The BC SPCA is deploying extra staff to offer support to pet owners who are dealing with the threat of wildfires.
As evacuation orders continue to spread and more people are displaced, the BC SPCA says it’s already providing emergency boarding for pets of evacuees and has pet food and supplies available for those in need.
“We currently have 24 animals in our care through emergency boarding with more requests coming in from evacuees in Kelowna, Lytton and Kamloops. To keep up with growing demand, we are currently deploying additional staff members to our animal centres in the Okanagan and Thompson-Nicola regions,” says Gaelene Askeland, senior manager of Animal Care Services in Kelowna. “This is an extremely stressful and scary time; we want pet guardians to know the BC SPCA is here to help ease some of the burden they may be feeling.”
Evacuees in need of emergency boarding, pet supplies or pet food can contact the following agencies for more information:
• BC SPCA: B.C. wildfire evacuees who are in need of emergency boarding for their pets, please contact the BC SPCA Animal Helpline at 1-855-622-7722
• Emergency Support Services (ESS): Anyone in the province impacted by the fires should contact the ESS Call Centre which can be reached toll free in B.C. at 1-800-585-9559.
• Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre: call 1-877-569-8490
• Central Okanagan’s Emergency Support Services (ESS): call 250-763-4918 or email eoc.ess@kelowna.ca
• Thompson-Nicola Regional District Emergency Operations Centre: call 1-866-377-7188 or email emergency@tnrd.ca
The BC SPCA has set up a special online emergency donation site to help animals affected by wildfires. Donations will be matched up to $10,000 by Telus Health MyPet.
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