Award Categories http://www.spca.bc.ca/community/awards.htm
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Volunteers are the heart and soul of our organization and their contributions greatly enhance our ability to provide leadership and support to the cause of animal welfare. From cleaning kennels to serving on committees; from raising funds to organizing community events, they perform a wide range of essential services. This award recognizes the invaluable contribution of one such person per branch and an overall provincial winner.
STAFF EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Shelter/program Staff Award. Shelter and program employees care for the animals, provide front line service to the public, and carry out programs that promote better welfare for animals. This award honors one staff person in the province who has made an exceptional contribution to the shelter or program activities of the Society.
Investigator of the Year Award. Special Provincial Constables have the challenging task of working to bring those who inflict cruelty on animals to justice through the enforcement of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Criminal Code. This award recognizes an SPCA investigator who has shown outstanding dedication and commitment to his or her role. (Note: The winner of this award is selected by the CEO and GM, Cruelty Investigations and is not part of the nomination process of the awards program).
PROGRAM EXCELLENCE AWARD
Branches have developed a diverse range of programs to promote advocacy, fundraising, humane education, adoptions, and community relations. Inherent in their success are the concerted and combined efforts of CACs and staff to make a difference. This award honors a branch that has developed an outstanding program or activity on behalf of animals in their community.
VETERINARIAN OF THE YEAR
Veterinarians are close allies in working for animals. In addition to providing professional health services to animals, they serve our branches in many ways - providing low cost sterilizations and other procedures, serving on boards and committees and leading or supporting advocacy efforts. This award honours a veterinarian who has made an outstanding contribution to the SPCA and/or animals in his or her community. Note: This award is not intended to honour employees of the Society, who may be recognized through the Staff Excellence Award.
STU RAMMAGE MEMORIAL AWARD
The Stu Rammage Memorial Award was created to recognize individuals whose actions in a particular situation or case in the previous year reflected an exceptional and extraordinary level of compassion and dedication to animal protection and welfare. The award is named in honour of the late Stuart Rammage, a long-time BC SPCA supporter and animal welfare advocate.
ANIMAL AWARDS
Animal Hero Award. Presented to an animal (from an SPCA shelter or in the community) whose actions have benefited others in a significant way. Recipients of this award might range from an animal who regularly brings cheer and comfort to seniors in a care facility to an animal who has rescued others from a harmful situation.
Animal Courage Award. Many of the animals rescued by the SPCA have endured horrific suffering. This award is presented in recognition of an animal rescued by the SPCA who has shown exceptional courage and resilience in the face of physical or emotional suffering.
All BC SPCA awards, with the exception of the individual branch volunteer awards, are presented at the BC SPCA Annual General Meeting in April. Winners of the branch volunteer awards receive their certificates in their own communities in a time/location arranged by the branch.
Please note: The Award of Merit for Farm Animal Welfare will not be awarded in 2004 as the Farm Animal Committee reviews its award criteria and process, but will be included in the BC SPCA Awards program in 2005 and beyond.