National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week takes place during the first full week of November in recognition of the various shelters that provide care to millions of displaced animals in North America.
It also gives us an opportunity to acknowledge the hard-working people supporting the efforts with their work at the shelters. Local shelters are great at finding new homes for homeless pets, but it’s not all they do. They rescue and rehabilitate injured or abused animals, reunite lost pets with their original families, rescue feral cats and kittens, provide shelter and care for senior animals with nowhere else to go, provide education and support to communities and pet owners, and support retired service dogs. All these amazing groups serve communities by saving animals every day.
In honor of National Animal Shelter and Rescue Appreciation Week, we’re saying “thank you” to the staff, volunteers, and veterinarians who are dedicated to giving our furry friends a second chance, and share more about what they do.
Is there a difference between humane societies, SPCAs, rescues, and satellite adoption centres?
While all these organizations and facilities are pet and animal-centered, they do have some key differences.
Humane societies and SPCAs are the most similar organizations on the list above. They typically run shelters and animal adoption programs to find loving homes for mistreated, abandoned, or surrendered animals. They also often educate the communities they serve about animal welfare.
Rescue organizations are often run by animal enthusiasts and volunteers. They accept animals that don’t belong in shelters or pounds and sometimes also take in surrenders. The animals waiting for their forever homes are most often kept at the volunteers’ homes or in foster homes.
Satellite adoption centers are typically pet stores that don’t sell animals but instead will display them for the Humane Society or SPCA. The animals you see at your local PetSmart are likely not sold by the store but by their partners. Displaying these animals in the store helps them reach more people faster so they can go to their forever homes sooner.
Does Boundary Bay Veterinary Specialty Hospital take stray animals?
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 Vancouver area that Boundary Bay Veterinary Specialty Hospital has supported and worked with:
BC SPCA (multiple locations across BC)
SARC (Surrey Animal Resource Centre)
Ned’s Wish Foundation (service dogs)
…and many others.
How many animals does the BCSPCA help in a year?
The BC SPCA assists more than 135,764 animals in need every year. In 2023, provided care for over 16,800 animals, 56.5% of which were cats and kittens and 31% of which were dogs and puppies. They also found homes for 11,138 animals (a 14% increase from 2022) and reunited 2,165 lost animals with their families.
The BC SPCA is the only animal welfare organization in B.C. with the authority to enforce animal cruelty laws under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA Act). They are the largest animal welfare organization of its kind in North America and the largest animal sheltering society in the world. They have 41 locations across B.C.
What is the Surrey Animal Resource Centre (SARC)?
The Surrey Animal Resource Centre (SARC) is the municipal animal shelter for the City of Surrey, looking after the surrendered and lost animals in the community.
The shelter is owned and operated by the City of Surrey. The shelter cares for both stray animals and adoptable animals. This can include companion animals (such as dogs and cats), and extends to small animals (rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters), livestock, and exotic animals.
If you have lost your pet, or you have found a pet, you can find information about how to proceed on the City of Surrey website here.
How many animal shelters are there in Canada?
Based on statistics provided in Humane Canada’s 2021 report, there were 175 total humane societies and SPCA shelters throughout the country (Humane Canada).
The majority of the facilities operate from Ontario (47) and British Columbia (37), which shouldn’t be too surprising as these are two of the three largest provinces by population in the country. Quebec, which is actually the second-largest province by population, operates just 20 shelters.
Want to get involved? Find out more about animal shelters and other organizations across Canada:
The Canadian Animal Shelter & Community Medicine Association (CASCMA) is a National organization that promotes networking among shelter medicine professionals across Canada, while working co-operatively with other sheltering and community veterinary organizations.
Humane Canada (the Federation of SPCAs and Humane Societies) is a group that speaks on behalf of animal welfare advocates, organizations and the public to reach government, policymakers, and the greater public.
Find out more about the rescue organizations and shelter associations working together across Canada here.
8 facts about Canadian shelters and animal adoptions:
- There are currently over 170 animal shelters in Canada.
- Approximately 700,000 animals are currently waiting to be adopted at animal shelters across Canada.
- Community Animal Centers in British Columbia cared for over 16,800 animals in 2023.
- Housing issues are the most common reason Canadian cat and dog owners surrender their pets.
- Forty-seven percent of Canadian pet owners who adopted during the pandemic have encountered challenges with their pets.
- Twice as many cats as dogs are taken into Canadian shelters on average.
- Almost 45% of Canada’s shelter dogs are rehomed. Almost 60% of Canada’s shelter cats are rehomed.
- Only 10% of dogs in Canadian shelters are euthanized. Only 15% of cats in Canadian shelters are euthanized.
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About Boundary Bay Veterinary Specialty Hospital
Boundary Bay Veterinary Specialty Hospital is a family owned, veterinary specialty and 24/7 emergency and critical care hospital in Surrey, BC, serving the Vancouver metro area and greater British Columbia.
As a certified VECCS Level I facility and a Level II VetCOT Trauma Centre, we are capable of handling even the most critical, life-threatening emergencies and trauma, with board-certified specialists on staff and on-call to handle any medical or surgical issue.
We offer specialty services in surgery, internal medicine, cardiology, neurology, oncology, dentistry, diagnostic imaging, and animal rehabilitation (dog and cat physiotherapy).
If you have a referral from your primary veterinarian, or you would like a referral, please contact us. If your pet is experiencing an emergency, come directly to our hospital, walk-ins welcome. We are open 24/7/365.