The British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA) is a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

animal welfare organization which advocates for animal protection legislation, operates animal shelters, and runs educational workshops and public awareness programs throughout

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

, Canada. Founded in 1896, it is a registered charitable organization and one of the largest such animal welfare organizations in North America. As of 2017, BC SPCA had 36 branches, over 500 staff members, nearly 5500 volunteers, operated 5 veterinary hospitals/clinics and a

wildlife rehabilitation Wildlife rehabilitation is the treatment and care of injured, orphaned, or sick wild animals so that they can be released back to the wild. Process Rehabilitation begins when an animal is found and reported to a wildlife rehabilitator, or seize ...

centre, and sheltered more than 22000 animals. It is also one of the few animal welfare organizations to monitor animals in film.

History

In 1895, the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act was enacted in British Columbia, bringing the BC SPCA into existence. The act authorized the establishment of the BC SPCA to investigate offences involving cruelty to animals and to take action to rescue captive animals in distress. BC SPCA formally began operating in 1896 and its first meeting was held at

New Westminster New Westminster (colloquially known as New West) is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada, and a member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District. It was founded by Major-General Richard Moody as the capi ...

. By 1901, the organization had more than 10 branches spread across various cities of British Columbia. Beyond law enforcement, the society's primary aims were to educate the public and advocate for an end to practices causing suffering for animals. This was the business of the BC SPCA until it elected to open its first animal shelter in 1955 in Vancouver.

Activities

Being the only animal welfare organization in British Columbia that is authorized to enforce animal cruelty laws, BC SPCA operates a Cruelty Investigations Department that investigates reports of cruelty towards animals, rescues animals if they are found to be subject to distress, and if required, initiates legal proceedings against perpetrators of acts of cruelty by making recommendations to Crown Council to prosecute. Punishments handed out by the court to persons found guilty in such cases range from revoking permission to own animals to fines and imprisonment. In February 2016, the BC SPCA seized 66 animals from a

puppy mill A puppy mill, also known as a puppy farm, is a commercial dog breeding facility characterized by quick breeding and poor conditions. Although no standardized legal definition for "puppy mill" exists, a definition was established in ''Avenson v. ...

Langley Langley may refer to: People * Langley (surname), a common English surname, including a list of notable people with the name * Dawn Langley Simmons (1922–2000), English author and biographer * Elizabeth Langley (born 1933), Canadian perfor ...

, one of the largest seizures in the province's history. BC SPCA provides medical care to animals through five veterinary practices, including three full-service veterinary hospitals and two spay/neuter clinics launched to reduce pet overpopulation. The society operates a range other facilities including community animal centres (a new model of animal shelter) and store-front education and adoption centres which offer youth education programming and adoptions of cats and small animals. Many of these locations extend their emergency services to injured pets, and may also provide short-term care for pets whose owners are in a crisis situation. Also, it monitors the use of animals in the film industry.

Funding

BC SPCA is a not-for-profit charitable society and relies largely on donations from the public and

government grant A grant is a fund given by an end entity grant – often a public body, charitable foundation, or a specialised grant-making institution – to an individual or another entity (usually, a non-profit organisation, sometimes a business or a local ...

s for its funding. According to its website, BC SPCA spends approximately $2.5 million per year on animal cruelty investigations, an activity for which it does not receive any government funding and relies solely on public donations. Every September, the organizations conducts ''Paws for a Cause'' walks throughout British Columbia for fundraising.

References

External links

* {{Vancouver Corporations Non-profit organizations based in Vancouver Animal welfare organizations based in Canada 1896 establishments in British Columbia