Petition calls on West Vancouver to extend SPCA staffing hours
More than 2,700 people have signed a petition asking the District of West Vancouver to require its contracted animal shelter to keep staff on site for at least 12 hours a day.
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More than 2,700 people have signed a petition asking the District of West Vancouver to extend staffing hours at the West Vancouver SPCA, where animals are left alone for up to 15 hours overnight. North Shore News reported the story on 29 October 2026.
The petition was started by Kelly Bunting, who used to walk Clyde, a caucasian shepherd at the shelter, before the dog found a permanent home in September. Bunting told the North Shore News that staff at the municipality-contracted shelter clock out at 5 pm, leaving animals without any person on site until morning.
"Fifteen hours that dog was alone in the shelter with not a soul there, not even another dog, and he wasn't going to the washroom," Bunting said. "The poor thing was suffering from loneliness and physical discomfort."
Bunting said animals left alone for long periods can develop behavioural problems that hurt their chances of adoption. She also raised the concern that no one is on site to help in a medical emergency overnight.
What the petition asks
The petition calls on the District to require the BC SPCA to keep a staff person on site for at least 12 hours each day. Bunting said she raised the issue with council candidates during the campaign, and two of those who won seats told her they would act on it.
"Staff don't like it, volunteers don't like it, donors don't like it," she said. "So I started this petition, and now we're at 2,700 people."
The District and the SPCA respond
BC SPCA spokesperson Kaila Wolf told the North Shore News that the organization's care standards meet or exceed the recommendations set by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians. Wolf said any change to staffing hours would have to come with a change to the District's budget.
"It's what is realistic and what is possible with the financial and human resources that we have available to us as a non-profit organization," Wolf said.
District of West Vancouver spokesperson Natalie Roizman said in a statement that the municipal contract with the SPCA is up for renewal and the new council will have the opportunity to review the agreement.
"We recognize that residents care deeply about the welfare of animals in our community, and those concerns will be considered as the agreement is revisited," Roizman said.
What residents can do
Under section 124 (2)(g) of the Community Charter, the new West Vancouver Council must hold its first regular meeting within the first 10 days of November. Bunting said she plans to present the petition at that meeting. Residents can also apply through the BC SPCA to foster shelter animals. See the West Vancouver election results for the full list of people now on council.
Questions this story answers
What is the petition asking for?
The petition calls on the District of West Vancouver to require the BC SPCA to keep a staff person on site at the West Vancouver shelter for at least 12 hours a day. Under the current arrangement, staff clock out at 5 pm, leaving animals alone for up to 15 hours overnight, according to activist Kelly Bunting, who started the petition after learning about the situation.
How many people have signed the petition?
As of the time the North Shore News reported on the petition on 29 October 2026, 2,700 people had signed. Kelly Bunting, who started it, said the response showed broad community concern: staff, volunteers and donors all told her they were unhappy with the current hours.
Who runs the West Vancouver SPCA?
The West Vancouver branch of the animal shelter is run by the BC SPCA under a contract with the District of West Vancouver. The BC SPCA is a non-profit organization. Under the contract, the municipality pays for animal control sheltering services. The District spokesperson said the contract is due for renewal.
What does the BC SPCA say about the hours?
BC SPCA spokesperson Kaila Wolf told the North Shore News that the organization's care standards are developed with animal behavior and shelter medicine teams and meet or exceed industry recommendations. Wolf said the SPCA avoids using donor funds to pay for services covered by its municipal contract, and that any change to staffing hours would have to be reflected in the District's budget.
What will happen next with the contract?
The District of West Vancouver said in a statement that the contract with the SPCA is due for renewal and the new council will have the opportunity to review the agreement. District spokesperson Natalie Roizman said resident concerns about animal welfare would be considered as the agreement is revisited.
When is the new council's first meeting?
Under section 124 (2)(g) of the Community Charter, a council's first regular meeting after a general election must be held within the first 10 days of November. The new West Vancouver council was elected on 17 October 2026. Activist Kelly Bunting said she plans to attend the first council meeting to present the petition.
What happened to the dog that prompted the petition?
The petition was prompted by the situation of Clyde, a caucasian shepherd who spent seven weeks at the West Vancouver SPCA and was left alone for up to 15 hours a day. Clyde found a permanent home in September 2026, but the activist who had been walking him wanted to change the conditions for future animals.
What can West Vancouver residents do?
Residents can sign Kelly Bunting's petition, which calls on the District to require the SPCA to keep staff on site for at least 12 hours a day. The first council meeting of the new West Vancouver Council will also be an opportunity to raise the issue with elected officials directly. Residents interested in fostering shelter animals can apply through the BC SPCA.
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