The BCSPCA has partnered with Crime Stoppers.
Now people can call Crime Stoppers to report animal cruelty as they would any other crime.
Crime Stoppers鈥� Linda Annis and the BCSPCA鈥檚 Shawn Eccles held a joint press conference Aug. 12 at the BCSPCA Education & Adoption Centre in Cloverdale to announce the new initiative.
鈥淎nimal cruelty is a crime,鈥� said Annis, 鈥渏ust like any other crime against people or property. Dogs and animals don鈥檛 have voices and someone needs to speak up for them.鈥�
Annis, the executive director for Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers, reached out to the SPCA to start this new working partnership. She said when it comes to animal abuse, in many cases witnesses are very close to the abuser, such as family, friends, or neighbours.
鈥淥ftentimes, they don鈥檛 want to call into the police, or to call in to the SPCA, but if they call Crime Stoppers, no one will ever find out who called.鈥�
Eccles, senior manager of Cruelty Investigations for the BCSPCA, agrees and thinks the current pandemic has exacerbated cases of animal abuse.
鈥淔rom our perspective鈥攅specially right now with COVID-19, people are so closed in with each other, and they鈥檙e seeing things, and they鈥檙e a little hesitant, and they鈥檙e concerned about animals, but they鈥檙e not sure about how to report this鈥攖his just gives (people) another avenue to report animal abuse or neglect.鈥�
Eccles said many concerned people already call the SPCA, but they are hesitant to give details as they want to remain anonymous.
鈥淭hey are very concerned about their own safety.鈥�
Eccles said when Annis contacted the SPCA, he thought it was a fantastic idea.
鈥淲e鈥檇 been pulling in tips, occasionally, from Crime Stoppers, but it was never really pushed forward as an opportunity for people to report anonymous tips,鈥� he said.
鈥淲e just thought this was an excellent opportunity to move forward.鈥�
editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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