SPCA hopes for more government funding following survey

The SPCA in western Newfoundland hopes a study will result in more government funding for the care of neglected animals.

A team of Memorial University researchers in St. John's conducted a phone survey and concluded there was not enough supports from governments for animal shelters.

Lee Ann O'Reilly, president of the N.L. West SPCA, says her organization could use the help.

She said it cost a lot of money to deal with hundreds of cats that were taken from a Corner Brook home in the spring.

"We just came out of the crisis of the east side cat crisis in which ... the final numbers were up around 300 cats in just one incident," O'Reilly said.

"The financial responsibility for that fell directly upon the shoulders of the SPCA here in Corner Brook."

O'Reilly said she would also like to see government put more money into programs that get animals spayed and neutered.

The survey suggests there should be either more public money for the shelters or more hands-on involvement by governments.