They are the unsung heroes of homeless and abused animals in B.C. – the 4,000 volunteers who help the B.C. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA) care for nearly 34,000 animals in need every year.
There are volunteers on duty 24 hours a day, fostering litters of abandoned kittens that are so young they require bottle-feeding every two hours.
There are volunteers who walk dogs every morning and every afternoon.
And there are volunteers who clean kennels, arrange events, solicit donations and offer humane education programming to school children.
“Volunteers provide vital expertise in our 37 branches across the province,” said Brian Houlihan, the BC SPCA’s general manager of volunteer resources. “We couldn’t thrive without them.”
At the BC SPCA’s Abbotsford Branch, which cared for 1,679 animals last year, volunteers regularly lend their talents both for and on behalf of animals. Volunteers walk dogs, foster kittens, cuddle cats, clean animal habitats, fundraise, organize special events, create promotional materials and perform dozens of other tasks to protect and enhance the quality of life for domestic, farm and wild animals in B.C.
According to Volunteer Canada, 11.8 million Canadians volunteer to help others, contributing almost two billion volunteer hours per year.
For more information on how you can get involved, visit spca.bc.ca/volunteer.