Emergencies

Lifelines & Second Chances: Celebrating Shelters & Rescues in Our Community

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Every year, the first full week of November is designated National Animal Shelter & Rescue Appreciation Week—a time to honour the dedication, compassion and tireless work of rescue groups, humane societies, foster networks, and shelter staff everywhere.

At Boundary Bay Veterinary Specialty Hospital, we see firsthand how much these organizations contribute—not just to placing pets in loving homes, but also to improving animal health, offering rehabilitation, supporting community reunifications, and stepping in when emergencies strike.

Why National Shelter & Rescue Appreciation Week Matters

Shelters and rescues operate year-round as vital lifelines for animals who are injured, orphaned, lost or abused. During this special week, we shine a spotlight on:

  • The people behind the mission: staff, volunteers, fosters and donors who often work long hours under difficult circumstances
  • The rescue spectrum: everything from stray animal intake, emergency medical treatment, rehabilitative care, foster coordination, community education, rehoming and reunification
  • Collaborative lifesaving: shelter and rescue partners often refer cases to specialty veterinary centers, or bring in veterinary teams to stabilize emergency cases before adoption
  • Community resilience: shelters are frontline responders in natural disasters, cruelty cases, and pet overpopulation crises

This week isn’t just about saying “thank you” — it’s a reminder that caring for animals is a shared effort, and every link in the chain matters.

Does Boundary Bay Veterinary Specialty Hospital take rescues or strays?

Unfortunately, no. While we would never refuse a critically injured animal that came through our doors, we direct people who ask us about strays to contact one of the animal shelters and rescue organizations in BC who are expertly trained, licensed and have the proper authority to take responsibility for stray animals. In fact, we often communicate with these shelters if a stray animal does happen to arrive at our hospital.

Here are some of the amazing shelters and foundations in British Columbia and the Vancouver area that Boundary Bay Veterinary Specialty Hospital has supported and worked with:

Each animal we treat has a story, and many of those stories began thanks to rescue or shelter intervention. Whether it’s a fractured leg from trauma, a senior cat with a chronic condition, or a frightened puppy found as a stray, without rescue partners we’d see far fewer happy outcomes.

How You Can Help This Week (and anytime)

National Animal Shelter & Rescue Appreciation Week is a great time to express gratitude—and there are many ways to make a difference:

  • Volunteer or foster: Even just a few hours a month can ease shelter crowding and help animals thrive
  • Donate supplies or funds: Blankets, crates, pet-safe cleaning products, food, veterinary supplies, or even a small cash gift can go a long way
  • Share stories: Adopted a pet recently? Drop a thank-you note or photos to the rescue or shelter that connected you
  • Spread the word: Social media shout-outs, fundraising shares, humane education or linking people to adoption or foster resources all help amplify the effort
  • Stay engaged year-round: Shelters need stable support—not just during a single week

A Final Word of Thanks

As an emergency hospital with veterinary specialists, we often see the end of a rescue story: the wound healed, the behavior modified, the fear reduced, the adoption finalized. But none of that would happen without the rescuers, shelter staff, volunteers and donors who started the journey.

Thank you to every person and organization helping animals find safety, healing and new beginnings. Your dedication makes a real difference—not just to pets and their adopters, but to the entire community.

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