Last year the BC SPCA set a new help record for animals in need around the province that they’ve offered assistance to.
In 2021 the BC SPCA helped more animals than they ever had before and on their site you can find photos of the different animals that they’ve rescued which are up for foster or adoption.
The BC SPCA last year alone was able to help thousands of animals around the province.
There are still many animals in need that they continue to provide resources for and there are many ways to support their efforts that might not look directly like giving out of your own pocket.
Spreading the word about this organization on social media can go a long way to spread awareness for the good that they are doing and for the animals who are still in need.
Whether it be giving donations, or sponsoring a kennel etc, there is more than one way to give to BC SPCA to help them help animals in the province.
With wildfires and floods contributing to a rise in that need for animal welfare assistance the BC SPCA was there to step up and be the solution that we so desperately need for those who are unable to help themselves.
The BC SPCA has been doing vital work for years around the province that helps to take care of cats, dogs, birds, pigs, and a wide range of other animals that need help.
Helping 118,917 domestic, wild, and farm animals in BC in 2021
The BC SPCA was able to help tens of thousands of animals in need, and this is tens of thousands of more animals than they had helped in the previous year.
There had been an increased number of coyote attacks in Stanley Park and so the park had been closed for a certain amount of time in response to the issue. Stanley Park is one of the most popular places for both locals and tourists and so having it closed wasn’t going to be long-term, now the park is fully reopened to the public for full use as of several days ago.
With the increase in coyote attacks in Stanley Park a decision was made for safety purposes to close the park overnight as a temporary measure. Fences and signs could be seen around the park warning the public of the dangers with the increase in number of coyote attacks in the park. Now those messages and signs are going to be removed.
But why did it all happen in the first place? All along it had been suspect that people had been feeding coyotes in the park. Now we have more evidence of that after a few individuals were charged with feeding coyotes in Stanley Park, they also had their vehicle seized.
Anyone feeding coyotes in Stanley Park is contributing to this safety risk and so authorities and experts have been warning the public not to engage in this sort of behavior. Feeding the coyotes is doing them more harm than good in the long run.
Aside from feeding coyotes in Stanley Park there are other issues that have also been pointed to as a potential contribution to the problem of increased attacks in the park from coyotes and they include things like food conditioning, displacement, and possibly drugs or toxins in the environment.
It isn’t uncommon to see coyotes around the Stanley Park region or throughout the lower mainland. They have become common sights in cities around the province and it is estimated that there are thousands of them that can be found just around the lower mainland.
There are some restaurants in BC who have decided to take salmon dishes off of their menu over concerns related to declining stocks.
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Some of those BC restaurants who have removed the salmon include The Naramata Inn in the Okanagan. Other establishments like PiDGiN in Vancouver’s Gastown and Burdock & Co have decided to stop sourcing local Pacific salmon on their menu. Instead they look for more sustainable aquaculture farm options.
Warming waters that have been linked to climate change, and industrial pollution, as well as agricultural runoff, impact from dams, and issues like overfishing, it has all caused concern for the decrease in salmon populations.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada has decided to shut down most of the BC fisheries to address the problem and try to save wild salmon. Salmon rivers around the Yukon will be closed for commercial fishing this year, at least 60 percent of the fisheries will be forced to close. Recreational fisheries in the Yukon and BC are going to be restricted. It’s expected that a number of fisheries are not going to remain open for commercial harvesting.
For years fish harvesters in the region have been seeing low catches and Pacific salmon especially are in long decline with a variety of reasons attributed to that decrease in salmon population.
Climate Change Mainly To Blame For Decrease in Salmon Population?
So far climate change has been frequently suggested as a culprit that might have contributed greatly to the current problem of the decline in Pacific wild salmon population.
Some in the BC fishing industry have suggested that there is no question as to whether or not climate change might be playing a role in the decline of wild salmon. Those declines have an impact that extends beyond just the restaurant menu at a eatery downtown, it extends to the health of the environment and the health of the economy too.
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Restoring Oceans Through Sustainable Seafood
Other educational programs have been put together that seek to teach communities about sustainable seafood options other than wild salmon. There are restorative species to learn about that provide potential benefits to the environment, can be more cost effective, and taste just as good.
Regenerative aquaculture species and restorative aquaculture is an idea that is being promoted by the World Economic Forum and others around the world today as a potential solution to these problems we see today. There are more sustainable seafood choices that people could be making that they might not know about. These would be seafood items that are harvested in a less damaging way, that are more abundant in the environment, or more resilient to fishing pressures etc.
Examples of sustainable seafood might be items like mussels, oysters, and clams.
Those seafood items like mussels have been referred to as more sustainable options to go with. There are already mussel farming operations that are well aware of this benefit and who are looking to revolutionize the food industry, specifically aquaculture, with their operations.
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How can more food be obtained from the oceans in a way that does not deprive future generations of their benefits?
This is the question that scientists have been asking themselves and they have pointed the finger at sustainable seafood options like shellfish, suggesting that today we should be making shellfish a larger portion of our diet.
Mussels, clams, oysters and scallops might not be some of the most popular seafood items to order on the menu and for that it’s assumed that perhaps their potential until now has been largely overlooked. They could provide a sustainable alternative for seafood sourcing today, giving seafood options that are still nutrient dense.
The seafood items like clams, scallops, and mussels can be farmed cheaply and provide an alternative seafood option that has less of an environmental impact than salmon. According to David Willer, a zoologist at the University of Cambridge, the environmental footprint connected with bivalve aquaculture is lower than many arable crops in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as land and freshwater use.
Most Sustainable Protein Source
Sustainable seafood has been regarded as the most environmentally efficient source of protein that there is today on the planet. Farmed mussels are among the most sustainable seafood items that you can find today in the market, among other shellfish items like those mentioned above.
In BC salmon are already at risk because of habitat loss, mining, climate change, logging, and the recent heat wave didn’t help matters. The Fraser is known as one of the largest spawning rivers not only in BC but in the world but recently the Interior Fraser coho and Fraser sockeye have been considered threatened.
For those restaurants in BC that did make the move to recently remove salmon dishes from the menu, some have indicated that they are making a political statement with the move, a statement in protest of over-fishing.
One cat rescue that is located in Mission, British Columbia, has recently had to reportedly close the doors because of the high demand they are seeing right now of cats in need.
They are overwhelmed with the amount of cats that are coming into the rescue in Mission, they have urged anyone who has considered in making the move to foster a cat to possibly think about making now the time to look around at doing it.
There are many cats in need of a good home whether that means fostering one or adopting one to offer it a forever home, cats all around BC have been dropped at rescues as people head back to work after the pandemic. There are multiple ways to help cats in B.C. and adoption is one of those ways that makes a big impact.
Some people are going back to work now and will no longer be at home to care for their pets they might have adopted last year. Or, they could be travelling for an extended period of time etc, whatever the reason, there are many cats who need help and who have been dropped off or found their way to rescues.
Cat Therapy and Rescue Society in Mission, B.C
Hundreds of those cats in B.C. that need homes are being cared for at the Cat Therapy and Rescue Society in Mission, B.C. The Cat Therapy and Rescue Society in Mission is a rescue venue that has a capacity for 300 cats and they have had to shuffle even more cats to foster homes because there are many that are coming in who need a home and need the proper care and help given to them.
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If you cannot take on in yourself there are also options of adopting kennel spaces with the SPCA and giving to those rescue missions that are helping cats, like the Cat Therapy and Rescue Society in Mission, B.C. Now is the time to help cats in B.C. who need adoption, and other animals affected by wildfires etc, through the BC SPCA and other animal-centered organizations that are doing the hard work to help.
Multiple Ways to Help
There is more than one way to get involved and try to help one or more cats and other animals that might need help or a home at this time. With wildfires burning around the province this has also caused some animals to be rescued by the SPCA too and it might be giving money or giving a home space to a cat, you can find more than one way to help.
For anyone around B.C. that might be looking for a cat right now and have room for a new pet, this rescue in Mission is just one place to look that has cats available. The BC SPCA is another area to look for cats that are up for adoption.
You can find ways to financially offer support as well, for medical care or kennel and play space for cats and dogs that are with the BC SPCA also. This is a great way to support many more animals in the community without having to take them in because a number of people are restricted currently from having pets where they live.
For those cats who do not end up finding help or a home they could end up becoming injured, abused, or killed, and there is a great demand right now in B.C. with cats that are looking for their forever home.
Since things have been reopening not just in Canada but other areas too this has been an ongoing trend it seems of people who have been returning their cats and pets to shelters, or abandoning them in other places. This is increasing the need for cat foster volunteers and forever home adoptions who are willing to help.
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Why are people abandoning their pets?
It’s likely that some didn’t put enough thought into the long-term commitment that it would take to look after those pets that they adopted at the beginning of the pandemic. Maybe they thought they would be working from home for good but now that things have changed they need to make other arrangements? There are a variety of reasons why one animal might end up being unwanted and returned.
For animal lovers around the U.S. and Canada it has been hard to see the multiple stories coming out lately of those animals being abandoned in a variety of places.
In B.C. there are a number of animals that need help too because of the wildfires right now and some of them have even been returned to their owners after they had evacuated. The BC SPCA is a great organization that works to give that help to those animals who are in need around the province. This is an organization that has been working for years to offer that emergency hand to help and care for the different animals who are in trouble or being abused in the province.
There are other shelters around B.C. as well who have also been doing meaningful work to help rescue cats and other pets that need it and to offer them a safe and peaceful place. Right now there are multiple ways to help cats in BC that need adoption. One of those ways to help is to sign up to foster pets, or you could adopt one or more of those pets in need. Another way to help would be to also choose to give financial donations to help animals who need care or shelter as well around the province.
For anyone that wants to help cats that need adoption in BC these are just some of the ways to do it.
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Foster A Cat
Looking to foster a cat right now? That rescue above in Mission has a Foster Parent Application that you can fill out if you are interested in offering a forever home to one of the animals there.
BC SPCA Cat Adoption and Foster Opportunities
Through the BC SPCA website you can also find tools that allow you to search for cats that are up for adoption right now too. On their website there are a variety of cats that are currently listed who are looking for homes. They are also recruiting foster volunteers around the province. For that mission to recruit new foster volunteers they mention on their site that they are looking at finding pet foster volunteers around areas like Vancouver Island, Okanagan/Kootenay Region, as well as in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley, and the Northern B.C. region.
How do you foster a cat?
Fostering a cat is a great way to offer help to those cats in B.C. that need help right now and are in transition to finding their forever home. You might not be able to make a full-time permanent commitment but there are also other ways to help by offering a temporary shelter to those cats who are in need. Fostering a cat is as easy as contacting the BC SPCA or another organization that is looking for foster volunteers, filling out any required paperwork or answering any required questions and going through any vetting process before being paired with the animal in need.
What does a foster volunteer do for the cat? The foster volunteer home is going to be an environment that helps to prepare the animals for their forever home adoption. The foster home for the cat is going to give that cat a chance to live in a safe environment where they feel they can fully express themselves and work to overcome any difficulties or fears from trauma. The foster volunteers help to strengthen the services that the BC SPCA is able to provide for animals around the province.
Foster volunteers are needed for those cats who still need a home in B.C. today. But there is more than fostering as a way to help, you could also adopt a cat, financially support a cat or dog etc, or give a donation to an organization that is helping to rescue and offer those emergency services to cats in need around the province. No donation made to help a cat, dog, or animal in need in the province is going to be a donation that is too small to help. Every donation matters and goes toward helping those animals in B.C. who need it.
Offering to adopt, foster volunteer, or make a money donation, are moves that can go on to protect and enhance the quality of life animals in BC.
Adopt a cat in BC if you can but don’t forget to consider there are other ways to help too aside from the adopt a cat option, because not everyone can adopt a cat in BC at this time. If you are also looking for other ways to help cats in BC then consider those mentioned above.
The recent heat wave that impacted the West Coast has had a significant effect on the ecosystem here, fueling the death of more than 1 billion seashore animals.
The heat effectively cooked shellfish to death, such as clams, mussels, and more. You can find thousands of creatures littered around the area that couldn’t make it through the hot temperatures.
Those in the region have noticed the terrible smell from the impact and the deaths to those shellfish in the region. Crabs, musslesl oysters, clams, have all been killed during this heat wave event.
Millions of sea creatures have been found dead in areas like Kits Beach in British Columbia.
Altogether the impact that this has had on the environment and animal life here has been referred to as an ecological catastrophe one that some marine ecologists say that they have never seen before.
At one point during the heat wave they were seeing temperatures above 120 degrees and that was too hot for these creatures to handle.
After the heat wave came through the area now there are many dead mussels and other creatures that have been found on the beach, unable to make it through those temperatures that we had seen.
Deaths of Seashore Animals Will Have Lasting Impact on Ecosystem
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The death of these millions of sea creatures is expected to have a meaningful impact on the entire ecosystem. From filtering water to providing food for other species, these shellfish offer a number of benefits.
Now that there has been a significant event with millions cooked to death in the heat wave though, this could have more of a negative effect on the system overall that we might notice later on down the road.
The estimated death toll as far as how many sea creatures might have been impacted as a result of that heat wave could be more than 1 billion.
It isn’t only shellfish that were impacted of course from this record breaking heat wave that recently hit the region.
Hundreds of deaths were also reported around the West Coast in Canada and the United States, people died because of the heat and it has prompted some to criticize the province for mismanaged emergency services that operated during that time.
Now, the province has promised an overhaul in response to those concerns, promising that they will hire more paramedics, dispatchers, and get more ambulances to boost emergency health services in the province.
The Pacific Northwest is experiencing an unprecedented heat wave right now and that means that there is increased risk for seniors and pets.
The SPCA and animal health professionals have been urging people to remember to not leave their pets in cars and to consider these extreme temperatures for their animals at home. Make the necessary steps to help them cool off.
Now, an emergency vet clinic in Nanaimo is issuing a message and warning the public about the dangers of the heat, after several dogs passed away from heat stroke recently.
Leaving pets in hot cars is one of the most obvious risks but there are other risks too. They can also suffer negative consequences if there are high temperatures in other environments, even in their own backyard.
Animal service professionals suggest that using ice or extreme cold isn’t the best option because this can shock the dog. They recommend placing the feet of the dog in water that is room temperature or use cool towels to rub on their bellies to try and cool them off. Some dogs are going to be more at risk than others.
Ice Cubes – these work great when you want to know how to keep pets safe during hot temperatures.
Giving pets some frozen treats or something to cool down with for summer could include placing some ice cubes in their water bowl. If you prefer this then you might have to replenish the ice cubes several times throughout the day because they will melt.
Frozen Bottles – placing frozen water bottles near the pet’s bed and a towel over them to try and cool the area down helps. You could also use an ice pack in the same way if you have it instead. Cover it up and wait for it to cool down.
Stay Indoors – Staying out of the heat during the day is the best way to avoid the mistake of getting too much sun.
Fill Up A Small Pool – filling up a small children’s pool with water is what many pet owner’s will do during summer and their dogs love to play and splash around in it. This is a great idea if you have the space to do it.
Use Air Conditioning Or A Fan – Keep a fan going for them if it helps, and opt to go walking with them earlier in the morning when it is cooler out. Or if you do not want to do early morning walking then you could also go out later in the evening if things cool down, although they haven’t gotten too low the past couple of nights in B.C. during this heat wave.
Keep A Close Watch
Dogs cool down through their panting and through their paws. So having a small pool filled with some cold water to help them cool off can be a refreshing way to help them beat the heat.
During these extreme temperatures it is important to keep pets safe and inside, protected from the high heat. Avoid pavement, exercise, hot cars, and direct sunlight even if it is in the backyard.
Get them to relax in a shaded and cool area and remember to give them lots of water to drink.
A first of its kind in North America Bunny Cafe has recently opened in Vancouver. They are now taking reservations for anyone who wants to visit and meet the rabbits while browsing the merchandise.
The Bunny Cafe comes from the same people behind the first cat cafe in Western Canada, Catfe, that has seen widespread support and been open for years.
The Catfe was a unique concept that brought people and cats together at the cafe. People could enter the cafe and see it filled with adoptable rescue cats and enjoy a nice coffee. The cafe with the cats was so popular that at times they were reportedly running out of cats.
Now the same fun and family-friendly idea has extended to include bunnies.
The pandemic set back the plans for opening somewhat but now the time has finally arrived.
Right now The Bunny Cafe is expected to be a retail store that will also have some rabbits running about. The cafe portion of the operation for The Bunny Cafe is expected to open sometime later on this year.
If you are interested in visiting to see the bunnies then you will need to make a reservation at the cafe. Guests also allegedly need to be at least 5 years or older.
There will be face masks required, hand washing, and social distancing etc. After the safety procedures then comes time to safely be able to handle the rabbits that are there.
Visitors to the cafe with bunnies in Vancouver will also be given a cup of treats so that you can feed them things like apple or kale.
Not only is it a fun thing to do with friends or family but it can also be educational. The hope is that the cafe might be able to help showcase how rabbits could make great pets and also provide help for adoption of those animals too.
If you want to know more about these animals and get the chance to get closer to them this is a good opportunity to do just that. The cafe is a great idea for something fun to do with friends or family this summer and gives anyone the chance to make some new great memories with some adorable rabbits.
The Rise of the Pet Cafe
There are other similar cafes around the world, like the Rabbitland Cafe in Hong Kong that has created a similar environment. You can also find cat cafes in places like Japan and New York. In a variety of those businesses the adoption rates have been incredibly successful for those pets.
There are a growing number of these businesses already around the world today and now Vancouver has another one of its own with the recently opened bunny cafe.
It is obvious that people don’t mind going to the cafe when there are animals inside like rabbits or cats. It’s a great draw for people of all ages and increases the opportunities for those animals to also find forever homes.
Now that more people are going back to work from the lock down it means that a growing number of dogs are being abandoned. Some individuals who opted to take on a dog during the pandemic might not have spent much time thinking about what an investment that would be.
We have seen several videos go viral of people dumping their dogs off in parking lots, in parks, and forests.
Some dogs are also being abandoned because of their old age, being left at intersections, or in car parks.
Shelters are seeing a rise in dog surrenders to their venues and now is the perfect time for those who do have the ability and who do want to foster or adopt to go out and find their new family member. Help meet that growing need of pets who are looking for a home.
Some dog owners have already been charged with purposely abandoning their dogs, like one man in Masssachusetts who had reportedly been charged after he abandoned his 10 year old jack Russel.
Though we hear these stories happening around the U.S. right now there are also many animals who need a home in B.C. And with people returning to work slowly and possibly making the choice to give their pet to a shelter, the pressure on shelters might grow.
A number of pet owners have already dumped their pets off when they had to move because a great portion of rental properties in Vancouver and around the lower mainland prevent renters from having any pets.
You don’t need to adopt a pet in order to help those shelters and other organizations that are addressing this problem of pets needing a home. You can also financially show your support as well, even adopt a kennel space, or donating a day of care for an animal in the shelter.
The SPCA gives you the chance to adopt a kennel for a cat or dog as well as adopt cat activity space or dog activity space. To help those animals get their needs met until they can get into their forever homes this is a great way to support animals in your community that need help.
How much does it cost to sponsor a kennel for a cat or dog with the SPCA?
Anyone interested in providing support is able to find kennel space through their website and sponsor.
You can sponsor the kennel space for 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, and be able to help care for many animals in that time frame that will come through.
You can choose from different SPCA branches around the province and a recognition plaque will go up on the kennel for that period of time saying who it was adopted in memory of, in honor of etc.
There are many animals around B.C. that are in need of a forever home and now might be the perfect time to take a adopt and look to find one that you can help. Or you could help many that come through your community SPCA shelter by sponsoring a kennel for a cat or dog.
Just recently, police authorities in B.C. have issued a warning about a rise in puppy scams.
As millions were faced with lockdown last year because of the pandemic it meant some went looking for a pet. Along with that increase in demand for pets there have allegedly been an increase in puppy scams to go along with it. Just like we have also been seeing a rise in apartment scams or rental scams, ever since COVID-19 hit. And this one sounds similar to those.
Authorities say that in those scams that the seller will post an ad for a puppy online, just like they might post an ad for an apartment. Once you contact them with interest, they will ask for a down payment, with further instructions to come.
When buying a puppy, going to see an apartment, or getting any other good it’s not wise to send any money before meeting someone. This has happened before in online scams.
Not only have we seen a rise in rental scams during the pandemic, and now this warning about puppy scams, but we’ve also seen a variety of stories go viral about puppies being stolen from their owners.
From Lady Gaga’s dogs being stolen and then found, to other owners who have also had their pets taken after being attacked, it seems that dog thefts are on the rise in some regions.
From Vegas to California and other regions, numerous stories have surfaced about bulldog puppies being stolen from their owners.
Owners have been attacked, sometimes shot, while criminals have attempted to steal the dogs they might see on the street or in some other area. Why are they aiming for bulldog puppies it seems? Well, the average price of a bulldog sometimes being hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Authorities have cautioned people in the Great Vancouver region and around B.C. to be cautious about any exchanges they might look to do online.
Especially if they’re looking to buy a puppy right now. They’ve also encouraged adoption as an alternative, instead of trying to find a trustworthy breeder etc. It’s important to also do research on those breeders or where you intend to get the puppy from, this can help to potentially identify a scam.
Dogs for Adoption in BC
Just recently there were a record number of dogs that had been given to the SPCA, 119 dogs that were surrendered from their owners. The BC SPCA has been asking for donations to help with those dogs. It’s expected that they will eventually make their way to different shelters around the province. Already they have received an outpouring of support from the community. Anyone interested in helping with their medical expenses or funding care and shelter services for any other pets they serve are able to donate through the website.
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