BLOG
Why does the SPCA de l'Outaouais refuse animals from municipalities without a contract?
Published on September 20th 2023
We are unfortunately unable to take in certain animals because they do not come from areas served by the SPCA de l'Outaouais.
In such situations, the best course of action is to turn to the municipality where the animal was found to find out what options it has. This applies to stray animals as well as to abandoned animals.
If your municipality doesn't have a structure in place, it may be a good idea to mention this to the municipal council, so that they can look into the matter. It is then up to each citizen to find a solution for the animal in question.
"But it's your job to help all the animals."
We'd love to be able to help all the animals! The reality is that our resources are limited, especially in terms of the number of cages/pens we have at the shelter. Unfortunately, we can't accept more animals than we can handle.
It's important to know that pet management is first and foremost a municipal responsibility! Many decide to turn to organizations like the SPCA de l'Outaouais because of our expertise in this field, but some municipalities manage this area themselves.
When a municipality signs a contract with us, it grants us the financial resources to care for a certain number of animals from its territory. This includes housing, medical care, food, employee salaries, etc.
We cannot accept more animals than stipulated in our contract, or animals from municipalities that do not pay for our services, otherwise our resources will be exhausted far too quickly and we will no longer be able to help any animals.
Furthermore, it would be unfair to serve municipalities that do not pay for our services while others have contracts with us. In the interests of fairness, and for the reasons explained above, we must therefore refuse animals from municipalities without a contract with the SPCAO.
Finally, turning away strays from unserved municipalities also increases their chances of being reunited with their guardians. In fact, it's more efficient to centralize lost pet services, so that guardians don't have to check in several places.
Share!