Skip to content

New SPCA facilities key to responding quickly to animal cruelty complaints

The call for these facilities come after many large-scale animal seizures in the province last year.
70661nakuspPitBull2011-BJ-BPfiles-web
File photo

A record number of large-scale animal seizures in 2016 have highlighted the need for new BC SPCA facilities in the province.

“With support from our donors and a $5 million contribution from the Government of B.C., the BC SPCA launched a Facilities Development & Services Plan two years ago to replace or refurbish aging SPCA shelters in 12 B.C. communities,” says BC SPCA chief executive officer Craig Daniell.

“The new facilities constructed in the first phase of the plan, including large animal adoption and recovery barns in Surrey and Kelowna and a specialized facility for seized cats in Surrey, played a critical role in our ability to act quickly in the unprecedented number of large-scale investigations we carried out last year.”

Nearly 500 animals in distress, including dogs and puppies, cats and kittens, horses and farm animals, were taken into custody through major investigations last year, including 66 dogs and puppies from a Langley puppy mill in February and 82 dogs and cats from a Surrey breeder the following month.

“The SPCA is used to dealing with significant numbers of animals annually more than 35,000 animals enter our shelters every year,” says Daniell. “But having 70 or 80 sick, injured and highly contagious animals come into care on the same day requires a very different level of response.”