By Nigel Maxwell

SPCA facing questions over ‘big changes’

May 28, 2015 | 10:27 AM

The executive director of the Prince Albert SPCA is assuring the public that the animals at the shelter are safe and the shelter remains fully staffed.

John Morash is responding to some concerns raised in the community recently over the SPCA’s operations and staff turnover. A number of long time staff members have been let go or have walked out.

One of those former employees is Megan Boucher, who said that when Morash was hired in January, the transition was tough getting used to.

“I tried really hard to be unbiased and then within a couple months it started to escalate and I was just wondering the type of things he was doing, how he was handling certain things, how he was treating certain staff members,” said Boucher.

Boucher eventually wrote a letter to the board of directors, outlining her issues with Morash’s management style. Much to her surprise, Boucher learned that the letter was given to Morash and Boucher was called in for a meeting.

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“He handed me a letter, told me I was being sent home with pay on decision-making leave. I had until Sunday, May 17, 8 a.m. to decide if I was going to be on board and be a part of the team.”

When Boucher went to work that Sunday, she was fired.

Morash told paNOW that he could not comment on specific cases.

“We’ve had to make some very difficult but necessary changes to the operation and some of that included changes to staff,” he said. His reasoning for those changes is that they came as the result of a consultant’s report.

Earlier this year, the board hired a consulting firm, Humane Society Management Services. Their job was to evaluate the practices of the SPCA and recommend ways the shelter could run better.

Morash said it has been his job to implement those recommendations. More than 50 per cent have been put in place.

“I just wanted to read a direct quote from the consultant’s report. It says ‘failure to make these changes in service or allocation of resources poses a significant danger to both animals, humans and provides a foreseeable threat to staff, animals and volunteers.’”

He added that the SPCA has also brought in a veterinarian from Park Range Vet Services to help elevate the shelter’s level of care, by teaching staff about disease recognition, vaccinations, and micro-chipping. He added they will continue to do this on a regular basis to ensure staff have training from experts.

“Because the issue isn’t just caring for animals, which of course is our mandate and our primary focus, but we also have to ensure that practices are good for our staff and volunteers and their safety,” said SPCA Board President Joleen McCullagh.

McCullagh also addressed a rumour that has been circulating on social media regarding the shelter’s euthanization policy. Morash said he saw one Facebook post that went so far as to refer to the shelter a as a “slaughterhouse.”

“The common … policy for the shelter is that we are no-kill shelter and we continue to be that,” she said. “The animals aren’t euthanized to make space or for minor reasons, it has to be an extreme situation before that occurs.”

According to Morash, one of those extreme situations would involve a sick animal that does not respond to medical treatments and the SPCA would euthanize on the recommendation of a veterinarian.

“Or in the case of an extremely aggressive animal that we couldn’t in good conscience adopt out into the community, but we have an expert assess that and give us a recommendation,” he said.

Morash said it’s very rare that this occurs, only happening once in the past five months.

One of the SPCA’s newest policy changes affects volunteers.  All volunteers are now required to fill out a form and go through a period of training and orientation.

Maureen Hannah, 59, encountered this policy last weekend when she came in to the shelter to walk dogs. She was told she would have to fill out a form.

“I just wondered why after 10 years of being a volunteer, and they did say it was for everybody, all of a sudden we all have to sign a new volunteer agreement?” Hannah asked.

During Hannah’s time at the shelter, she claims she had a tense encounter with Morash. She was told she was causing trouble for talking to staff.

“He told me to leave, at first he told me ‘you have to leave right now.’ I said ‘are you throwing me out of the building?’”

Upon returning to the shelter, Hannah said she was told she would be welcome to come back when she filled out the form.

Morash explained the new policy is merely a means to protect the animals and volunteers.

“These are things that are really going to help if you are a volunteer to come down, because you are going to learn a lot more about the animal and how to do things in best practices,” said Morash.

McCullagh reiterated that this is a very new policy and so will explain why a lot of long time volunteers are unfamiliar with it.  She said the change in policy was based on the consultant’s report. 

paNOW has learned that several staff members have approached Occupational Health and Safety with their concerns, and a review of the claims is underway.

McCullagh said the board has full confidence in Morash’s ability to manage the shelter.

“I can say we are completely supportive of the decisions John has made and his management of the shelter,” she said.

Both Morash and McCullagh said they recognize there is some “misinformation” being circulated about the shelter, and so are encouraging the public to call the shelter if they have any questions.

“Better yet, just come down to the shelter and we’ll give you the tour and we can show the miracles that are happening there every day, it’s a wonderful place to be,” said Morash.

nmaxwell@panow.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell