As thousands of people are forced from their homes due to wildfires in the Okanagan and surrounding region, The B.C. SPCA is providing emergency shelter for their pets.
“We are there for the most vulnerable animals,” said Sean Hogan, manager of the Kelowna branch. “These are animals and people that are losing their homes and shelters.”
The Kelowna branch has nearly 30 evacuated cats and dogs in its care with more on the way.
“We have a limited and filling up space right now and we are helping on a first-ask first basis,” Hogan said. “For us here in Kelowna, we would be full with another eight dogs. In terms of cats, we’re using a lot of foster homes.”
The intake of displaced animals has prompted many of the shelters in the valley, including Kelowna, to transfer animals to other facilities to make room for the animals that have been forced out of their homes.
“This has led to us actually moving many of our animals for adoption to places like the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island,” Hogan said.
Hogan said if anyone needs emergency shelter, they should first call the B.C. SPCA call centre at 1-855-622-7722.
“This is one of those situations where all the emergency groups, all of the animal and people supporters are banding together to make sure that they’re really helping as many people as needed,” Hogan said.
“It’s a dynamic and changing circumstance.”
Anyone wishing to support the B.C. SPCA with a donation can do so by clicking here.
The shelters are also in need of unopened dog and cat food.
That can be dropped off at individual shelters.