December 6, 2023If staying inside during cold and wet winter days gives you cabin fever, your dog may feel the same. “Physical and mental stimulation are important for dogs, particularly for certain breeds,” says Dr. Hannah Weitzenfeld, senior manager of animal health for the BC SPCA. “But even if you can’t get outdoors as often as you’re …
Continue reading “8 fun ways to keep your dog active indoors”
News Category: Pet care
November 21, 2023By the time he was first surrendered into BC SPCA care, 5-year-old Layne was troubled. Although friendly with other cats, he had lived confined in a room for most of his life with minimal socialization with people. As a result, he was fearful of people and couldn’t fully trust them, including the staff and volunteers …
Continue reading “Cat gets a second chance thanks to AnimalKind trainer”
News Category: Animal Stories, Pet care
October 25, 2023While many people love to dress up, go trick-or-treating or attend Halloween parties, it can be a tough time for our pets. From loud, unpredictable fireworks to a non-stop ringing doorbell heralding people in costumes, the sensory overload can be stressful for our furry friends. Frightened animals are more likely to run away from home. …
Continue reading “4 tips to keep your pet safe on Halloween”
News Category: Pet care
October 23, 2023A friend of mine recently complained that my dog has stinky breath! Isn’t “doggie breath” normal? That potent “doggie breath” is more than just an unpleasant odour. It can actually signify a potentially serious health problem: dental disease. Dental disease is very common – so common, in fact, that an estimated 80 per cent of …
Continue reading “Smelly dog breath: causes and treatments”
News Category: Pet care
October 1, 2023Thanksgiving reminds us to be thankful for all the good things in our lives — like our pets. While the holiday is a special time for loved ones and good food, it can also be a time of potential danger for our furry family members. Because Thanksgiving only comes once a year, your pet might …
Continue reading “Thanksgiving safety tips for your pet”
News Category: Pet care
September 28, 2023There’s nothing quite like the joy of coming home to an excited, happy dog. However, some dogs can become overly excited while out and about, jumping up on their guardians or others. Kim Monteith, BC SPCA manager of animal welfare, shares tips and tricks for calming your overly excited dog and helping you manage your …
Continue reading “From chaos to calm: How to manage an overly excited dog”
News Category: Pet care
September 6, 2023There’s a long-standing belief that cats are low-maintenance, independent pets. In fact, the opposite is true. Cats need a stimulating indoor environment to keep from becoming bored and frustrated. Indoor enrichment tips Living indoors is safer for cats because they don’t have to contend with things like traffic, temperature extremes or predators. However, compared to …
Continue reading “How to keep your cat happy: Feline enrichment tips”
News Category: Pet care
September 4, 2023After spending years of your lives together the time eventually comes to part ways. It can be difficult to accept that a beloved pet is gone forever. We offer this guide to help pet guardians through a pet’s final days and the grieving process. Making the decision Making the decision to end a pet’s suffering …
Continue reading “How to cope with the loss of a beloved pet”
News Category: Pet care
September 1, 2023A swaying elephant. A feather-plucked parrot. A pacing tiger. For many exotic animals, the signs of poor welfare in captivity are easy to spot. But what about reptiles? How can we tell when a snake is suffering? Can a snake suffer? The traditional view Reptiles have long been regarded as simple animals with little capacity …
Continue reading “Reptiles as pets: Five common myths debunked”
News Category: Pet care, Wildlife
August 15, 2023The BC SPCA strongly encourages people to leave pets at home in hot weather. However, if you do have customers who have brought pets with them, here are some of the ways you can help. Some businesses might be limited by municipal bylaws, but there are still opportunities to keep pets out of warm cars. …
Continue reading “How businesses can help with pet summer heat safety”
News Category: Pet care