Tag: Companion animals

Sarah and her cherished cat, Coco, were among the many families who attended this summer’s Because They Matter event in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Community members picked up supplies for their companion animals and learned about accessing the VHS’s McVitie Fund for veterinary care assistance.

Sarah shared that Coco has been by her side through addiction recovery, alerts her before seizures, and helps her manage her autism. Holding Coco close, Sarah gushed about “her little buddy,” and said that she “couldn’t do life without her.”

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At Because They Matter, Sarah was able to choose toys and a food dispenser to enrich Coco’s life. She admitted, “I was really nervous about coming out, simply because there’s shame associated with needing help.” But the warm welcome from volunteers and staff quickly put her at ease: “I was greeted with a lot of compassion and a lot of kindness.”

Supporters like you make it possible for loved animals to get the care they need without having to be surrendered to the already overflowing shelter and rescue system. The community, their stories, and their bonds with their beloved pets matter.

Thank you for being here for animals and those who love them.

“What you have done for me is a true miracle. No words I can say can express the gratitude I feel. The gift of saving Opi has been the greatest thing to have happened to me.” -Christine, guardian to Opi

Opi received life-saving treatment for an intestinal obstruction thanks to the McVitie Fund.

Each day, the Vancouver Humane Society’s McVitie Fund program is flooded with an ever-increasing number of applications and calls from distressed pet guardians seeking urgent veterinary care funding for their loved companion animals. The people who turn to the McVitie Fund are facing not only the stress, trauma, and uncertainty of a sick or injured animal but also the daily challenges of poverty. Women, Indigenous people, seniors, and individuals living with disabilities are among those most affected by these hardships—and most in need of support.

So far this year, the McVitie Fund has helped more than 400 animals in low-income homes across B.C. receive life-saving veterinary care. By the end of 2025, that number is expected to grow to 900 pets helped.

The McVitie Fund remains the only program in B.C. offering year-round emergency vet care funding at this scale. Every person who applies receives compassionate, trauma-informed support from the VHS team, whether or not they qualify for financial aid.

“Bobo is the only one I spend time with every day. I am very grateful to you for helping him through this difficult time so that he can continue his life.” – Elaine, guardian to Bobo

Bobo received surgery for a life-threatening urinary blockage.

Right now, thanks to a generous anonymous donor, your gift to the McVitie Fund will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $25,000. This means right now your gift goes twice as far to help pets make it back home safely to the ones who love them most. As the bond of pets and their guardians is immeasurable, so are the true and lasting impacts of the McVitie Fund and the support of donors like you.

Layla and Mandy’s story

VHS received a touching story and request. Rather than paraphrase it, we wanted to share it with you in Mandy’s own heartfelt words:

“Layla came into my life when I needed her the most. Seven years ago, she was just a tiny, wrinkly puppy with the biggest, most soulful eyes. From the moment I held her, I knew she was special. She isn’t just a pet. She became my lifeline, my safe place, and my reason to keep going.

“She became my lifeline, my safe place, and my reason to keep going.”

Four years ago, I found the strength to leave an abusive relationship, and Layla was the reason I finally left. For years, I endured the pain, telling myself I could handle it. But when I saw the first signs of abuse directed at Layla, I knew I couldn’t let her suffer the way I had. Unlike me, she didn’t have the ability to make that conscious choice so we walked away together, and she has been my rock ever since.

Now Layla is in urgent need of veterinary care due to a rapidly growing mass that has changed in size and color within the past day. The growth has ballooned, with the end of it turning bright pink, and she has become lethargic and not acting like herself, which is deeply concerning. She has always been full of love, enthusiasm, and happiness, but now she is struggling, and I feel helpless.

Unfortunately, financial hardships have left me unable to afford the vet care she urgently needs. I work hard in landscaping, but with the high cost of living, I have exhausted all my options. I have reached out to multiple organizations for help and have been turned away, leaving me with nowhere else to turn.

I am desperately seeking assistance to get Layla the medical attention she needs. I love her deeply, and the thought of losing her because I can’t afford care is unbearable. Any help would mean the world to both of us. Thank you for considering my request.”

VHS funded Layla’s life-saving mass removal surgery.

Can you donate to the McVitie program, to make sure we can say YES to more animals like Layla?

For the second time ever, an all-party animal protection debate shed light on the positions of Canada’s federal parties leading up to the election. The debate was once again hosted by the VHS and other animal organizations across Canada: Animal Justice, SPCA Montreal, BC SPCA, and World Animal Protection.

As parties battled it out on the campaign trail, this debate was crucial in ensuring that animal protection remained on candidates’ radar. It also encouraged stronger commitments from parties on topics such as national animal protection legislation, wildlife, animals used in research, and animals kept in captivity.

The debate was especially key in drawing attention toward farmed animals, a group who suffer greatly on a massive scale. Candidates discussed concerns related to horse exports for slaughter overseas, fur farming, intensive animal agriculture, plant-based policies, international agricultural trade, and antibiotic use on farms.

To see a replay of the debate and understand each party’s position on animal topics leading into the new parliamentary cycle, visit www.animalelectiondebate.ca.

The Vancouver Humane Society hosts pet first aid training for service providers in the Downtown Eastside

Community services play a crucial role in addressing the immediate and ongoing needs of placed-at-risk people. Many service providers are trained in first aid and emergency response, which ensures they can quickly provide emergency care, help prevent further injury or death, and help people reach more in-depth health care when necessary.

But what happens when pets in these communities need first aid? 

Say hello to the Vancouver Humane Society’s first aid training for service workers, which aimed to address the urgent needs of pets in the Downtown Eastside and other communities where people face barriers to accessing care.

This training gathered service providers from Luma Native Housing Society, Raincity Housing Society, and the Portland Hotel Society, which provide community services to people facing poverty and complex barriers. 

Helping pets in placed-at-risk communities

More than three quarters of Canadians share their lives with a companion animal, including people of all economic backgrounds and life circumstances. Some people have fallen on hard times and given up personal comforts in an effort to keep their pets safe and healthy; many others have taken in animals from family, friends, or neighbours who could no longer care for them.  

Although the bonds between companion animals and their guardians are vital, resources to keep pets in their loving homes are fairly limited. That’s because – unlike human services such as medical care –veterinary care and many other vital services for companion animals do not receive government funding.

The VHS’s McVitie Fund is one of the only services in B.C. providing life-saving funding for veterinary care to help loved pets return home safe. 

When it comes to minor injuries and early monitoring like small cuts, scrapes, or bumps, there are now service providers working on the ground in the Downtown Eastside who can help pets.

The training for service providers last month, provided by the VHS through Walks ‘N’ Wags, will help pets get the care they need right away in the communities that need it most.