Two years after introducing safety measures due to COVID-19 concerns, the BC SPCA says its animal shelters are returning to regular hours.
The return to normal public access and adoption viewing will begin on Sat. Oct. 1. However, like staff members and volunteers, visitors will be required to wear a mask.
During the pandemic, part of the BC SPCA’s safety measures included virtual meetings to discuss a pet’s adoption before making an in-person appointment.
“Throughout COVID, we continued to provide our full range of services, including adoptions, but we had to be creative about how we could continue to serve animals and their guardians while also ensuring that everyone was safe,” said Adrienne McBride, the BC SPCA’s senior director for community animal centres.
McBride added, “We missed the level of one-on-one interaction we’ve always had with members of our communities. We are very excited about connecting with our supporters and friends in person again.”
The SPCA noted that despite the safety protocols, a record number of adoptions happened during the pandemic, with very few pets being returned.
The SPCA also said there was a significant increase in outreach programs, such as pet food banks, emergency pet boarding and spay/neuter surgeries.
“Many people were financially impacted by COVID,” said McBride, “and we were happy to provide whatever support we could to help keep pets and their families together.”