Conception Bay North SPCA in summer drive mode to find owners for shelter animals
Volunteers with the Baccalieu Trail SPCA are busy this summer trying to find new homes for the growing population of cats and dogs at the Spaniard’s Bay shelter.
The group held a display of animals at Pet Valu in Carbonear last Sunday and will hold another one this Saturday starting at Noon.
The shelter typically cares for 25 to 35 cats and dogs at any given time. At present, there are a total of 32 animals — 28 cats and four dogs —at the shelter waiting to find homes. Adoption events like the one held last weekend typically only involve cats as the events can be too overstimulating for dogs. When it comes to canines, the BTSPCA finds that adoption appointments go best when conducted privately at the shelter. One-on-one meetings are beneficial to building a relationship between dogs and their potential new owners, and are also ideal if the owners already have another dog in their household.
At the Pet Valu-hosted adoption events, the shelter usually brings two or three adult cats at a time or two litters of kittens. The BTSPCA also holds adoption events at the shelter in Spaniard’s Bay several times a year where people can meet all the available cats and get a tour of the cat rooms. Sometimes the events are paired with fundraisers such as bake sales or kitty litter drives.
The BTSPCA is a relatively new shelter, and there are people who are still unaware of its existence, say staff, who are hoping this summer’s adoption events will raise awareness about the facility and the need for donations, volunteers and potential new pet owners.
Olivia Bradbury, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Shoreline News
