BC SPCA restarts in-person adoption viewing after 2 years

A BC SPCA sign is seen in this undated image. (Shutterstock)

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the BC SPCA has restarted in-person adoption viewing and public access to its branches.

During the pandemic, people who were interested in adopting a furry friend had to do "'virtual meet and greets" when previously they could walk into an SPCA facility and view the animals for themselves.

"Throughout COVID, we continued to provide our full range of services, including adoptions, but we had to be creative about how we could continue to serve animals and their guardians while also ensuring that everyone was safe," said Adrienne McBride, BC SPCA senior director for community animal centres, in a release Friday.

As of Oct. 1, people can once again visit BC SPCA branches in person during regular business hours, and branches have restarted walk-in adoptions.

The SPCA notes that masks are still required when visiting any of its centres in B.C.

"Even though our services carried on throughout COVID, we missed the level of one-on-one interaction we’ve always had with members of our communities," said McBride.

"We are very excited about connecting with our supporters and friends in person again," she said.

The BC SPCA says it saw record numbers of adoptions during the pandemic, despite closing its branches to drop-in adoptions.

The organization also saw an increase in demand for support services over the past two years.

In 2021, roughly 34,000 meals were given to pets through the SPCA's pet food bank program, and a combined 12,418 nights of free emergency pet boarding were provided in B.C.