It looks like the SPCA won’t be moving into the Maritime Heritage Centre – its desired location for a new adoption centre – anytime soon.
Council Tuesday night passed a motion from Coun. Claire Moglove to have city staff work with the BC SPCA to find a suitable location for an animal adoption centre.
“Implicit in my motion, is that I do not believe the Maritime Heritage Centre is an appropriate location for an animal education and or adoption centre,” Moglove said.
“However, I do believe it would be wonderful to have the SPCA back in Campbell River. I would hope the BC SPCA would continue to work with our staff to find a suitable location for such an operation.”
Council unanimously passed Moglove’s motion, which leaves the SPCA in a difficult spot.
Lorie Chortyk, spokesperson for the BC SPCA, said last week that the Maritime Heritage Centre is a good spot because it’s a venue that attracts tourists and potential homes for the animals.
But the city thinks otherwise.
Dave Morris, the city’s general manager of facilities and supply, said the existing zoning and facility use agreement for the Maritime Heritage Centre do not permit an animal adoption centre.
While council did not consider a re-zoning to permit a shelter, councillors did, however, make changes to its bylaw for animal control – a service which was awarded to Coastal Animal Control over the BC SPCA and which prompted the BC SPCA’s departure from Campbell River.
Highlights of the bylaw
- Allow the Animal Control Officer to follow up with the owner of a barking dog after receiving a complaint or evidence from just one neighbour.
- Allow an Animal Control Officer to designate a dog as vicious.
- Reduce the time (and cost) required to keep an impounded animal from five days to three days.
- Combine the daily $7.50 impound fee and daily $8 feeding fee into one daily all-inclusive maintenance fee of $15 per day.