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'Paws' raises $3,100 for cruelty investigations

The sun finally made its appearance on Sunday afternoon, just in time for the BC SPCA Paws for Cause fundraising walk.
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The 2016 Paws for a Cause event raised $3

The sun finally made its appearance on Sunday afternoon, just in time for the BC SPCA Paws for Cause fundraising walk.

After rain drenched the area for most of the weekend, even the sun came  out to support the BC SPCA, along with about 25 people and 10 to 12 dogs. The annual walk raises money to rescue and rehabilitate mistreated animals.

“We are the voice for those that can’t speak,” said branch manager Gerry Whittle. “It’s to provide the funds and means to be able to have our cruelty investigation officers to attend the cases and help those animals.”

The sounds of people chatting and dogs barking filled the air throughout the three-kilometre walk from Mariner’s Park to Rushbrook. “So far, so good. It’s sunny out so it’s a great day,” Whittle said.

The Prince Rupert SPCA branch had set a fundraising goal of $8,000  but due to busyness, lack of staffing and not having a manager most of the summer, it only raised $3,100. The funds came from corporate sponsorships, registration fees, participants fundraising and merchandise  sold at Mariner’s Park on Sunday before and after the walk.

The Paws for Cause walk is the biggest SPCA fundraiser provincial-wide, so the money raised will be going to the provincial pool, not just the Prince Rupert branch. But Whittle said there will be other fundraisers in the future that will directly fund the branch.

Part of the reason the money will be going to a provincial pool is because there’s only one cruelty investigation officer in the north, based out of Hazelton.

Last year, the BC SPCA conducted 10,205 new cruelty investigations.