While hundreds of wildfires burn across the province, the BC SPCA said it’s ready to open a second evacuation centre in the Prince George area for pets because it’s at full capacity after opening up just two weeks ago.
Spokesperson Lorie Chortyk said volunteers at the evacuation centre are caring for about 80 dogs, while cats are at a separate facility, until their owners can come back and get them.
Chortyk said this is after they already moved approximately 130 adoptable animals to the lower mainland to make more space.
“We check in every day, we’ve got people checking with our counterparts in the emergency services,” she said.
“So if we’re aware of evacuation orders and know that there is going to be need, we’ll definitely make that happen very quickly, but it really is on a sort of day by day… almost hourly basis depending on where the fires are.”
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“We are at full capacity for the animals that we can care for, so if there are other evacuation orders and we need to provide more care, we’ll look at opening another facility in the area.”
Chortyk said adult cats are being sold at half price until the end of the August to make more room as well.