Kamloops Dashshounds breeder, Marisa Panter, says that the BC SPCA was wrong to seize her healthy and happy 38 Dashshounds dogs. The BC SPCA walked away with 10 adults and 28 puppies on April 6, 2023.

Marisa went to the media despite her lawyer's warnings to the contrary. She disputed the BC SPCA statement which said that her dogs were living in cages and areas with excessive feces and high levels of ammonia from urine. The allegations were also disputed by dozens of people who have purchased dogs from Marisa's Rainbow Dream Dashshunds.

Marisa said that her dogs had excellent vet care. She even had her vet do a walk-through of her house and the vet had no concerns.

The warrant filed by the BC SPCA however differed.

The video of the puppies and their mothers posted online showed the animals were healthy and social. It would be difficult to understand why the puppies were taken by the BC SPCA. The dogs were not seen to be starving, neglected or injured.

Puppies are popular sellers

With an extremely low pet-friendly residential tenancy vacancy rate, the very few BC landlords who accept dogs often have size limits and sometimes breed specifications. Small breed puppies are the most popular in pet-friendly tenancies and sell much faster in places like the BC SPCA who replenish their dog and cat kennels with seized animals.

Pet owners in BC complain to BC SPGA that the landlords almost always will only accept very small breeds in their tenancies and mostly medium to large sized breeds are not allowed.
BC SPGA

Unlike many breeders, Marisa was eventually given back the dogs by the BC SPCA. It seemed obvious that the animals were healthy and well-cared for. However, Marisa first had to pay the BC SPCA $5,570.25 otherwise she would not receive the dogs.

Castanet reported that one person reached out to Castanet saying they had received a puppy from RD Dachshunds in the fall of 2020, an “incredible, healthy, confident, smart dog.” “Marisa is not a ‘backyard breeder’ neglecting the dogs like the SPCA is making her out to seem,” the message said.
As reported in the Prince George Citizen, April 30, 2021.

The BC SPCA statements were designed to sway the public into believing that the ammonia stench and caged dogs were not cared for.

There is no financial recourse for BC pet owners when the BC SPCA seizes animals even if the animals are ordered returned to the owner because the BC SPCA costs still have to be paid. Even if the dogs had not been returned, Marisa would have had to pay the costs which would likely have doubled or higher after appeals in an appellate Tribunal and/or the Court.

We need an overhaul of our law enforcement system as it serves animals. It is unacceptable and possibly unconstitutional to have laws pertaining to animals, or any other laws, enforced by a charity which is exempt from mechanisms of public accountability and transparency essential to the responsible use of such power.
- Jordan Reichert Deputy Leader, Animal Protection Party Of Canada

Drever almost ruined this case of real cruelty because of "playing to the media". But, as is being shown all over North America, playing to the media to get donations is what "Cruelty Seizures" is really about, not animal welfare. If the seizures were about animal welfare, most animals would not be seized but would be left in their familiar surroundings and improvements enforced through fines. If the seizures were about animal welfare, none of the animals would be summarily killed by the SPCA.
Animal Advocates Society of British Columbia