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A woman hugs her cat after saving the feline from a fire which started in their home on Gemsbok Drive Wednesday afternoon. See more photos on Page A5.
taken to Campbell River Hospital to be further examined.
The city’s bold move to save money has cost the community the SPCA. After nearly three decades of service, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) announced Wednesday it was leaving Campbell River for good. “Council’s decision to award its new pound contract to the lowest bidder raises a number of very serious concerns about the future safety and welfare of animals in Campbell River,” wrote SCPA Chief Executive Officer Craig Daniell in a letter to city council. “Council’s decision will, unfortunately, result in the SPCA having to leave Campbell River.” In January, in a move to lower costs, council bypassed the SPCA and awarded the animal control contract to a private firm, Coastal Animal Control Services, which has similar contracts in several other Vancouver Island municipalities. Council, acting on the recommendation of city clerk Peter Wipper, was hoping the SPCA would accept far less money to continue operating the shelter as well as offering its other pro-
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Woman rescues cat as smoke fills home
were checked out by a BC Ambulance attendant and she was later
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Her face stained with soot and tears, the young woman embraced her cat which she had just rescued from the burning home. Everyone was safe, but the woman could do little as she stood across the street and watched as the two-storey home at 759 Gemsbok Drive filled with smoke. According to Fire Chief Ian Baikie, a burning candle in a downstairs room is believed to be the cause of Wednesday’s blaze that started around 3:45 p.m. and caused more than $30,000 in damage. “Crews extinguished the fire, and managed to confine the fire damage to a single room, but smoke and heat damage was extensive to the entire home,” said Baikie. Deputy Fire Chief Chris Vrabel was first on scene, arriving within minutes of the 911 call, and made sure the woman was okay and no one else was in the home. The pumper truck crew arrived a few minutes later, having just left another call to assist with a fallen worker at a downtown job site. Firefighters used “positive pressure ventilation” to clear the home of the heavy smoke as the first members entered to douse the flames. The fire was quickly brought under control, but due to the damages, the home will be unusable for some time. The woman and the cat, who suffered some smoke inhalation,
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grams. When the decision was made to not offer the SPCA the same contract, Mayor Walter Jakeway assured residents the animal care society would remain in Campbell River. “This is not knocking the SPCA out of the picture, it’s just changing the business and what they’re working on. The public doesn’t need to be worried, the SPCA will probably still be there when this is all finished,” he told council in January. But that blew up Wednesday when the SPCA said no thanks to the city’s offer. Continued on A3
WebPoll We asked: Do you think the BC Jobs Plan is doing any good? You said: Yes – 108 (51%) No – 104 (49%) Today’s question: Was the city fair with the SPCA? Vote at campbellrivermirror.com
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