It’s about to be easier for Montreal pet owners looking to get care for their pawed friends.
The new $25-million Proanima animal services centre in the Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension borough was officially inaugurated by the City of Montreal Friday.
The Proanima centre, which opened earlier this year, has officially taken over municipal animal services previously handled by Montreal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and other partners after a partnership agreement signed by the City.
With the launch of the new centre, Montrealers will have a one-stop call centre to access animal care services. Pet owners may be referred to either the SPCA or Proanima based on their situation.
“Priority will be making sure that residents have the service that they need,” Kirouac said. “So if it is closer to the SPCA, yes, it will be (them) and that the animals (will be) taken care of,” said Anny Kirouac, executive director at Proanima.
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Founded in 2012, Proanima is a non-profit organization that offers pet care services and advocates for preventing animal abandonment.
The centre offers shelter and adoption for stray animals and pet care services like spaying and neutering and microchipping. It also provides educational and prevention-focused guidance, programs specifically targeting people in vulnerable situations, and a mobile unit deployed throughout Montreal.
“With an approach focused on prevention and awareness, our dedicated team works every day to promote healthy coexistence between citizens and their animals, while keeping animal welfare at the heart of our actions,” Kirouac said.
The 10-year contract awarded to Proanima in 2023 is valued at roughly $157 million. Before the transition, however, animal services were divided between four different organizations.
The newly inaugurated centre can house about 200 cats, 40 dogs and 40 exotic animals depending on size and needs. In just the first three months of 2026, Proanima says more than 1,200 animals entered its care through abandonment, stray pickup, temporary housing and other situations, with nearly 1,000 later adopted, reclaimed, or released.
The City says it has also signed an agreement with the SPCA to offer animal services at its Jean-Talon Boulevard West.
“SPCA unfortunately can’t take everything. It’s a question of feasibility. Right now we have a partner, so that we’re making sure that there’s not, there’s no gap in Montreal,” said Luis Miranda, Montreal Executive Committee member in-charge of public works and community services.
“With this new centre, the City of Montreal is standardizing and strengthening its animal services by drawing on Proanima’s recognized expertise, while continuing its essential collaboration with the Montreal SPCA to promote animal welfare,” Miranda said.
Sylvie Bourbonnière, executive director, Montreal SPCA welcomed the new centre.
“The expansion of animal services in Montreal will allow the SPCA to ease the pressure on our operations and allocate new resources where the need is most urgent,” she said.
“It’s just a shared responsibility,” Bourbonnière added. “It’s a lot for just one entity and we are glad that now we have some help.”
But Proanima’s takeover of Montreal’s animal services hasn’t come without controversy. Some rescue groups and cat trappers said the transition made it more difficult to trap, treat, and protect stray cats.
Earlier this year, CityNews spoke with ABC Refuge co-founder Billie Rousse, who raised concerns about changes to trapping and release procedures, stricter intake rules, and a lack of transparency around sterilization and where cats are ultimately released.
Rousse says some concerns like post-surgery care and the handling of community cats still remain. However, he said some adjustments have since been made, including allowing trapped cats to be put up for adoption for a fee instead of being automatically released.
Both the City and Proanima addressed those concerns during Friday’s inauguration.
“We understand that some procedures are a little bit different than what was in place prior, but Proanima was chosen based on our expertise, our experience, and our results that came out of those procedures,” a representative for Proanima said.
Proanima hopes events like this weekend’s adoption drive will help more animals quickly find permanent homes.
Around 70 cats will be available for adoption at the Montreal shelter on Pie-IX Boulevard, with adoption fees replaced by donations of any amount. Proanima says it aims to place animals with families in about a week on average.
Montrealers can access pet care services through Proanima by calling 514-379-2525.
