Day 5 of Operation: 12 Days of Xmas '09 puts the ASPCA in our crosshairs again today. By now, you already know what our issue is with the ASPCA, but for those of you just tuning in, our issue started with the killing of a rescued pit bull named Oreo, followed by the killing of another pit bull named Max. Since then though, the greater issue is the lack of transparency at the ASPCA. Many ASPCA donors and supporters in the animal advocacy community are being lied to, insulted and stone walled.

The management of the "A" seems to function on the premise that it has no accountability to the general public or the people that generously support it.

As we have said previously, the root of the problem is twofold. The ASPCA has an unskilled, uncertified "animal behaviorist", Victoria Wells. Whistleblowers at the "A" report that she has substance abuse issues. It is clear from pictures and videos that she has problems dealing with certain types of dogs. And they have a CEO that is arrogant and insensitive not only to the plight of the animals, but also to his own staff, as he bullies and blackmails them into submission. His response to questions or criticism is that if a staffer does not agree with a decision, they are free to leave their job at the ASPCA. Not to mention his utter disregard for the animal advocacy constituency.

If we allow animal protection organizations to kill pit bulls and other animals, with impugnity, their blood would be just as much on our hands as it is on theirs. If we allow organizations to operate behind a shroud of indifference, then we are as much to blame as they are. For too long, we have turned a blind eye to the suffering of companion animals and wild ones in our own community. It is time for animal advocates in New York City and around the globe to step forward and take up the mantle of No Kill Solutions and to stop accepting killing our animal companions.