SPCA 10

This Friday marks 10 years of saving lives at the Bow Valley SPCA‘s No-Kill, No-Cage Carla Cumming Sojonky Adoption Centre, and the following day (June 3rd) they’re throwing a big community party to celebrate!

I still remember the days before the Centre opened and the generosity of local veterinarians who would keep pets available for adoption in their offices.  I also remember attending the grand opening of the Adoption Centre and the excitement around their new facility that promised to keep animals, sometimes for years, until they finally found their forever homes.  Two stories that highlight the benefits of the patience and tenacity built in to the Bow Valley SPCA’s mandate are those of Apollo and Benito, shared by Sonya in previous Tips & Tales segments.

 

Apollo

In honor of our 10th anniversary on June 3, we wanted to share an update on Apollo, who was one of our very first dogs in 2007. He was picked up on the highway as a stray and lived in our shelter for four years. He was adopted and returned 5 times in those four years for being destructive when left alone and not being good with other dogs. He was successfully adopted in 2011 to a family in Banff where he has never destroyed anything and lives with three other dogs! He is still going strong at 11 years of age. He loves his life and his family and they love him! Apollo is a tribute to our No-Kill policy and the belief that there is the right home for every dog out there!

 

Benito

Benito, or Benny, as we like to call him, is a dog who is well known in our community. He was in our shelter for over two years and we just couldn’t find the right home for him. No one could understand why, because he is such a loveable dog. We promoted him every way we could think of-including having a beer at the Banff Brew Pub created in his honor!  He has been the subject of our Tips and Tales segment several times. This time, I am thrilled to share that Benny has found his forever home-and it couldn’t be more perfect. He lives on an acreage at Pincher Creek with a lovely family. They call him their sunshine boy and they love him so much! This adoption was well worth the wait!!

In 10 years they’ve rescued an incredible 1343 dogs and cats and have found homes for 98% of them.  One of those was Hugo, a diabetic cat who was returned to the shelter at the age of 13 after being adopted out years earlier. I remember Sonya sharing his story with me while recording Tips & Tales segments and finding out he used the same kind of insulin that our young son takes and that we have in excess.  I spoke with my wife about it and we both felt strongly that we needed to bring home this cat who, in many other shelters, may have been considered unadoptable.  Here’s Hugo the first day we brought him home:

Hugo

That was over two years ago. Hugo is probably the most energetic 15-year-old cat you’ll ever meet. Every night when I go to bed he jumps on my chest and doesn’t leave until he’s satisfied with the amount of chin and back rubs he’s received. He loves us and we love him, and we appreciate the Bow Valley SPCA for the chance to add him to our family.

Come celebrate 10 years of saving lives on Saturday from 11 AM to 4 PM at the Carla Cumming Sojonky Adoption Centre on Bow Meadows Crescent! Kathy Fergusson breaks down the day for us: