As British Columbia battles wildfires, animals need just as much help as people. The BC Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA) provides evacuation, emergency sheltering, reunification, and other services to pets affected by fires.
Leon Davis, Senior Manager of Animal Care Services for the Island and Coastal Region, said many people hesitate to evacuate if they have nowhere to take their pets, which increases the risk for everyone. The BC SPCA collaborates closely with communities to ensure pets are safe.
“We’ll reach out and say, hey, do you have these supplies? Can you drop them off at the center? And it’s really a solution, it’s not just us solving this. It becomes a community solution, all of us working together,” Davis said.
Community foster homes often step up to take in animals displaced by evacuation orders. Emergency boarding is especially important, Davis explained, when residents under alert contact the SPCA, “we keep the names ready for when it becomes an order.” The organization also provides food, crates, and other supplies for those in need.
Davis advised residents to prepare in advance, “If people start to get worried, they should contact local Emergency Support Services (ESS). Make sure you and your pet are ready to go, pack your pet’s documents and food.”
The BC SPCA also recommends keeping pets leashed during wildfire season. Encounters with wild animals can be frightening and dangerous for both pets and wildlife. On its website, the SPCA notes that rehabilitation centres treat injuries every year caused by off-leash dogs. Wild animals such as squirrels, seal pups, and deer fawns are especially vulnerable. Even migratory shorebirds can lose vital energy if startled into flight by dogs.
Most animals sense the danger of wildfires; larger ones may run, fly, or seek water, while smaller ones hide in logs, burrows, or under rocks. During fire season, predators may also take advantage of the chaos to hunt young or weakened animals.
Davis said the SPCA stays in close contact with local ESS and monitors weather forecasts to anticipate changes. Local shelters are often cleared in advance to make room for animals needing emergency boarding. When evacuation orders are lifted, pets are reunited with their families, “and then a happy ending is the hope,” Davis said.
BC SPCA Animal Helpline: 1-855-622-7722
– Lisa Kovtun, U Multicultural
