If you鈥檝e been thinking of bringing a furry feline into your family, the B.C. SPCA is urging you to act now.
鈥淲e have been overwhelmed with the number of cats and kittens being surrendered or abandoned this summer and our shelters are struggling to find space for them all,鈥� said Lorie Chortyk, general manager of community relations for the B.C. SPCA.
鈥淥ur northern shelters in Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Prince Rupert, Quesnel and Prince George have been particularly affected by the influx of felines,鈥� she continued. 鈥淲e have a 鈥榙rive for lives鈥� transfer program which brings cats from northern shelters to the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island for adoption but those routes have been impacted by the wildfires, so we haven鈥檛 been able to transfer as many cats.鈥�
Chortyk notes that added space pressure has been put on SPCA shelters because of 97 neglected cats taken into SPCA care in Victoria and Vancouver from two recent hoarding cases.
Anyone interested in adopting a cat or kitten is urged to view available animals at spca.bc.ca/adopt and to visit their local shelter (locations and adoption hours are listed at spca.bc.ca/locations).
While all regular adoption counselling and matching procedures will be in place, many shelters are offering reduced adoption fees.
The B.C. SPCA is a non-profit organization funded primarily by public donations. Their mission is to prevent cruelty and to promote the welfare of animals.
