‘There are no regulations’: BC SPCA looks for public input on pet services standards

People looking for advice on where to get the best care for their pets will soon get some helpful guidance from the SPCA.

The BC SPCA has drafted the AnimalKind pet care services standards, which will help educate people on the best grooming, pet care, and pet boarding services available.

“We’re creating standards because there are no (pet service) regulations,” said Nicole Fenwick, manager of research and standards at the BC SPCA.

Fenwick explained that the pet services standards will help the organization create a standard of quality so they are better able to recommend and suggest services.

“At the BC SPCA, we hear a lot from people (asking) where should I take my dog for grooming? Or a good place to board my cat while I go away? We can’t really refer or direct anybody to any businesses, because we just don’t know which are the better businesses.”

The SPCA is currently asking for feedback from both pet owners and pet care service staff to help create these guidelines. So far, they’ve already received strong feedback from the community.

“We’ve had really great responses,” said Fenwick. “That shows there’s a need. People want there to be some kind of guidance for the industry.”

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Two years ago, the SPCA created standards for dog training companies, and Fenwick explained that the BC SPCA went through the same stages when creating the pet services standards.

“We’re following the same sort of pathway … we did the research, we created a version of the standards, we consulted with the business owners … we get some of their input. And we also had it reviewed by external academic experts,” said Fenwick.

“We followed that same pattern with the dog training standards, and it worked really well.”

After the SPCA listens to the submitted suggestions, the next step will be to look at the logistics of the program.

“I think the next step, once these standards are completed, is to do a pilot program to see whether it’s feasible or not to also accredit the pet services businesses, right, so we can have the standards, and then we’ll decide whether it’s worthwhile,” said Fenwick.