The South Okanagan branch of the B.C. SPCA reports a successful year placing numerous cats, kittens, dogs, puppies and small animals in 2017.
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January 03, 2018 - 6:00 PM
PENTICTON - Last year was a good one for the South Okanagan chapter of the B.C. SPCA.
Branch manager Carolyn Hawkins says the Penticton-based branch found homes for 180 cats, 191 kittens, 91 dogs, 10 puppies and 20 small animals (rabbits, rats, guinea pigs, etc.,) through adoption in 2017.
Hawkins couldn’t say whether it was a record year for adoptions but says the branch did “really well” last year.
Hawkins says adoptions of cats and kittens were strong over the Christmas season, with some dogs adopted as well. She says she is finding few people return them after the holiday season, as adoptees go through a counselling process with the SPCA to ensure people are well matched to the pet they want to adopt.
“We speak to people as part of the adoption process to make sure they are educated about the care and cost of having a pet. Adoption can’t be a whim, and most people understand that,” she says.
The South Okanagan branch also engaged in a program to catch and release feral cats in the region. Those that were considered sociable, or those young enough to socialize, were spayed and neutered and found new homes as adoptees.
“If they are young enough, they can be socialized and make great family pets,” she says.
Hawkins says pet inventories were “pretty good” through 2017. She says spay and neutering programs are working, but the agency still dealt with a large number of kittens during kitten season in February and in the fall.
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