Opinion - Reasons to avoid the BCFIRB animal appeals Tribunal for the return of your seized pet
About 95% of pet owners loose their pets at the appeal hearing to the BC SPCA
In December 2024 the BC SPCA announced on their web site that they are very proud that the BC SPCA’s decision not to return a wanted animal to its guardian is being upheld in almost 95% of the cases by BCFIRB (British Columbia Farm Animal Review Board). What is this means is that nearly 95% of the pet owners who appealed to the BCFIRB animal appeals Tribunal for the return of their pet lost their animals forever to the BC SPCA who either kill the animal or re-sell the pet to the public. 5% of the pet owners beat the odds yet still have to pay the BC SPCA their exorbitant costs.
Pet owners must pay the BC SPCA costs win or loose
BC's pet guardians don't know that they will be paying the BC SPCA's costs even if they don't receive the return of the animal from a BCFIRB hearing. Should the BCFIRB order the animal returned the pet owner still has to pay the BC SPCA costs which average in the thousands of dollars.
An order from the BCFIRB Tribunal to pay the BC SPCA costs
The BC SPCA will ask for their costs at the Tribunal hearing and the Law requires that you pay those costs when the Tribunal orders you to do so.
If you don't appeal to the BCFIRB the BC SPCA will have trouble going after you for the money (their costs) unless they try to obtain an order from the Courts.
Legal Costs
The BCFIRB Tribunal's decisions show that pet owners represented by a lawyer don't have any higher success rates for the return of their pets. This means that you can be self-represented but you still have to pay the BC SPCA costs whether you're successful in obtaining the return of your animal or not.
The BC SPCA have case laws on their side
With the large number of wins against the public to keep their pets for re-sale or killing, the BC SPCA has established an overwhelming amount of case law that they can rely on in the BCFIRB tribunal hearings and the courts. These case laws are often relied on against the pet owner trying for the return of their pet.
The 2nd stage of animal policing
What becomes painfully obvious to those pet guardians who have desperately tried to obtain the return of their pets or animals is that the BCFIRB tribunal relies on the same legislation as the BC SPCA does to take your pet. Pet guardians have no rights or protections under any legislation. The BCFIRB Tribunal has little choice other than to side with the BC SPCA in a huge majority of the appeals that it hears.
Don't Even Bother!
The reasons that pet owners should avoid BCFIRB appeals is their overwhelmingly low pet return odds, exorbitant legal fees for representation, the BC SPCA's costs, and a disheartening lack of precedent for successful appeals paint a bleak picture for pet owners.
BCFIRB outcome
Reputable Breeder Looses Dogs To BC SPCA
51 letters of support from the community and 165 acres for the dogs made no difference
News Alert
Oliver was seized and members of his herd killed by the BC SPCA
More senseless killing by the BC SPCA.
BCFIRB outcome
Elizabeth has stray and feral cats seized by the BC SPCA
The Society that 'speaks for animals' says not to feed stray cats so what's the solution to let them starve?
News Alert
BC SPCA closes door
of transparency and accountability for seized animals that they kill. The BC SPCA seizes animals and kills them leaving their families with no review investigation information and no Appeal recourse with the animal appeal Tribunal.
