By Spencer Sterritt

Nanaimo’s community SPCA nominated for efforts

Apr 2, 2017 | 7:59 AM

NANAIMO — Years of striving to best help their community are paying off for the Nanaimo branch of the B.C. SPCA.

They’re nominated for Non-Profit Organization of the Year in Nanaimo’s Business and Community Achievement Awards.

Manager Leon Davis said they’re honoured for the nomination since they’ve focused on the community as a whole, not just the animals they keep in their care.

“This (nomination) is not just from the work we’ve done, our efforts are community based and everything we do is only because the community allows us and assists us in doing it.”

He said they want to help animals and people as well, to create lasting friendship with pets and boost empathy in the world.

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“Sometimes in this industry you can have all the love in the world for animals but if you also don’t love people too…they’re really intertwined and without our people in the community we don’t have our donors, our volunteers,” he said.

Of the various programs run by the community animal centre, Davis said his favourite is their program with Haven House.

“Women who are trying to escape violent domestic abuse will stay up to seven times longer if there’s a pet involved, so we partner with Haven House to help these ladies and children get out quicker by putting their animals into protective custody whilst they can seek shelter for themselves,” he said.

The Nanaimo branch is one of the busiest in B.C., according to Davis. He said they see roughly 1,400 animals a year come through their doors.

The award for Non-Profit Organization of the Year will be handed out May 4.

spencer.sterritt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @spencer_sterritt