August 7, 2016Question: Since he was a puppy my dog spins trying to catch his tail. It was funny at first but now he does it all the time. Why does he do this? Obsessive tail spinning, light chasing, fly snapping (when there are no flies), foot or flank licking, pica (eating objects such as gravel) are …
Continue reading “Ask the SPCA: Dog OCD”
News Category: Pet care
August 1, 2016Trucks and dogs aren’t always the best mix, as Teddy Bear unfortunately discovered, when the truck he was in zig-zagged suddenly to miss a pothole, and Teddy Bear went flying out of the truck bed, where he had been riding, loose. The impact separated his hip and broke the top of his femur bone, an …
Continue reading “Truck mishap survivor Teddy bear needs public’s help on road to recovery”
News Category: Pet care, Ways to help
August 1, 2016Pet guardians with furry feline companions know that their cats can sometimes, give mixed signals when they’re interacting with their humans. It’s important to take note of their body language and respect what they’re trying to tell you, notes Chirag Patel, an animal behaviour and training consultant who works with the BC SPCA, in one …
Continue reading “Respect the cat: Read your feline’s body language before petting”
News Category: Pet care
July 25, 2016Birds are the fourth most commonly kept companion animal in Canada after cats, dogs and fish. “It’s easy to see why parrots are popular pets,” says Craig Naherniak, general manager of humane education for the BC SPCA. “They’re extremely intelligent and very sociable.” But such popularity comes at a price — and, sadly, parrots are …
Continue reading “The plight of pet parrots”
News Category: Pet care, Wildlife
July 24, 2016Question: I have a new cat who keeps on waking me up at night. What can I do? Although known to be nocturnal, cats can modify their sleep cycles to adjust to our patterns. Firstly, check for any health issues that may be keeping your cat awake at night with a quick trip to your …
Continue reading “Ask the SPCA: Cat enrichment”
News Category: Pet care
July 17, 2016Question: My new dog seems afraid of things my previous dog never had issues with. Will she get over this once she learns my patterns? Perhaps, but your new dog will likely always be hesitant and unsure in new situations. It also depends on the severity of her anxiousness. Anxiety is the anticipation of potential …
Continue reading “Ask the SPCA: Anxious dogs”
News Category: Pet care
June 1, 2016Leaving a legacy can help end the suffering of outdoor cats. Thanks to the generosity of animal lovers and supporters who planned ahead and designated legacies to combat cat overpopulation, the BC SPCA is able to address the suffering of tens of thousands of outdoor-living cats in B.C. “Through the BC SPCA Community Animal Spay …
Continue reading “Communities address outdoor cat overpopulation problem with help from BC SPCA Legacy funds”
News Category: Pet care, Ways to help
June 1, 2016Sometimes, our pets don’t tell us when they need to go outside. But you can teach your dog to let you know when they’re ready for a bathroom break, says international animal behaviour counsellor Chirag Patel, in a helpful Tip Tuesday video that demonstrates how to work with your pet. “What you need to do …
Continue reading “‘Pay’ your pet to let you know it’s time to go outside”
News Category: Pet care
May 25, 2016They were left to fend for themselves, next to an open carrier and a dish of water, near a local dog park just before the Victoria Day long weekend. Luckily, a Good Samaritan out for a stroll noticed the abandoned cat with eight tiny, four-week-old kittens, due to the attention they were getting from several …
Continue reading “Animal abandonment on the rise in B.C.’s North Peace region”
News Category: Adoption, Pet care
February 2, 2016A stray cat who recently came into the care of the Quesnel SPCA with several wounds is a good reminder about proper pet grooming. Augustus, found outside a business in downtown Quesnel, covered in mats and dirt, with four wounds on his body. The senior feline, estimated to be about 15 years old, is thought …
Continue reading “Matted, wounded cat in Quesnel a reminder about proper pet care”
News Category: Pet care