Montreal SPCA to add 24/7 call centre this fall

Montreal’s SPCA announced changes on Thursday that will help them get back to their core mission of animal protection.

Starting this fall, a 24/7 call centre will be launched.

This will allow the SPCA to receive reports from across Quebec and assist both victims and witnesses.

“There are more companion animals than ever, and today’s socio-economic climate is leaving many people in increasingly vulnerable situations,” said Laurence Massé, Executive Director of the Montreal SPCA. “More often than not, animal suffering goes hand in hand with human suffering.” 

In 2024, they responded to over 9,000 calls reporting abuse or cruelty — that is 15 per cent more than in 2023.

“That is an average of over 25 calls per day,” the SPCA said.

“Even more striking, the organization was authorized to seize 179 animals in 2024, up from 57 the previous year,” they added.

Special constables accredited by the Ministère de la Sécurité publique, work every day to fight neglect and cruelty toward animals — making the SPCA more than a shelter.

But until recently, the organization said in a press release that it had to limit its operations outside the island due to lack of resources — that’s now changing.

“In response to growing needs, the Montreal SPCA is now allocating more resources to its Investigations Division to cover a wider territory,” they said.

This transformation will continue with the gradual transfer of animal services in several boroughs to a new provider, the SPCA explained.

The new provider is set to take over as of January 2026.

“The arrival of this second top-tier animal services provider will be a welcome relief on the island of Montreal, where the need is urgent,” the SPCA said.

This will then allow the SPCA to dedicate more resources to its core mission of protecting animals from “neglect, cruelty and exploitation while safeguarding their well-being and interests.”

Led by former police lieutenant-detective Alain Tessier, its animal protection officers have the authority to enforce Criminal Code provisions related to cruelty and severe neglect of animals across Quebec.

Funded by public donations, the Investigations Division’s involvement in cases involving regulatory offences is also supported by the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ).

“However, it’s public donations that enable the SPCA to fund its Investigations Division’s enforcement of the Criminal Code,” the SPCA said. “Which applies to the most serious cases of cruelty or neglect.”

Founded in Montreal in 1869, the Montreal SPCA was the first Canadian organization dedicated to animal welfare.

If you witness animal cruelty or neglect, it can be reported here.