Kelowna woman highlighted by SPCA for milestone in foster care<\/p>\n
Published 10:06 am Wednesday, July 15, 2026<\/p>\n
A Kelowna woman has helped give more than 100 cats another chance at life.<\/p>\n
Brenda Larson has been volunteering as a foster with the BC SPCA since May 2015, loving on stray and abandoned cats before they reach their forever home.<\/p>\n
\u201cFosters like Brenda truly help save lives,\u201d said Shannon Paille, BC SPCA Kelowna manager. \u201cWe couldn\u2019t help as many animals as we do without our foster team. Not only do they give animals a safe space to decompress and heal, but they also help us keep our shelter numbers manageable so we can accept surrenders when owners have no other options.\u201d<\/p>\n
Larson is currently fostering a cat named Lily, who has skin concerns and open wounds and is benefiting from being the only animal in the home.<\/p>\n
The foster said that emergency, short-term foster homes are just as valuable as those that can foster long-term, and that the opportunity is more flexible and rewarding than people realize.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love animals and love having them around, but I also travel a lot,\u201d said Larson. \u201cFostering gives me the best of both worlds \u2013 I can have the comfort and company of a pet while I\u2019m home, but I don\u2019t have to feel guilty about leaving anyone behind while I travel.\u201d<\/p>\n
Foster homes are provided with the food and supplies necessary to care for the pet, including vet care when needed, and are never required to pay out of pocket.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople always ask how I can manage to say goodbye, and I tell them it is hard. I do shed tears. But the thing is, you realize you\u2019re part of an animal\u2019s journey, but not the final destination,\u201d said Larson. \u201cIf I kept one, I wouldn\u2019t be able to help any others.\u201d<\/p>\n
The BC SPCA Kelowna is in need of more foster homes, specifically for senior cats and dogs, pregnant moms, large dog breeds, small animals, and animals with medical needs. Emergency boarding fosters are also needed in the event a pet owner is hospitalized, evacuated, or otherwise cannot care for their pet for a short period of time.<\/p>\n