Dear supporters,
It is with great sadness that I am writing you regarding the closure of our Campbell River Branch. The city’s decision to award their pound service contract to another organization has resulted in the SPCA having to leave the city-owned animal shelter, effective March 31.
Without our partnership with the city, it is financially impossible for the BC SPCA to support a branch in Campbell River.
As a charitable organization, the SPCA has provided life-saving help for tens of thousands of injured, abused and homeless animals in the Campbell River area and has worked tirelessly to proactively address the root causes of animal suffering in the community. We could not have done this work on behalf of animals without you and we are truly grateful for your compassion and support for animals in need.
In addition to our donor-funded services such as cruelty investigations, humane education for youth, low-cost spay/neuter assistance and advocacy, the SPCA has provided bylaw enforcement and pound services in Campbell River for more than 30 years through our contract with the city.
Council’s decision to award its new pound contract to the lowest bidder raises a number of very serious concerns about the future safety and welfare of animals in Campbell River. The proposal submitted by the BC SPCA for the contract, based on 30 years of experience in the community, was the lowest figure we could possibly provide without severely compromising the health and welfare of the animals. We believe a dramatically lower bid is unrealistic and could only be offered by reducing the standard of care for animals to an unacceptable level.
We have seen this happen in other communities, with very serious consequences for animals and residents. We hope you will continue to be a voice for your community’s most vulnerable animals and will hold your mayor and council accountable for decisions regarding animal welfare.
It has been our immense privilege to work with you to protect and enrich the lives of animals in your community.
There is no doubt that the changes at the Campbell River shelter will result in an influx of local animals arriving at our BC SPCA in Comox Valley. Over the next month we will also be exploring how we can best continue to meet the needs of animals in Campbell River. We sincerely hope that you will continue to work with us to provide urgently needed care for abused, injured, neglected and homeless animals in your region. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at the Provincial Office at 1-800-665-1868. Thank you again for your generosity and compassion for animals in need.
Craig Daniell
Chief Executive Officer, BC SPCA