It's been almost three years since my Simon passed away (I still miss him a lot), and my husband looooooves cats, so we decided to adopt a cat, specifically an older cat, as kittens, while adorable, are a little high energy and high maintenance for us. We were planning on adopting a cat sometime this summer, when last week, I found out that the SPCA is reducing the adoption fees on older cats (not kittens) by 50% between May 25th and May 31st. So while we weren't planning on adopting a cat just yet, we decided to take advantage of the promotion this weekend -- it was the puuuurrrrfect opportunity! We had looked at the website ahead of time, and there were some cats that we were interested in, based on their description and appearance, but you really have to meet the cat before making a decision. At the SPCA, there were a couple that we liked (neither of which we had considered from the website), and in the end, we chose the oldest cat there, at ten years old. (According to his backstory, he was surrendered because a child in the family was allergic -- so sad that after ten years he was given away.) Not only is he old, but he's also really fat, at nearly 20 lbs! But he's a lovely cat, very friendly and affectionate, although a little shy. (So far, he's spent the majority of his time hiding under the couch or bed, but he purrs a lot and likes being pet, and he has come out a few times for cuddles.) While my husband and I had been discussing adopting a cat, and from where (SPCA, VOKRA, Cat Therapy & Rescue, etc), I was worried that it would be a huge hassle and that we would be rejected for some ridiculous reason. (VOKRA and Cat Therapy & Rescue seem a little intense -- I understand wanting to make sure that a cat goes to a good home, but good grief! Their rules and requirements are ridiculous!) However, we had no issues at all with the adoption at the SPCA. Once we decided on a cat, we filled out an application, a staff member asked us a few reasonable questions, as well as patiently answered all our questions about the cat, and it was done -- we had a kitty to take home! The cat's name was Seth Rogen, a name we hate (I don't even care for the actor), but it's wrong to change a cat's name when he's so old, so we tried calling him Seth. But the name just doesn't fit, and in the end, I'm calling him Beau, after Beau Nugget, an extremely obese cat whose weight loss journey can be watched on YouTube. read more

BC SPCA Vancouver - Beau (formerly named Seth Rogen). Photo taken by the SPCA. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

The reason why it's so low is because one of your programs deserves it. sure, you guys do some great work!!!! but to literally kick someone when they are down and desperate is horrible.... I can't get help because i am staying somewhere out of "boundaries"???? I legally live within those boundaries but just left an abusive situation and THE ONLY SAFE PLACE FOR ME is where I am until I can safely go live my life again. Disgusting!!! Absolutely disgusting read more

It Was Terrible , I went with my family and wanted to pet the animals but the woman said that we can't , she said that the animals there are "Sad" because they are rescued , I was so sad because I loved dogs and wanted to play with them because I don't have a pet , it was not really her fault but I wish that they can make people come and play with animals , it would maybe make someone fall in love with an animal and adopt it read more

I used to work at the BcSpca. All my dogs and cats have been adopted from them and all have suffered many health issues. A new scientific study has just come out explaining all the issues that can happen from spaying and neutering all of which mine have had that has cost me soo much money and pain to see them not be able to live how a dog should. So anyone that adopts from them better have deep pockets cause spaying and neutering at 8 weeks old like they do will only get you a very unhealthy cat or dog...costing you a fortune in vet fees and a broken heart. read more

SPCA is the worst organization I have ever seen. They don't really help the animals since they don't even show up on time. It takes several calls and many complaints, before they make the time to check animals. On top of this, some of the officers are nasty toward the public reporting neglected animals. One of the Cst. was extremely rude, condescending and unprofessional. read more

I wanted to add the letter to this review space for the SPCA, I've had to cut and post it on 2 reviews because of the length of text. It's been a year, since my dog was misdiagnosed and suddenly put down. Please avoid this establishment at all costs. They should call it a kill shelter, cause that's exactly what their intentions are when you bring your animal here. This is the letter I wrote to the College Of Veterinary Board regarding my complaint. Dr. Jackie McDowell should have her Veterinary license revoked. I do have some other questions, since you are an investigator and have dealt with many different situations. I would like to know: 1. If I stated that I do not give the SPCA permission to euthanize my dog on the phone before I even entered that building. Is this a legal statement that would be binding in a court of law? 2. Why was I not allowed in the exam room to obtain information on what was wrong with my dog? Yet, they brought me in for the vet to kill Duchess? 3. Why didn't they say, no you are not allowed in and you should take her home to euthanize her? I sent them emails asking for information on lifting stars to have my dog euthanized at home. At the time, all my complaints, monetary, behavioural, energy and medically speaking were about my other dog, Bebe. Duchess had never been sick a day in her life up until that point, the vet Dr. Jackie McDowell literally stole a week of time and ultimately my final good bye with Duchess. What she did was wrong and how did she not communicate with the assistant about the prior phone conversation to entering the building? 4. I went in there to speak about my dogs care and see how she was doing, I had no intentions on having the vet force me into euthanasia to kill her. I had told her repeatedly, I wasn't ready and that I would take her to the emergency room if her condition worsened. She mentally forced me into this decision using tactics of fear, intimidation and hopelessness. Duchess, I believe had more time, if you knew this dog, you would have known that she was the kind of dog you take home, have your family and friends, plus her canine sister to say good bye to her. read more

They were so generous when we adopted Eddie Munster and they made it very easy. You can tell they really care for all those animals in the shelter. read more

If I could give zero, I would. What a dysfunctional organization. I have been trying to adopt a cat on Vancouver Island - Nanaimo to Comox region - for 2 years!! I go on to the website and submit an application. I never hear back. Thats the end of the story - over and over. I would never support this organization financially although they are constantly asking for money. Why would I? There are other groups doing this same work who have the decency to respond to people. Yes, they are busy - yada yada yada but why is it next to impossible to adopt an animal from them? Wouldn't they be less busy if they found homes for the cats they are caring for? read more

Love volunteering here like family so great love all the animals Great staff and volunteers lol read more

I went with my family (we have 2 young boys) to BC SPCA Vancouver branch to adopt a kitten. It was a very busy day for them, with a lot of people !! Even though they were under staffed, someone took time to talk with us and quickly helped to find a good match. Both people at the front desk and volunteers have been very helpful, kind and always looking for the animals' best interest. They took time to discuss with our boys, give them tons of advices, answered all their questions. I honestly had an amazing experience and cannot be more grateful for their work and time. We came home with 2 kittens (they are amazing !) the same day. Yes, it was a pretty long process but I am happy to know they make sure the animals are gonna be well treated. read more

My cat finally passed on. Cremation services are contracted out to Until We Meet Again Pet Cremation. You can have either general cremation or private cremation. You get the remains if you want the private. General cremation costs $1.25/pound for a cat. Bring your beloved pet here and they take care of the rest. read more

My little family and I have been researching, educating our two boys about owning a pet. Speaking about loving on a animal and caring for them over a year. We decided last week to take a look at SPCA to adopt a dog preferably a puppy but we were open to the idea as long as we could be a fit to the dog as a little family with two young boys! Unfortunately the moment we walked around to look at the dogs. We right away felt ignored by two ladies who seemed too busy with the puppies they were "training" to bother acknowledging us. A few moments later another family (caucasian) with two boys walked in they acknowledge them and started talking up a storm with the gentleman and asked the boys if they wanted to go in but when my son asked they completely ignored him!! REALLY!! #racialprofilingmuch Lift upset!! as my son asking me why they ignored him!!!!! read more

Poor staff. Wanted to volunteer and left my name with coordinator and no call back. No animals around when I visited. Where were they? No signage around. read more

I saw the perfect puppy on the SPCA site and was very excited to go through adoption process to rescue a dog. I emailed SPCA the night before and forwarded my application with a description of myself... House (that I own), large yard, long term dog owner, no kids and plenty of time between my husband and myself. I work Monday to Friday and my husband rotates weekdays. I received a response advising the dog would be available for viewing at noon. I have never felt discrimination like I felt when I walked into the SPCA Vancouver. I felt judged from the moment I walked in. She (bigger blond hair woman) didn't want to even show me the puppy. Her explanation for not showing me the dog was awkward and rude. She brushed off the reasoning very quickly saying the dog cannot be left alone because I have a full time job. Her ideal candidate is a stay at home mother because the dog requires at least 3 months full time training. She was grasping to say anything for me to leave. Not even a - Can I find you something else? Did you want to look at another dog in the kennel? perhaps we keep your info on file for something else that comes up? I know I was the first one there to look at the dog. I truly believe she already had someone already picked out for this puppy. If you had a criteria, you should have mentioned that in the write up OR when you replied to my email. Not when I walk in the door. I am very troubled by the way I was treated. I wanted to rescue a dog but instead treated with discrimination. I will not consider adoption after this experience. I have such respect for the SPCA and everything they do to help animals but I don't need to be belittled. I have donated to the SPCA and bought food, supplies, towels and toys to the Vancouver location but I will no longer be going there anymore. There are many complaints online (not only Yelp) with regards to the staff and service at BC SPCA. I hope they truly do something about the people they hire. SPCA for all the great things you do, your counter staff is unfortunately doing the opposite. read more

Like my friend, Siobhan, I wish I could give the SPCA a better review....they do such valuable work with animals. In the past i have had a couple of really good experiences with the doctors. They handled my cat Frida really nicely (unlike a couple of other places, where they did not.) and provided good care. However, in the last year I have attempted to make appointments with them and in one case it was a semi emergency. The receptionists were rude and unhelpful...Although the SPCA is within walking distance, I would rather take a 40 min bus ride with my cats to a place where they are welcomed and treated with care. NB: I would like to add that in my experience, most of the staff are much more pleasant in person than on the phone. Because I live nearby, I do buy my pet food there when I can. read more

I BC SPCA has a really crappy animal kind program, they try to tell people that you should never say no to your dog, they try and convince people that correcting bad behavior is wrong, I wish I lived in that world I wish nobody ever said no to me. SPCA uses false information to lead people in the direction they want to go. They say it's science Based training, science tells us that we learn from negative as well as positive experiences. A dog with No Boundaries is a dead dog. The SPCA puts too many dogs to death without even giving them the chance and telling them know what they've done is wrong. read more

Horrible. Horrible. Horrible. Horrible. Horrible. Horrible. I'd rather deal with border agents with attitude than with these people. The experiences are similar: Grilling, grilling, some more grilling, repeated calls to your veterinarian's office urging the doctor and staff to breach confidentiality, accusations of animal neglect or abuse if not outright murder, more grilling, still more grilling... and all of this while I was still grief-stricken from the loss of my beloved 18-year-old kitty. These people simply have no tact and do not give a whit about other peoples' feelings, but only care about being in a position to say no. And then they charge absolutely out-of-this-world ($150 for one cat!) adoption fees. BCSPCA alternatives: VOKRA is probably the best one. Even better, there's a shelter called NOAH in Stanwood about an hour south of the border. They only charge $30 to adopt an adult cat, and a lot of times they adopt cats for free. As long as your new furbuddy has rabies shots, get him/her across the border is no problem. Given what the BC SPCA charges, it's well worth the trip. And the people at NOAH are very kind - they *want* to adopt cats and they *want* to help you! Avoid the BC SPCA Vancouver branch like the plague, unless you like paying ridiculous prices to be treated like a common criminal. read more

I wish it was possible to give zero stars because they don't deserve a single one. I decided I wanted a companion and that the best way to go about it was to rescue a mistreated cat, knowing that I would give her the absolute best life possible. I reached out to a few shelters (VORKA among others) but most of their cats were bonded and I was only looking to adopt one due to my small apartment. So I turned to the SPCA. I spent countless hours looking online, at the shelter and the new catfe to find the perfect match and along came Bella. I immediately fell in love with her and submitted my application and was told mine was the first and that I would receive a phone call to go over my application in the next couple days. The next day I was at work and around noon I received a call which I was unable to answer, further hearing a message saying they decided to go with the "first application". UMM EXCUSE ME?!? I was the first application and I wasn't even given a chance to talk to anyone and it was denied!!!! I was extremely shocked and called back expressing these concerns and asking why they gave her to a different family without knowing anything about me. The lady I spoke to was nice and said it was because I had planned to move and that can be stressful for a more timid cat - nope, no plans of that. After expressing my concerns, feeling overly discriminated against (for being younger) she proceeded to tell me that my application will stay on file and I have priority when I connect with another fur baby. Okay, great. Mistakes happen right? I continued to look with the confidence that the next cat I fell for would come home with me. About a week later I saw sienna. I immediately came to meet her and submitted my pre-approved application - which might I add was the ONLY one on file for at least 3 days due to the fact that she has some medical issues - but she wasn't eating well so I was unable to be "approved or denied" at that time. I came to visit her everyday because I knew she wasn't doing well and after a bit of thought I realized how absolutely ridiculous that was to say so I called again and spoke to a rather bitch lady who lightened up once I put her in her place. This time their excuse was that because I MAY have another cat in the future I wasn't a suitable home even though her file states nothing about not being okay with other cats. I made the most solid argument possible to the point where she had no rebuttal and basically realized that their decision was illegitimate, but apparently at this point there's nothing she could do because THEY ALREADY GAVE HER TO ANOTHER FAMILY!! She proceeded to tell me that she's sure they'll find me a perfect match and that they don't normally do this but they'll put one cat on hold for me, only I wasn't in a huge hurry nor was she what I was looking for. I agreed though I worked that day and it was unlikely that I would make it in time to see her. So I started to look elsewhere and came across an ad on Craigslist. That night I was able to meet and take Maggie to her forever home. Maggie was abandoned by her mother as a kitten and bottle fed with her siblings. The lady I got her from only had her for two months and was rehoming her because they concluded that her son was stressing her out. My poor baby was over grooming to the point where she would actually bite and pull out tuffs of hair as a soothing mechanism for stressed induced anxiety. I'm not entirely certain if that's the case but regardless I started her on a raw food diet to rule out allergies and any other skin problems. When I first took her home she was so terrified and hid anywhere small and dark she could find. After lots of patience and spending time together where she felt safe she started to come out of her shell. I have since seen the most amazingly beautiful personality blossom from her pain and she's basically glued to my ankle. A few days after I received a call from the SPCA because they had another application for the cat they had "on hold" for me - oh so now you care?? I told her everything that had happened and I now have an amazing kitty in my life and she apologized profusely. At the end of the day I strongly believe everything happens for a reason and I was meant to find Maggie, but that doesn't excuse their behaviour. I support the concept of recusing animals but let me shed a little more light on the Vancouver SPCA for you. They are sooo busy they are constantly shipping cats from other locations in order to find them homes. Great in theory until you think about the fact that the poor animal is being moved hours away into a kennel/catfe where people are all over them and they are usually moved home within the week. Talk about stressful situations. I mean I wasn't allowed to take sienna home but she was found as a stray, put in a kennel, three days later sent to the Vancouver location, and moved home shortly after that. It makes me wonder if they actually care about the animal read more

BC SPCA Vancouver - My beautiful babe NOT found through the SPCA - Animal Shelters Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Despite being an animal lover I'm really not a fan of SPCA in general. I know I know, they advocate for the animals and operate soley on donations and all that good will jazz... but, I don't buy it. Maybe it's just how the BC SPCA operates. I've never been to other SPCAs in North America so I really can't comment on those. However, I always get a sense of "we really don't give a crap about your animals" feeling when I go into an SPCA. The front desk people really don't have too much clue. They are slow and very unorganized. The upside: very reasonably priced. If you're still reading, a very interesting scenario I had with the SPCA in Langley once. Who refused to let me adopt a cat solely on grounds that I didn't own a house and I had cat allergies. Oh, and this was before Christmas. So the poor kitty could've had a home for the holidays snuggled up in front of a fire, instead she was in the darn kennel with no one to hold her. 4 years later, I still do not own a house (damn it who can at this price?) and I still have cat allergies and I have 3 cats. I pay my landlord a pet damage deposit, take 4 kinds of allergy meds. People figure these things out. SPCA needs to understand that while their intentions are good (i.e. making sure the homes are good, people are employed, own instead of rent, no kids or other pets), some times shit happens. Especially in the city. Kind hearts do not necessarily come as home owners, or employed or allergy free individuals. Please do not judge a person's ability to love and provide for an animal in need based on material possession deemed to be important. You're only limiting the animal's chances of being adopted and they will only be put to sleep when the shelter reaches its capacity. read more

Yesterday I went into the SPCA adoption facility (1245 7th Ave E) to inquire about either a) playing with cats, hang out with cats (as there are places in Los Angeles that let you do this!) b) volunteering. There was a girl at the desk with long blond hair and glasses that was quite rude to me. She was short, angry and her tone with me was quite disturbing. I was completely turned off from ever having anything to do with this place. I am thinking of adopting a cat again , but I am taking my time and really weighing my options. I think for a facility that has cats that need home this lady should NOT be the face of the SPCA. She was miserable, and I got the vibe that she hates her job, and people. This person is looking after cats and dogs? She deterred me away from becoming a volunteer ( I have volunteered at the humane society dog walking for over 4 years) telling me we aren't doing it, there is no room, waiting list.. blah blah blah.. negative stuff. short and.. really unpleasant tone and vibe. IF that girl is the face of the SPCA I definitely wouldn't get a pet from here. I don't think they are interested in finding homes for these animals, they are more interested and deterring you from love and companionship. I'm disgusted by the SPCA, they have much to learn from their counterparts in the USA. the humane society.. a respectable place with loving volunteers and staff (as I was one of them) That lady with the blond hair in a pony tail and black framed glasses should never be speaking to people at the front desk. Worst customer service I've yet to see in Vancouver. Get your cat off craigslist..or anywhere but here.. stay away from the SPCA. If that's the attitude the front desk has, I can't imagine how they treat their animals there. read more

SPCA does a great job of doing what they do for the animals but there seems to be alot of red tape that didn't seem to be there in the past. Understandably there are alot of people who want a kitten or a dog or puppy or rabbit and really have no idea of what to do. They return them or abandon them or worse. There are others who want and will provide them a good generous home but they will make them jump through hoops and hurdles to get there. We went through such a process and all we had to do for the final act was get the entire family together before we could adopt. Unfortunately, this we couldn't do. When one person is out of town, and others work during that time. It was like they were telling you, "it's that or nothing". Like the cat was up for ransom. If we don't meet to their demands. .... "no soup for you!" (bad metaphor). In all fairness they do a very good job for all that tough work they do. It is also a labour of love. It's supposed to be anyways. Maybe dealing with the human element is the challenge here afterall. I know there are people like us who want to know the process and will abide by it, but there are also those who don't. Especially when they have their kids with them and they want it all "now". That can be tough. When there are rules, but there is no leniency. It can be a challenge for everyone. They are looking out for the the animals rights and are trying to match them up to the best people. I guess that before you come here. You have to put it in the same frame of mind that you are adopting a child and you will be the parent. Think in terms like that and you will have a better understanding of what and where the staff is coming from. Still, I think they could have done better. They told my daughter that "she wasn't listening" when she really didn't understand what they were talking about. The lady was nice, (if you call condescending, nice). Maybe they've had too much coffee to drink that day. There were however three other staff members that I think were great!! The gentleman who we know is a cat lover, the lady in blue who helped us look at the cats and the lady who took care of the rabbits. The lady at the front, I think needed a warm milk toddy and some vitamin B. read more

If it wasn't for someone at the SPCA seeing my craigslist posting about our missing cat and contacting us we would never have known that he was alive. Poor fella has a broken leg but was given good care at the SPCA. The prices are affordable too. They couldn't do the surgery required so we took him from there to our vet for that. We've used the SPCA before and if you have time to wait their prices are affordable. They definitely care about the animals and work very hard! I'm happy to support them through donations and fundraising. read more

absolutely horrible people!!! aa a good citizen I reported a cat alone on balcony, gave all details , by the end of the night SPCA was threatening to send cops to my home . it was insane!!! I didnt even know the people who own the cat, it was in a building across from mine. I just saw a cat alone on a balcony in an apartment across from mine. they never came and got it. they ended up calling my home at 10 pl at night. I have her all details again . she then started arguing with me. I said the car is still there no one came. she said in a really rude way, we can't force our way into peoples homes. I said what? I never asked you to do that. I just reported it and now do whatever you want with it. it's 10 pm and ive given all details for me it's over. she then called me back again saying I'm going to sens a constable to your home because you won't talk to me aby more. she was a crazy nut! imagine just reporting a cat alone outside and by the end of the night the SPCA is threatening you with cops coming to your home. insane!!!! read more

I agree with everyone elses reviews regarding the front desk staff. They obviously need to be trained in customer service. Other than those few people, everyone else I've ever dealt with at Vancouver SPCA has been extremely helpful and nice! The animal attendants are especially great, and you can tell they genuinely care. I've visited several times over the years when thinking about adopting, and they've always been really good about showing me the animals and answering all my questions. The SPCA may not be perfect, but they definitely do a lot of good! read more

I *really* want to give the Vancouver SPCA five stars... *really, really, really*. The SPCA does such important work for abused and abandoned animals, but sadly, the Vancouver branch seems uncharacteristically reluctant to part with any of their animals. Now, before you go all apologist on their behalf, I'm sympathetic to the challenges of managing an underfunded non-profit that is necessarily heavily dependent on volunteers. It's almost impossible to maintain customer service standards when more than 50% of your staff are unpaid. HOWEVER, I have had multiple bad experiences at the vancouver shelter with misinformation, rudeness, and indifference. My first was when I was in the area and decided to stop in to enquire about volunteering. At the counter I was ignored for 10 minutes while staff members chatted about weekend plans and performed important office work (stapling papers). When I couldn't stand it any more and said, "Can I just ask you a question about volunteering?" I was told, "that information is available on our website." That's great, but there I was standing there anyway.... so I said, "okay cool, but can I just ask you a question?" The response was, "we don't give that information in the shelter anymore." Sheesh. okay, so I went home and looked on the website and there was a message saying they didn't need any more volunteers right now. Maybe I was just being oversensitive, but the tone of the notice was really unfriendly. I see the message has changed since then. A few months later, my partner and I decided to adopt a cat. Rather than recount the entire saga, I will just say that I made 3 separate trips to the shelter and was at times dismissed, ignored, given wrong information, told "come back tomorrow" and then sent away again because not, "all the members of [my] household" had met the kitty I wanted to adopt. Although I kinda understand this policy, it rankled me that as a responsible adult, I needed my partner to come with me to adopt a cat despite the fact that I intended to take full responsibility for for the animal. I never did get a cat from the SPCA. After going home in tears a third time, it suddenly occurred to me that "normal" and less responsible people than myself adopt animals all the time! They go to breeders, pet stores, the Buy and Sell, and other private rescue organizations. I'm madly in love with my kitty who is nearly 5 months old now. My partner and I can hardly remember our lives before he joined us. He makes us laugh every day, and our home is full of more warmth and love than we could have imagined before. I still feel somewhat guilty that I didn't rescue a shelter kitty this time, but my last kitty who I had and loved for 14 years before she died of cancer 6 years ago, benefited the SPCA being there for her (and me). We had great experiences with the SPCA back then, I don't know what's happened since, but I think it's too bad. I want to give a one star review because the people I dealt with there hurt my feelings, but I will probably still go back to the SPCA if we decide to get another companion animal (dog or cat) in the future. I know they are there for the animals, not for people like me, and I'm glad they are there to rescue animals in trouble. I wish someone there had been a little nicer to me though. read more

Vancouver cherishes the fact that they have a homeless animals shelter, but that is not enough to redeem this place. I have been an active member of the SPCA since I was 16 years old, am part of a team to improve the volunteer system/foster care program, volunteer 2-3 hours a week walking and facilitating the socialization of dogs so I know enough to authoratively review this non profit organization. I have adopted an animal from the SPCA as well. Previous reviewer Sijia W. wrote "I always get a sense of "we really don't give a crap about your animals" feeling when I go into an SPCA." What an astounding and bold comment! The receptionists in the main branch definitely come across as cold and uncaring, and I do agree that there is a ton of room for mprovement in the customer service department as all the regular volunteers agree. However, based on this can you jump to a conclusion that "we really don't give a crap about your animals?" No, that is ridiculous. If you take your time to go into the kennels, you will be pleasantly surprised how the animals are being taken care of by the animal care attendants (Carolynn and Andrea are the best!) with the utmost respect and love. Not only are they cared for with basic needs but they get a lot of socialization time as well with other animals and humans. The welfare staff Kim and Ana-Maria who are extremely qualified and passionate train the dogs too so they do well in their future homes. They also get walked 5-6 times a day! Sijia, since you are an animal lover like myself please volunteer and get to know our volunteers and staff..They are excellent! "The front desk people really don't have too much clue. They are slow and very unorganized." This I agree with 110% and everyone made a comment on the horrible customer service as well. This alone is bad enough for everyone to give a below average rating. I come in to the SPCA on a regular basis and sometimes I am standing for a long time before anyone acknowledges me, or sometimes it just never happens so I can understand the frustration people have. Some of them also have low EQ as Larry L. mentioned how one of the employees told his daughter that "She wasn't listening". So, minus points for the customer service, but the condition of the kennels is very pleasant so ++ for that. As soon as an animal makes a mess in their kennels someone cleans it up right away. Their bedding is always immaculate and their living space is very well ventilated which is impressive. The adoption process is VERY troublesome, but it will be worth it. Rescued dogs in general are VERY appreciative and you will be left thinking why you didn't do so earlier. Adopting a SPCA animal only added to my life. I urge this particular SPCA location to improve customer service and I will bump up the rating to 4/5. (The customer service at Maple Ridge is far superior) read more

This is a review for BC SPCA Vancouver: I have been an active volunteer at the BC SPCA (Vancouver) for more than 2 years and I have studied politics of non human life, and to be honest, I don't get the criticism in here. The kind of mentality present at the shelter, from a political perspective, is simply outstanding. BC SPCA cares deeply about each and every animal at the shelter. They are being given the best care, and the staff are constantly trying to make the animals feel more comfortable: just in October, the cat cages were modified so that cats could get more room and move around a little. There are welfare volunteers, adoption counselors, foster parents and recently, greeters. While comparing SPCA to VOKRA, you have to understand that organizations like VOKRA (who are also dedicated to an amazing cause and doing a good job) are not nearly as big as SPCA, and therefore you might get more one-on-one interaction with them. SPCA does all their volunteering through their website, and I am sorry for the person who was left standing, but you should not take this personally. Case in point: there are around 100 cats being adopted each month, I don't have the dog numbers but I'm guessing 50 dogs at least, and the front desk keeps track of all of that. They call the people who have adopted and make sure that everybody's happy. They have a tremendous amount of paper work. They might not have time, because they are trying to do so many things at the same time (also, you don't know how many people do that, so after a while the staff might feel overwhelmed. SPCA gets bunch of traffic). To make things better for general inquiries, they now have assigned greeters who will help you, but greeters are volunteers as well and you don't have many people volunteering. If you're adopting, you will need to have all family members. Like one reviewer said, it's having a new family member in the house. Sometimes the family members won't like the animal, sometimes the animal won't like them. SPCA needs your family to be there because if the animal doesn't like you, we cannot give the animal to you. We have to make sure the love is mutual. You cannot take the animal home even if you are a responsible adult, the SPCA needs to know if the animal will like your house members, so you can't take this personally and say "well, I'm responsible, so I'm offended". SPCA tries to integrate a new paradigm where animal voices are heard. You don't see this everywhere, and we should appreciate and encourage this type of thinking if we want ethical animal treatment in our society. Asking all the family members to meet the animal is respecting the animal that you are adopting, and it should not make you feel disrespected in any way. I also read the feral cat review, and I'm sorry for that person's experience, but the shelter does not take feral cats anymore as feral cats are not too adoptable and SPCA does not have accommodation to tame them. This is why I'm glad VOKRA exists. But on that note, I know VOKRA will give away tiny kittens for photo shoots without too many questions and SPCA would never do that, because experiences like that could be traumatizing for kittens and SPCA keeps animal welfare above all. The feral cat reviewer who gave one star also mentions that the cat was not kept for them and was disappointed, but you have to know that you are dealing with legal issues here and although it might be frustrating, there is absolutely nothing the shelter can do. The shelter cannot simply reserve a cat, it's illegal to do so. You should also know that since the shelter is the official animal control designated to stray cats (City of Vancouver animal control takes care of all other animals), animals need to get moved so that the shelter can provide welfare for incoming cats. To sum up, I found the last reviewers to have taken standard procedures very personally and these reviews to be a little too emotionally biased. I'd like to remind that above all, animal welfare is what matters and their welfare gets 5 stars. There needs to be no antagonisms between these groups, they all are dedicated to something amazing read more

Agree with all the negative comments...had the same experience a few years back...the manager ended up phoning me back and apologizing for his staff. Looks like things have not changed...use VOKRA or like someone else said, go across the border for better options :-) read more

I have to agree with Siobhan. I've been to the SPCA on three separate occassions and each time it's been agonizlingly painful that I never want to return, let alone donate to their cause. The funny part is that my bad experiences all stem from one particular receptionist in the animal hospital section. She's an older caucasian lady with fake, dyed blonde hair done up Farrah Fawcett style from the 70's. I've run in to her on three separate occassions and each time she is abrupt, rude and downright nasty. I'm not sure if she is paid to be there or if she volunteers. Nevertheless, if she doesn't like the work she does she should just leave. Irregardless, I won't be returning to the SPCA for any services nor will I donate. read more

Like most people I would love to give the VANCOUVER SPCA shelter a glowing review, however I cannot. I won't get heavily into the details of my encounter.....I will say it involved an 8 year old who was approved to adopt a particular kitten and it was given to another family. When the 8 year old and family came to pick up the kitten they tried to substitute an older cat (my daughter says at least 2 years old) and told her it was her kitten - they just grow fast. She is 8 years old not a moron. The nightmarish events and all the ridiculous hoop jumping leading up to this should have warned me to go elsewhere - it was something out of twilight zone. The SPCA has made me vow to never ever get another animal from the SPCA - the staff is out right rude. I get that they see a lot of awful things, however that doesn't give them the right to treat everyone like criminals or excuse them from being miserable/officious jerks. I would recommend that you save yourself the grief and look at other shelters or privately. I too have much nicer things to say about the SPCA hospital.......I have been going there for years! read more

I found a very friendly cat who appeared to have been abandoned. He was so eager to get into anyone's car, I wondered if he had run away or been driven to strange location to be abandoned. I left him where he was but went back to check on him, and there he still was. Anyway, it was a Sunday and the Vancouver SPCA was open and welcomed him in. They checked him out and posted his pic online by the next day. Godwilling, the wonderful cat was lost but had not been abandoned, and will be reunited with his family for the rest of his life. The Vet assessed him as 15 years old. RED TAPE: The SPCA has security because of issues in the past. It is stressful for an animal to be adopted and then returned. Also, most rentals do not allow pets. Thus, the SPCA protects the animals from revolving door adoptions or worse. read more

My dogs were taken on a month ago by Chilliwack SPCA, they were all old dogs, 12 and 13 years old and had just seen my vet, but Drever phoned my vet and intimidated him so badly he was worried about his clinic. They have taken all their teeth out, without my consent, and now I owe over 16,000 dollars to pay for the boarding and Dr. Steinebach the Nazi Butcher of dogs. I don't have 16,000 dollars, so I will never see my old dogs again. SPCA is garbage, they make over 2 million a year, but still break the hearts of the little people. Be careful, don't trust them, they lie, they steal, and they kill dogs when they shouldn't I have proof, so ask if you want. My toothless old dogs will just be put down, WHY?? Money, that's why!!! read more

I picked up a dog at 4:15pm, 45 minutes before their closing time. The lady answered the phone told me to call their emergency number so that they can pick up the dog. I called and had to leave a msg. A returned call around 7pm from the emergency person told me that I should not call this number and was not very friendly. I ended up have to take the dog in for the night which was very difficult for me. I dropped off the dog the first thing in the morning. Overall, my experience with them are not friendly nor helpful. read more

Unfortunately, this is the usual experience at BCSPCA adoption, at least here in the Okanagan. A friend of mine was (keyword: "was") on the board, and I complained to her of how I was treated (as if I was completely ignorant of animal behaviour, and perhaps even looking for an animal to abuse, certified psychopath that I no doubt was) and how the dog I ended up adopting was treated (they set up animals for failure in new homes, IMO, by providing misinformation on behaviour and training, and by disallowing interaction with animals unless one is "serious" about adopting the particular animal--how does one know without interacting?) These things and a few others (rigidity, "This is how we've done it; this is how we've ALWAYS done it; don't expect us to do things differently just because the rest of the world now knows better.") are why she quit the board. Sounds like the organization needs a shake-up from the top down. Critteraid is a very good alternative for adoptions. read more

Like others who have shared their experiences with the BC SPCA Vancouver Branch, I really wish I could give them a glowing review. They do incredible and difficult work that most people wouldn't be able to handle. I have been involved with animal rescue organizations on a volunteer basis for almost 20 years now, and to say that this branch is one of the most chaotic, disorganized and rude is an understatement. In early January my husband and I went into the shelter with the intention of adopting a cat. We have been cat owners and fosterers for over 10 years and have a wealth of experience with sick, injured and difficult cats. When we identified a long-termer that we were interested in we waited almost an hour before anyone had time to talk us through the adoption process. And when the vet tech and various shelter staff did sit down with us, it seemed like they wanted to talk us out of adopting the cat altogether. They told us she had health issues, behaviour issues, a nasty temperament and was very difficult to administer medication to. So we agreed to take her home under a foster-to-adopt arrangement to ensure she was a good fit. They couldn't have been more wrong about her. She's one of the sweetest, most gentle cats we've met and settled into our house instantly. Unfortunately she was on a variety of medications to address an ongoing diarrhea issue. We were concerned by how frequently they were asking us to change her food and give her new meds, so when she finished a round of antibiotics we took her off the medication and refused to change her food again to see if her issue would clear up. And it did. Instantly. We kept the SPCA staff updated and they still insisted we bring her back for more vet checks and medication. We refused to start her on another month-long round of antibiotics and advised them that we wanted to adopt her and would be happy to take full responsibility for her health going forward. We went in to do the paperwork after countless confusing phone calls and e-mails with the staff only to find out that they'd forgotten to check her tattoo and get her microchipped before we took her home. So we had to bring her back to the shelter once again. And when I got there at the time they suggested, no one knew why I was there or why she needed a microchip! Plus they told me the vet wanted her to come back again for a check-up even though she's been 100% healthy for over a month. All in all, I appreciate that this is a very busy shelter and that the staff have to deal with some awful situations and difficult people. But I will not be adopting another animal from them and will tell others to stay away too. Some small improvements to their internal communication and filing systems would do wonders. And maybe they should focus on being a little bit nicer to people who are responsible and experienced pet owners who want to adopt. I've certainly had enough of some of the front counter staff who have made me feel unwelcome and like a nuisance every time I've gone in there. read more

My loving family and I rescued a dog from the SPCA. I agree with a previous reviewer who stated that the SPCA is, "riddled with incompetence and controversy." Two years after adopting my dog, and giving him the best home possible, we found out that my son may have dog allergies. I posted a notice on the internet with the following stipulation, "My family has given our dog all the love we can, and he is very dear to us, so I will insist on meeting with you and seeing his new home, because I want to make sure he is headed to a positive destination." The SPCA found out about this posting, because they regularly comb the internet for such notices. When you adopt from the SPCA you sign a contract stating that you will return your pet to them should you decide you need to find him or her a new home. We had initially intended to explore the option of a new home for our dog, one that we could feel absolutely confident about. However, due to SPCA contract, we would have absolutely no rights in this process. They contacted me, warning me of our contract, and I gave due diligence in calling them back. They told me that "Clearly I did not want my dog, and that he has to come back to the SPCA or they will send an officer to come by my house EVERY DAY." I understand the purpose of these policies, but they handled a very sensitive situation with a draconian ultimatum, leaving me with no rights, or even allowing me the slightest influence in helping to find a home for my dog, one that my family and I could feel comfortable with. We were left with no power to explore our pet's options. In their crusade for a dog, they handled the situation with zero people skills and a degree of incompetency. Their contracts and policies allow no room for situational ethics or compassion for loving pet owners like my family and I. If you are looking for a pet, there are plenty of other agencies out their who need your support. I would not recommend the SPCA of British Columbia. read more

Terrible experience at the Victoria SPCA. I am a 68 year old retired professional woman and a life-long animal owner/lover who has adopted from the SPCA previously. After losing my 18 year old cat over a year ago to old age, I now feel ready to adopt again. At the Victoria SPCA, I was treated rudely, perhaps even abusively, by the young receptionist. I was made to fill out a lengthy questionnaire BEFORE I was allowed to even view the cats/kittens available. I informed the staff member that I found the questionnaire too intrusive as I hadn't yet even decided to adopt and refused on those grounds to consent to a home visit. I was then accused of being combative and perhaps not suitable to even be allowed in to view the animals. I was made to feel like some kind of criminal and was so offended I asked for my questionnaire back and left. I wasn't leaving all that personal information with such nasty people. I understand that they want to be careful before they allow an adoption, but the staff need a huge attitude adjustment. Unfortunately, I will not support the SPCA in any capacity, including adopting an animal from them and will campaign against funding from the United Way and other charitable organizations because of the way I was treated. Too bad that a cat or kitten has been denied a loving home because of this. However, if I do decide to adopt in the future, I will adopt privately from a breeder or the classifieds. read more