After more than two years of COVID precautions, BC SPCA community animal centres across the province will be returning to regular hours for public access and adoption viewing on Oct. 1.
“Throughout COVID, we continued to provide our full range of services, including adoptions, but we had to be creative about how we could continue to serve animals and their guardians while also ensuring that everyone was safe,” says Adrienne McBride, the BC SPCA’s senior director for community animal centres. “This included virtual ‘meet and greets’ with staff to discuss a pet’s online adoption profile before making an appointment to come visit the animal in person.” McBride notes that, despite the COVID safety protocols in place, the BC SPCA saw a record number of adoptions throughout the pandemic, with very few of those adopted pets being given up after people began returning to their former routines.
The pandemic also saw a significant increase in BC SPCA outreach programs. In 2021 alone, the SPCA helped more than 34,000 animals through pet food banks across the province, provided 12,418 nights of free emergency pet boarding and supported more than 11,000 spay/neuter surgeries for homeless and community animals. “Many people were financially impacted by COVID and we were happy to provide whatever support we could to help keep pets and their families together,” says McBride.
She says SPCA locations across B.C. are looking forward to opening their doors for regular hours and walk-in adoptions again. “Even though our services carried on throughout COVID, we missed the level of one-on-one interaction we’ve always had with members of our communities. We are very excited about connecting with our supporters and friends in person again.”
Please note: All staff, visitors and volunteers are still required to wear a face mask when entering BC SPCA Centres. This important safety measure helps protect our animals and the volunteers and staff members who care for them.