BC SPCA PRESS RELEASE

BC SPCA Restructures Services in Lower Mainland

January 14, 2003

For Immediate Release:

The BC SPCA announced today that it is closing two of its Lower Mainland shelters that do not meet the Society's standards for animal care. Kim Capri, Chief Operating Officer for the BC SPCA, said the Langley Shelter is slated to close on March 31st, 2003, and the Chilliwack Shelter on April 30th, 2003. The SPCA currently operates 11 shelters in Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.

"There has been growing concern on the part of SPCA management, staff, volunteers, and the public about the deterioration of the Langley and Chilliwack shelters and we are not prepared to operate facilities that do not meet acceptable levels of care," says Capri. She says the SPCA believes it can expand its direct services to animals and provide higher levels of care by operating a smaller number of fully-staffed, well-run regional shelters rather than diluting resources by operating under-resourced shelters in multiple locations. "It just doesn't make sense to keep operating small shelters in poor condition when we can consolidate our resources to create facilities that provide state-of-the-art care for animals."

The closure of aging Lower Mainland shelters in order to re-direct funds for newer facilities was strongly recommended by the public in the Community Consultation carried out by the BC SPCA in the fall of 2001. Despite the closures, the SPCA plans to maintain its Chilliwack Branch and has recently created a combined Abbotsford/Langley Branch. "Many BC locations, such as Nelson, have thriving SPCA branches which rely on satellite adoption centres and other community-based initiatives to serve animals," explains Capri. Following the shelter closures this spring, animals in Langley and Chilliwack will be serviced by an expanded shelter in Abbotsford and the SPCA will maintain a strong local presence through satellite adoption centres, storefront operations, fostering networks, and increased volunteer and community partnerships. "We will have a number of community-based operations and will also encourage volunteers from the region to become part of shelter activities in Abbotsford," said Capri. The SPCA will continue to provide animal control services to Langley through its enhanced Abbotsford facility.

In Langley, the SPCA currently leases its facility from a private businessman and therefore could not make significant renovations to the building. "As it happens, the owner wanted to use the facility for another purpose and gave us notice, but it coincided with our own desire to move out," says Capri. "In the case of Chilliwack we were pouring money into an aging facility that barely met our needs." The closures are part of a plan by the BC SPCA to provide state-of-the-art shelter facilities in regions throughout the province. Work is currently under way to develop leading-edge animal care facilities in Penticton and Nanaimo."