Why does the SPA de l’Estrie turn away animals from municipalities without contracts?

At the SPA de l’Estrie, we unfortunately have to redirect animals that do not come from our partner municipalities to other resources. This raises many questions among citizens, who do not always understand this situation and sometimes wonder who to turn to. Here are a few explanations to better understand how we operate :

First of all, it is important to mention that the control of domestic animals is primarily the responsibility of the municipalities. However, many turn to shelters such as the SPA de l’Estrie because they do not have the resources and expertise to provide such a service.

The municipalities then finance part of this service, in accordance with the agreement established with our organization. The amount granted is what allows the shelter to put in place the necessary resources to properly care for the animals: medical care, food, shelter capacity, employees, etc.

We cannot accept animals from cities that do not fund the service without jeopardizing our organization and the well-being of these animals. Our resources would be exhausted far too quickly…

Furthermore, the SPA de l’Estrie cannot take in animals from municipalities that do not have a contract out of concern for the fairness of the municipalities that pay for the same service.

Finally, we also refuse stray animals from municipalities not served to increase their chances of finding their guardian. In order to facilitate the process of claiming an animal, it is important that each municipality has only one location where animals are taken. This will limit the possibilities of where an animal can be found while awaiting a claim.

What if my municipality is not served?

If you live in a territory that is not served by the SPA de l’Estrie, you must contact your municipality to find out what your options are when you find a stray animal or have to part with a pet. If there is no structure in place in your municipality, you can also rely on your personal network. If you feel that there is a need for a better animal control service in your municipality, we invite you to mention it to your municipal council.