After another year of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as a devastating wildfire season and historic flooding, the BC SPCA said it's helped more animals in 2021 than ever before.
In a news release Monday, the animal welfare organization said it assisted with a "record number" of animals in need across the province over the past year.
"Amid the ongoing pandemic and unprecedented natural disasters, the BC SCPA helped 118,917 domestic, farm and wild animals, nearly 22,000 more animals than in 2020," said Lorie Chortyk, general manager of communications for the BC SPCA, in the release.
"We saw increases in the number of animals in need right across the board, from our cruelty investigations work to injured and orphaned wildlife to the increased demand for help at our veterinary hospitals and clinics."
Of the 118,917 animals, 39,366 were assisted through direct rescue, sheltering and rehabilitation, said Chortyk. The 79,551 others were owned animals that were helped through emergency response and outreach programs.
"We also responded to families who were displaced by wildfires and floods by providing 12,418 nights of free emergency boarding for their pets, in addition to distributing pet food and supplies at emergency support services centres and rescuing and feeding animals behind evacuation lines," said Chortyk.
Wild ARC, the BC SPCA's wildlife rehabilitation centre in Metchosin on Vancouver Island also brought in a record number of animals.
Choryk said volunteers helped 3,128 injured and orphaned wild animals in 2021.
"Our wildlife rehabilitators and volunteers were kept very busy caring for everything from baby hummingbirds to river otters," said Chortyk.
Chortyk added that the pandemic has also played a large part in their efforts to help animals in need.
"So many pet guardians have been impacted financially by the COVID-19 pandemic and we were able to expand our community pet food programs right across the province, helping 34,141 animals," she said.
