A North Vancouver man's report of a dog crying through the night at the District of North Vancouver animal shelter has sparked a push by British Columbia animal advocates for a legal cap on how long shelter animals may be left alone.
B.C.'s Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act requires that animals be protected from distress, but it sets no maximum period for leaving them unattended. Several B.C. shelters confirmed they have no overnight staff, and in some cases animals are alone for more than 16 hours between closing and the next morning's opening.
Volunteer Kelly Bunting raised the alarm after a senior dog she walked was left from 5 p.m. until 8 a.m. Advocates are proposing a 12-hour limit and have sought a formal review of the North Vancouver shelter's practices.
The B.C. SPCA and the district say the shelter's care meets or exceeds regional benchmarks. Animal-welfare expert Rebecca Ledger noted that around 15 hours alone can be stressful for some dogs, a point advocates say underlines why a written standard is needed.
