same year, the program collapsed.

Due to ongoing pressure from animal welfarists and the public, Petcetera announced that it was ending the sale of rabbits in its Lower Mainland stores by April 2, 2007, and by September 1, 2007 in all BC stores. They reneged on the agreement, and stores outside the Lower Mainland continue to sell baby bunnies supplied by breeders. The BC SPCA has pulled all its rabbits from the stores that did have them. We visited a number of Petcetera locations recently and took some pictures. (September 2008)

Nanaimo Victoria

And in Penticton, just 68 km (42 miles) from Kelowna, where abandoned pet rabbits are being exterminated, the Petcetera store keeps selling them. Talk about an arrogant and irresponsible corporation.

Kelowna rabbits

Comment: The SPCA and Petcetera’s contract for this pilot project is up at the end of 2008. Regardless of all the pitfalls, we cannot let Petcetera bring back baby bunnies. If you have any information please contact us. rabbitadbc@shaw.ca