Dear Editor:

After studying the Angel’s Animal Rescue application to establish an animal rescue facility for abused and abandoned dogs and puppies, and their request-for-Crown-land application, I must say it is a wonderful concept but has some great visions of grandeur for a volunteer organization. The $100,000 grant from Pepsi Canada won’t even come close to what is planned out at Petit Creek Road, with wells, septic systems, hydro, housing, fencing, shelters, etc.

To be clear, I love dogs, having had quite a few over the years, so I think it’s a good idea, but to plan to save dogs from all of B.C. and beyond is really a bit farfetched.

Under land Area requirements, here are some of the concepts that we have the most issues with:

1. Shelters will be developed for livestock and farm animals. Is this also for horses, cows, pigs, sheep etc?

4. Support for all abused and abandoned dogs from all over B.C. and beyond?

12. Tourist cabins?

13. Fire event – access to river? It’s a long way down to the river and a very steep hill, might want to take a better look at that one.

You are going to run this endeavor by volunteers who will have to travel close to 60 km round-trip to help out at this site. With the cost of fuel, your volunteers will need deep pockets. They will also have to contend with logging trucks and logging crews from Spius, Styome and Mooshum areas.

Access: This property is right on the existing logging road that takes you to a very extensive area that people use for recreation. Will this stop access? As well, this area is a very well-used crossing for wildlife going from one side of the creek to the other. Also, this is a known deer fawning area. When the Fish and Game Club used to do spring deer counts, this was one of the key areas. With hundreds of dogs there I’m sure this will definitely make an impact.

As president of the Nicola Valley Fish and Game Club, I personally feel there are better areas for this plan, which are also a lot closer to town so the volunteers have a shorter and safer commute. For a group that will depend on donations, charities and volunteer help and labour to operate, I have to commend you for wanting to take this on, what with insurance cost (liability etc) will shock you as it does for our club. I wish you luck and hope you find a more suitable piece of property than the one you are currently looking at.

Thank you for your consideration.

Paul Komonoski, President NVFGC

(On behalf of the members of the Nicola Valley Fish and Game Club)