The Philadelphia Inquirer published an article on September 19th titled “Euthanasia, understaffing, and broken kennels are rampant at Montco’s ultra-wealthy SPCA” that painted an unflattering picture of the animal-focused charity. One main point of contention is that the charity has $67 million in the bank, but that money hasn’t been utilized to improve conditions at its facilities, including its main facility in Conshohocken (Whitemarsh Township).

According to the insiders interviewed for the article, the conditions at the facilities have led to animals being injured. There are also concerns with the speed at which animals are euthanized.

From the article:

Nine current and former employees and seven volunteers at the nonprofit Montgomery County SPCA told The Inquirer that chronic understaffing, squalid kennel conditions, and casual euthanasia have become the norm, with little intervention from its executive director and the nonprofit’s board. (Some staffers and volunteers asked that their names not be used to protect against being dismissed.)

The Montco rescue has the lowest save rate among 11 shelters in the Philadelphia region. It euthanized nearly one in five animals that passed through its main Conshohocken shelter, according to an Inquirer analysis of available shelter data. That rate was more than double the rate of Brandywine Valley SPCA in Chester County.

The Montco SPCA’s high euthanasia rate cannot be blamed on lack of funds. The Montco shelter had more than $67 million in unrestricted investment accounts at the end of last year, according to its most recent nonprofit tax filing — more than double the assets of the second-wealthiest SPCA in the commonwealth. Yet the Montco shelter spends only about $3 million annually.

You can read the full article here.