Keeping People and Pets Together
SPCA supports efforts to keep animals healthy and happy in their existing home or community through supportive services, including education, supplies and other resources.
SPCA supports keeping people and their companion animals together, whenever it is possible, appropriate and in the best interests of both the animal and person to do so, and believes this should be a priority for the animal welfare community and for society as a whole.
Poverty, structural inequality and age related issues create obstacles to access veterinary and pet services similar to the challenges and barriers to accessing healthy food, education, jobs, health care and housing. Many of the reasons for relinquishment are short-term challenges that may be resolvable with supportive services; research shows that people would choose to explore safety net options when they are made aware of them and given proper support.