The BC SPCA has responded to questions from North Shore Local after a petition started by local resident Kelly Bunting alleges dogs at the West Vancouver SPCA shelter are left unattended from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. each day, a stretch of 14 hours. The petition has gathered more than 1,700 signatures.
According to the petition, dogs at the shelter are left in their kennels with no care or company once staff depart in the evening. The petition says many of the dogs will not soil their kennels, so they must hold their bodily functions for the full 14 hours, causing what it describes as extreme physical discomfort and distress.
The petition singles out Clyde, a senior dog who spent six weeks at the shelter. It claims Clyde would not soil his kennel and held his bladder and bowels for more than 14 hours a day while also suffering from the heat and loneliness. The petition also claims the facility lacks climate control, exposing animals to uncomfortable temperatures.
The petition notes that both the District of West Vancouver and the City of North Vancouver contract their official municipal pound services to the West Vancouver BC SPCA shelter, and says the municipalities share responsibility for the animals there. It calls on the SPCA and the two councils to immediately mandate at least 12 hours of daily on-site staffing.
Specifically, it asks that staff be present until at least 7 p.m. so volunteer dog walkers can exercise the dogs in an evening window from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and let them relieve themselves after dinner.
In a written response sent Tuesday by BC SPCA communications officer Debra Walley, the organization did not directly confirm or deny the 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. schedule or the 14-hour figure, and did not say whether any staff are on site or on call overnight.
“The BC SPCA is committed to the health and well-being of all the animals in our care and take their welfare seriously,” Walley wrote. “Our processes are developed by our animal behaviour and shelter medicine teams to best meet animals’ needs in the shelter.”
Walley said the population of animals coming into SPCA care has changed over the years, with many undersocialized, and that staff and volunteers carefully manage their interactions until trust is built. Dogs are walked at least once or twice a day, depending on each dog’s needs, and get bathroom breaks throughout the day, she said.
She said dogs in SPCA care are not solely dependent on scheduled walks for exercise or relief. Many shelter kennels, like those in West Vancouver, are designed so dogs can move between indoor and outdoor spaces, giving them access to fresh air, exercise and toileting based on their needs and preferences throughout the day. Dogs have access to the fronts and backs of kennels through a sliding door, and some have outside access through a gate at the back, she said. Elimination areas are set up within the kennels and compounds for overnight.
On the overnight question, Walley said staff conduct rounds in the morning, throughout the day and in the evenings before the centre closes to assess the comfort, health and well-being of the animals. “If anything is flagged as a concern, the animal will be placed in a foster home overnight prior to the closure of the centre,” she wrote. She added that all centres are alarmed for their security.
She did not speak to Clyde’s case specifically, and did not say whether the West Vancouver staffing schedule is standard across BC SPCA branches.
On climate control, Walley was specific. She said the SPCA adheres to the Canadian standards of care for animal shelters, with temperature gauges in each animal room, underfloor heating in the dog kennels and cat communal rooms, and HVAC systems in place. In summer, she said, the shelter uses portable AC units and other cooling options such as cooling mats, kiddie pools during the daytime, frozen treats and extra water.
On the request to extend evening hours, Walley said: “Extending staff hours has always been a consideration, however, there are many factors to consider including security, health and safety and risk.”
She also said foster care remains an important part of the SPCA’s strategy. When a dog’s individual needs, including health vulnerabilities, would be best met in a foster home with around the clock monitoring, the SPCA actively seeks placement with experienced foster caregivers, she said. Through adoption, transfers and foster placements, the majority of dogs spend relatively short periods in shelters before finding permanent homes, she said, and the focus remains on meeting each dog’s physical, behavioural and emotional needs throughout their stay.
