June 16, 2023Humans aren’t the only ones who like the beach. A popular summertime destination, B.C.’s sandy shorelines are also attractive to local wildlife, like harbour seals. Starting in June, beaches all along the coast are transformed into harbour seal nurseries, as female seals come ashore to give birth, nurse and protect their young. Seal pup season …
Continue reading “Leave the wildlife alone: Baby seals are a part of busy B.C. beach season”
News Category: Wildlife
June 14, 2023The welfare of farmed and wild animals is connected in many ways. Just as some diseases can jump between animals and people, diseases can also move between farmed and wild animals. In B.C., our wild and domestic sheep populations are fighting a battle against a deadly pathogen, known as M. ovi. What is M. ovi? …
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News Category: Farm, Wildlife
May 23, 2023Have you ever questioned something and been told, “It’s always been done that way”? This, in a nutshell, is folklore husbandry. Understanding folklore husbandry ‘Folklore husbandry’ is a term used to describe ways of caring for animals that are widely accepted and practiced without any real evaluation. It is especially prevalent for exotic animals (wild animals …
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News Category: Wildlife
March 17, 2023The BC SPCA works to protect and enhance the quality of life for both wild and farmed animals. We may think wild and farmed animals have little in common, but they face many similar welfare issues and are connected in a variety of ways. Farming You may be surprised to learn that wild animals are …
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News Category: Farm, Wildlife
March 1, 2023This summer, the Netherlands took a bold step forwards and introduced a positive list to address the animal welfare and other concerns associated with keeping exotic mammals as pets. Positive lists, as the name implies, are lists of species allowed to be kept as pets. They’re typically based on a comprehensive scientific risk assessment, which …
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News Category: Wildlife
January 31, 2023Every year, thousands of British Columbians join the BC SPCA to speak up for animals. “Today, we are celebrating the difference residents of B.C. have made for tens of thousands of animals across British Columbia and Canada in the past year,” says Dr. Sara Dubois, chief scientific officer at the BC SPCA. Grounded in evidence-based …
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News Category: Farm, Take action, Ways to help, Wildlife
January 18, 2023As we say goodbye to 2022, the BC SPCA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre (Wild ARC) is already readying themselves for this year’s busy season. Thanks to the dedication of staff, volunteers, and our community, Wild ARC was able to care for 2,459 animals last year from 135 different species, each with their own unique diet, …
Continue reading “Wild at heart – 135 species treated at Wild ARC in 2022”
News Category: Wildlife
December 15, 2022The rise of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in B.C. has yet to show any signs of slowing down. Positive cases have been confirmed in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, Interior and North regions. This includes birds like great horned owls, bald eagles, great blue herons, ducks and geese, and even crows. During this fall …
Continue reading “BC SPCA asks public to remove bird feeders due to avian influenza outbreak”
News Category: Wildlife
November 22, 2022Fish play diverse and significant roles in our society. Here in Canada, they’re the third most popular pet after cats and dogs, and the second most common research model after mice. Millions are caught recreationally across the country every year, while at least a billion more are farmed and caught commercially. Fish are also essential …
Continue reading “11 Fun facts about fish”
News Category: Farm, Wildlife