Richmond Review
by Matthew Hoekstra
Staff Reporter

With little debate and one final vote, city council welcomed the Richmond Animal Protection Society as the city’s new animal shelter operator on Monday.

The move severs the city’s 20-year relationship with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

“This really has been coming on for some time,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie before council unanimously approved a two-year deal with the new operator.

City staff urged council to make the switch after the SPCA no longer pledged to provide animal control services, which are supposed to be shared by the shelter operator and the city’s bylaws department.

The SPCA’s bid also came in at $579,884 over two years—$239,884 more than its competition.

On Feb. 1, the Richmond Animal Protection Society will assume operations of the shelter, located at 12071 No. 5 Rd., and daytime animal control services.

The society will continue to operate its own shelter in East Richmond, where it houses at least 700 cats and also arranges for foster care and adoption of stray, abandoned or otherwise homeless dogs.

Coun. Sue Halsey-Brandt said she was impressed by the dedication of society members when she toured the East Richmond shelter. Halsey-Brandt noted the switch will mean animals from other jurisdictions will no longer be brought to the city’s shelter—a practice the SPCA used to facilitate adoptions.

“We will be ensuring the animals in Richmond will be getting the care that they need, and not animals from all over the Lower Mainland,” she said.

Society president Carol Reichert is urging residents to be patient with the society during the transition. She also urged residents to do what they can to support the society, given its lean bid. “It’s risky, what we’re doing, but we’re willing to do it anyway. I’m well aware that we’ve got a big challenge ahead of us,” she said.

Reichert pledged to meet the city’s expectations and said residents can rest assured there won’t be any “unnecessary euthanasia,” noting her group is “pro-life.”

The Richmond Animal Protection Society has been operating in Richmond for 17 years and has 130 volunteers involved in its own shelter.

“We have proved ourselves as far as shelter operation and really wanting to work in this community and our passion for animals,” she said. Reichert said she realizes the significance of the contract and said residents should give the society time to prove itself in operating the city pound.

“This is something that people care about. It’s not like we’ve signed a contract for roadwork in Richmond. We’ve signed a contract with something that’s very dear to the hearts of the people.”

Among the Richmond Animal Protection Society’s ongoing fundraising efforts, a thrift store at 8260 Granville Ave. (604-244-7529) donates 100 per cent of its sales to the care of local animals.

The Richmond Animal Protection Society will be taking over the former SPCA shelter. Janet Reid (left) and Carol Reichert will be managing the facility when the time comes.