SPCA donates 500 microchips to free vet clinic in Nanaimo
A free animal wellness clinic that helps homeless and low-income pet owners in Nanaimo receive veterinary care for free is celebrating its third anniversary with a gift of 500 microchips from the BC SPCA.
The free vet clinic called Helping Paws is a volunteer-based program made up of local veterinarians, animal technicians and reception staff who give pet owners basic care for their furry loved-ones.
The once-a-month clinic provides examinations, vaccinations, flea and tick medications, deworming and treatment for some simple medical conditions.
“The last two years with COVID has been hard on veterinary staff," says Dr. Courtenay Large, founder of Helping Paws. "There has been shortages, everybody is overworked, but doing something like this really brings back the joy of why you got into the profession in the first place."
“Every single vet that I have met in Nanaimo, animal care and welfare is their primary reason for being and it shows that they’re here wanting to help those people who can’t access regular vet care,” says Leon Davis, BC SPCA's senior manager for the Island and Coastal region.
The BC Pet Registry, which is run by the BC SPCA, has supplied the clinic with 500 microchips that will supply all the pets they see this year with one.
“A microchip is permanent. It never goes away. It can always be scanned. It can always be read,” says Large.
“It’s number one way that we find animals get home, (it's) animals that have microchips,” adds Davis.
The Helping Paws clinic is held once a month at St. Peter’s Church on Machleary Street in Nanaimo.
More information about the clinic including dates and times can be found on its Facebook page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Arrest made, manslaughter charge pending in 2022 death of Calgary toddler
Calgary police have arrested a man and a charge is pending in connection with the death of a toddler in 2022.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Some customers steaming after McDonald's ends free hot drink sticker program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Prince William returns to public duties after wife Kate's cancer revelation
Prince William will return to public duties on Thursday for the first time since his wife Kate revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer.