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Kelowna SPCA assistant manager Karen Stirling with one of the shelter's adoptable dogs, Skylight. Dog walkers are needed during the holiday season. (Photo Gary Moore)
By Holly Miyasaki
While many pets in Kelowna will have a warm home for the holidays, there are hundreds that will be spending their Christmas at the local SPCA shelter.
These dogs, cats and other animals have been abandoned, lost or confiscated from their owners and now wait at the Casorso Road location in hopes of finding homes.
If you can’t provide a forever home, there are other ways to help the shelter and its furry inhabitants.
“The workload varies with volunteers and weather,” says Dr. Jim Inglis, branch manager for Kelowna. “The building runs every day of the year because we look after our animals, but over the Christmas season our doors are open and we need extra help.”
The shelter will be closed to the public a few days during the holidays, but still needs help from community volunteers–whether it be cleaning or walking dogs, any donated time is helpful.
“We’re closed stat holidays, but we are there looking after animals,” says Inglis. Volunteers are invited to come by on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day to offer a helping hand.
Can’t give the gift of time? The shelter is always in need of other donated items, be it for cleaning or care for the animals. Other things needed to help the shelter stay clean and safe for its animals include cleaning products, printing paper, rodent
The shelter welcomes adoptions over the holidays, pets can be given as gifts through vouchers and be picked up after the holidays. Gordo is just one of those dogs waiting for a real home. (Photo Gary Moore)
food and more. One of the best ways to make a donation is through gift cards, says Inglis, from locations such as pet stores, Wal-Mart, Costco, Zellers, Buckerfields or any store they can pick up needed supplies.
Luckily, Hill’s Science Diet provides every shelter in B.C. with food free of charge, so the shelter no longer requests pet food donations.
“We keep all the animals on the same food to keep them on balanced, steady nutrition,” says Inglis.
For those planning to drop off an animal at the shelter, it’s important to remember the animal must be brought in during business hours, preceded by a phone call. The anonymity of a night-time drop will not be acceptable.
“The public has to take responsibility for these animals,” says Inglis. “At times we are absolutely full and we don’t have room, we are looking at the welfare of all animals at the shelter. And it’s not (in their best interests) to bring an animal in and overcrowd.”
The Kelowna SPCA is located at 3785 Casorso Rd. and is open Monday-Sunday from non-4:30 p.m.
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