By Andrew de Souza

SPCA wants fair share for poundkeeping

Jan 13, 2011 | 5:21 AM

The Prince Albert SPCA says the city must provide almost triple the funding it currently receives or the organization will have to stop taking in abandoned pets for the city.

At city council’s public budget presentations on Monday, SPCA board member Dan Troupe said the city needed to increase city funding to the organization to about $213,000 up from about $80,000.

“I’ll admit it’s a substantial increase but that’s the reality of running the pound,” Troupe said in an interview with paNOW.

He explained that since 1988, the SPCA had been the city’s poundkeeper, a service usually run municipal bylaw forces. Additionally, since 2004, the SPCA had been playing that role without an official agreement with the city.

Despite providing a city service, the SPCA was receiving significantly less than required and because of that, almost 71 cents of every dollar raised goes to running the operation.

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On Monday, Troupe told council it was unfair for donors to spend their money on what should be a city-funded service.

“We cannot and will not continue to ask our donors and the public who support our events for 71 cents of every dollar raised to pay pound costs,” he said.

“The impact has impeded our efforts to advance the programs and initiatives we want to implement for a better community in regards to animal welfare.

The SPCA board of directors was adamant that if the city did not increase funding or come up with a plan to increase it, the SPCA would seriously consider ending its role as the poundkeeper, Troupe said.

“If the city comes back with terms that are unfavourable, unreasonable, or we can’t come to an understanding, then we’ll make a decision as to whether or not we will remain the poundkeeper,” he said.

Troupe said the SPCA wanted to continue as the city poundkeeper on ethical grounds, but did not need to do so to remain successful from a business perspective.

As well, he pointed out in a report given to councillors that it would actually cost the city about $350,000 per year to run the pound, since the city cannot benefit from fundraising, in-kind- and food donations.

Mayor Jim Scarrow said he agreed that steps needed to be taken to ensure the welfare of animals in the city, but he said it was a large increase in funding that required more consultation between the city and the SPCA.

“Your objectives as an association are our objectives too,” said Scarrow. “But I do think we need a contract to start discussions and it does need to be a two way street.”

City council will debate the 2011 budget, including funding to the SPCA, this coming weekend.

adesouza@panow.com