SPCA, Saint John Animal Rescue league merge

Saint John's Animal Rescue League and the local SPCA are merging this month as the groups hope their combined efforts will help more animals.

The animal rescue league has been overflowing with orphaned pets all summer, so the merger between the two organizations is expected to mean more resources to help the city's unwanted animals.

By joining forces, Sara Stashick, the president of the animal rescue's board, said the two groups will no longer compete for donations and they can work for a common cause.

"There's no more brand confusion, for lack of a better phrase, between the SPCA and the animal rescue league," Stashick said.

Riana McLaughlin, an employee with the animal rescue league, said the move will also allow the groups to focus on improving conditions for their animals.

"We will have a lot of backing with the community since we are merged and I feel the SPCA does bring a lot of good resources we can use so that we can give the animals here many more options than what we have now," McLaughlin said.

"It's an old building, we don't have proper ventilation. The cats are compacted far too closely together."

The groups will now fundraise together to build a new multi-million dollar facility in the city.The building is slatedto open in 2013. So far the groups have raised about $100,000.