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SPCA getting out of animal control

Nadine Durante says the SPCA will no longer offer animal control services after March of 2010.

Published: November 05, 2009 7:00 PM

The Town of Qualicum Beach and other area municipalities are scrambling to come up with a new animal control function after learning the SPCA will not renew its contract to provide the service in 2010.

Parksville Qualicum SPCA manager Nadine Durante confirmed that although they have provided the service in the past, this will soon no longer be the case.

“Our issues are animal welfare and wellbeing, as well as education and advocacy,” she said. “It’s not the SPCA’s mandate to do animal control. We are getting out of doing it all across the province.”

Town of Qualicum Beach chief administrative officer Mark Brown noted the SPCA is prepared to provide existing services on a short-term basis until the town has come up with an alternate model for animal control services.

“Town staff have met with staff from the Regional District of Nanaimo, the City of Parksville, the District of Lantzville and the City of Nanaimo regarding the future of animal control services,” Brown said in his report.

“As a result of this meeting, the RDN is preparing a report to go to their board regarding the possible options to continue on with animal control services.”

He noted the RDN staff is preparing a report to go to the RDN board regarding the possible options available for control of vicious dogs and the recovery of stray dogs.

At Monday night’s council meeting, Brown recommended that council direct staff to continue working with the RDN and area municipalities to come up with a solution and, in the meantime, to extend the SPCA contract until the end of March.

“We’ve been looking at what facilities could be used and whether we would use the same contractor as the City of Nanaimo, or whether we use the RDN or town employees,” Brown said.

“The SPCA has agreed to continue to provide pound service and we could continue to contract that part of it.”

Brown said while the Nanaimo option has its attractions, he would like to see pound facilities closer to home.

“We’re thinking for service to the public, should their animals be taken, it’s quite a drive to the south end of Nanaimo,” Brown said. “We think there should be something in this area. The SPCA is our first choice, but that’s not decided yet.

Council agreed unanimously to permit staff to continue negotiations.