By Shaun Thomas - The Northern View
Published: February 23, 2010 9:00 AM
Updated: February 23, 2010 9:45 AM
At the January 25 meeting of council the BCSPCA outlined the dire financial situation facing the Prince Rupert shelter and requested the City of Prince Rupert increase its grant to the group from $23,200 to $70,000, saying without the increase the local shelter may need to be closed, but at the February 22 meeting council voted to provide the same grant this year it did last year while acknowledging it may mean the end of the SPCA locally.
“The fact of the matter is that we don’t have the money to increase the grant in a year like this,” said councilor Kathy Bedard.
“There isn’t anyone here who doesn’t understand the value of pets, but it is very difficult for council to increase the grant at this time,” added Mayor Jack Mussallem.
But, given the request for $70,000 and the decision to provide $23,200, council will seek a commitment from the SPCA to continue operations for the rest of the year before they give them the money. If the SPCA is not able to make that commitment, council said it would have to look at other options and other groups to provide animal kenneling and services.
“I guess the question I have is what are we going to do without the SPCA? Who will take in the animals and kennel them…If the SPCA can’t work with $23,200 to stay open for the year, I think we need to meet with them locally to see if there are other avenues we can pursue because we need that kenneling of domestic and abandoned animals,” said councilor Joy Thorkelson.
“If they need $70,000, what are they going to be able to do with $23,200? Should we be looking at other options,” asked councilor Kathy Bedard, alluding to Humane Societies or other such groups.
The Prince Rupert SPCA had been surviving from an estate that was left to the local shelter, but that money runs out in 2010. Without it, the SPCA was projecting a loss of $110,000 this year based on an annual operating cost of approximately $224,000. The shelter takes in approximately 520 animals per year and has 2.8 FTE staff.
Look for more on this story, including reaction from the BCSPCA, as it becomes available at www.thenorthernview.com.
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