Press Release

October 2, 2008
Halifax, NS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nova Scotia SPCA Launches Compliance Program

The Board of Directors of the Nova Scotia SPCA is pleased to announce the creation of an arm's length Compliance and Ethics Committee, which will be chaired by the Compliance Officer. This initiative is part of a larger transformation of the organization in recent months, aimed at making the Society's workings more transparent and accessible for all members and the public.

The Board has created a Code of Conduct that outlines acceptable standards of behaviour to which all Directors, staff and volunteers will be held. Following a six-week recruitment campaign, Petra Mauerhoff was appointed to the volunteer position of Compliance Officer. Mauerhoff brings to the position years of senior management experience in a variety of settings relevant to compliance work, and hopes that the establishment of this position will go a long way to help reassure the public that anyone involved in the SPCA is being held to a Code of Conduct.

The Compliance Officer position exists to facilitate communication between the public and the Board; review and direct compliance issues to appropriate resources for investigation and resolution; act as a last resort where concerned parties may communicate after other formal channels and resources have been exhausted; and to provide guidance to Society Directors, staff and volunteers seeking advice on compliance issues.

Mauerhoff will chair the Compliance and Ethics committee, which will consist of up to four additional members from the public. An incident reporting form has been developed that will be available through the Nova Scotia SPCA website, the Metro Shelter and the Provincial Office. The form provides a process whereby anyone can report violations of the Society's Code of Conduct, by-laws or policies by Board members, staff or volunteers. Reports will be reviewed by the Compliance Officer and the Compliance and Ethics Committee, which will investigate the complaints and present recommendations for action to the Board of Directors.

Mauerhoff hopes that the creation of the committee will allow the Board to get back to focusing on the important work of the Society of "speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves." Individuals interested in serving on the Compliance and Ethics Committee are encouraged to contact the SPCA Compliance Officer at complianceofficer@spcans.ca.

The Nova Scotia SPCA invites the general public to join the Society in this exciting time by becoming a member, adopting an animal or participating in one of our upcoming events such as the Cause for Paws charity dinner and auction, taking place on November 1, 2008. For more information on Cause for Paws or any of the new initiatives implemented by the Nova Scotia SPCA in recent months, visit the Society's website at www.spcans.ca.

Contact: Mary Hill, Secretary, NS SPCA Board of Directors, media@spcans.ca