BC SPCA rehab centre calling for donations of building materials to keep wild animals safe
Staff at the BC SPCA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre (Wild ARC) say they are in desperate need of construction supplies to help keep animals in their care safe.
Many of the animal enclosures at the more-than-four-hectare Metchosin, B.C., property are in need of repair, or require modifications to accommodate the wild animals housed at the rehabilitation facility.
The agency is appealing to the public for donations of lumber and plywood as it prepares to take in new animals in need of care.
“We are a non-profit so we don’t have a lot of money to do things,” said Wild ARC manager Ginelle Smith. “There’s a lot of building and construction going on and I’m sure there’s a lot of companies or individuals that have spare pieces that they don’t need.”
Smith says Wild ARC is looking for a range of lumber, from lengths of two-by-twos, to two-by-fours to sheets of plywood. She says the need to rebuild the enclosures is even greater this year due to climate change.
“Certain improvements are needed due to heat domes in the summer and [also] avian flu outbreaks,” said Smith. “We have to rebuild a certain way for quarantine and what we’re asking for is help for us to do that.”
Smith says that in 2021 staff at Wild ARC rehabilitated more than 3,200 wild animals at the Malloch Road facility. She says the organization expects to care for even more animals in 2022.
“We get busier every year and we just need more spaces for our patients who come here,” said Smith. “Our flight pen, our outdoor deer and our avian enclosures all need to be improved.”
Smith says staff did have some lumber stored at the facility, but due to demands for new spaces, it has now been depleted, leaving their reserves empty.
“If we could get two dozen of each size [of lumber] that would hold us for a while,” said Smith. “It's extremely important as we have big projects going on now at Wild ARC because we’ve got patients that will be here any day now.”
Smith says the wild animal rehabilitation centre has been operating under a significant amount of strain due to a series viruses affecting wild animals, such as deer and birds.
“We’ve especially had to revamp our deer area for the deer fawns when they arrive,” said Smith. “It’s extremely important to get the lumber so we can get through what we have to get through.”
Donations of lumber can be dropped off at Wild ARC at 1020 Malloch Road, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. seven days a week.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.