Close to 300 animals found a home in 2019 thanks to the hard work of BC SPCA’s Campbell River branch.
As the branch looks back on the past year, a total of 429 animals came through its doors from Campbell River and surrounding areas.
292 of those animals, with species varying from dogs to birds, found new homes.
This is an increase of 13 over 2018.
Stephanie Arkwright, manager of the Campbell River SPCA branch, says many lost animals were returned to their homes as well.
“We actually saw 17 animals reunited with their families,” Arkwright says. “Most of those were thanks to permanent identification which we are strong advocates for, of course.”
When stressing the importance of animal identification, Arkwright mentioned microchips as the most permanent form with tattoos, done by local veterinarians, also an option.
The branch’s foster program saw great success over the year, helping animals move into loving homes until they are ready to go up for adoption.
The reasoning for an animal to enter the foster program can vary.
“During the spring and summer, we see a lot of kittens coming through that are not quite ready to go up for adoption. They will go with foster families to get big and healthy enough to go up for adoption,” Arkwright says.
Animals that need extra care and recovery from surgery or illness are also put in the foster program, helping minimize the amount of time they spend in the physical branch.
In total, 167 animals went through the branch’s foster program in 2019.
“It was a really busy year overall, but it was a really successful year. We saw a lot of animals come through and we were able to rehabilitate and rehome a lot of animals which was wonderful,” she says.
If you adopted an animal from the branch in 2019, you are encouraged to share your story and a photo to this website.
