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
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.