Chelsey Mutter The Okanagan Humane Society is on track to treat 4,000 animals this year — double the amount it helped last year. OHS is raising the alarm after 50 animals were rescued from the Vernon area in the past two weeks. Volunteer president Romany Runnalls said the society is in crisis mode.
“This rescue season, spring, summer so far have been like none we've ever seen before. It's been really, honestly, relentless. The number of animals in the communities just is more than we've ever had to deal with in the past,” Runnalls said.
“I know it's not a new story. It's just one that we just can't believe just keeps on going at this pace.” She says the uptick is across all of the Okanagan, especially in Vernon, Oliver and Osoyoos.
A lot of different variables contribute to the increase in strays and abandoned animals, but Runnalls said post COVID-19 inflation continues to be a major contributing factor. When people can’t afford to spay and neuter their animals, it can cause populations to explode. Runnalls urged people to get their animals spayed and neutered as quickly as possible.
People who can’t afford the vet cost could try asking vets to negotiate the price as she said vets "need your business as well." OHS is looking for public help amid the increased animals needing care, something the society doesn’t like to do very often. “We're at a point where we have over 300 animals in care, we're adopting out 100 animals a month or so, which is phenomenal,”.