The West Kootenay SPCA animal centre has been running at capacity and says it could use more help from the community.
Manager Danielle Jackman said they had a couple of large intakes of cats in November and December, including 33 from one property, many of whom were ill.
“They had about three different types of upper respiratory diseases,” she said. “They also had ear mites and fleas and internal parasites. So they needed to be treated for about six weeks in our care before we could find homes for them.”
Four of those cats are still available for adoption.
Jackman said as a small shelter, they are limited on how many animals they can help at once.
“We really relied heavily on volunteer support to help get through the end of the year. And we’ve already, in the new year, had an intake of 10 [animals], and we’re expecting another 12 in the next week or so.”
Last year the local SPCA centre, which is in Castlegar, took in over 500 animals and was able to find homes for about 350 of them. Others were transferred to different SPCA branches.
Jackman said the animals that appear for adoption on their website don’t always represent all of those they are caring for, if some are still being treated.
She said other shelters around the province are in similar situations with large numbers of animals. She suspects it has to do with the economy and people being unable to afford veterinary care or to spay or neuter their pets.
The SPCA closed its Nelson adoption centre in November 2024. Jackman said they have been able to manage the transition, and saw about 100 more animals last year that the Nelson branch previously would have been able to help with.
She also said they have expanded their foster network, so some animals are cared for in the community rather than in the shelter while they await permanent homes.
The shelter has a staff of six, ranging from casual to full-time and about 60 regular volunteers. But Jackman said they could use more, given that they are a seven-day-per-week, year-round operation.
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