Press release – For immediate release
Montréal, August 8, 2022 – After five years at the helm of the Montreal SPCA, Élise Desaulniers has announced that she will be leaving her duties as Executive Director. Me Sophie Gaillard, who has served as the Director of Animal Advocacy and Legal Affairs for many years, will take over as the director by interim.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to have led such a great organization,” says Desaulniers. “I have full confidence in my colleagues to take it from here! I intend to remain close to the SPCA.” The board of directors offers her its heartfelt thanks for her years of dedication and professionalism. We wish her all the best in her future endeavours.
The progress that has been made under Desaulniers’ leadership has brought significant benefit to the animals. The average shelter stay is shorter (now 7 to 10 days for cats and dogs), and horse-drawn carriages have been eliminated from the streets of Montréal. Several progressive policies have also been put in place. Programs for animals requiring palliative care and orphaned kittens have been established, as have partnerships with organizations, such as Dans la rue and the Programme régional d’accueil et d’intégration des demandeurs d’asile (PRAIDA).
The Montreal SPCA will be able to count on the solid expertise of Me Sophie Gaillard to ensure the interim. She will be assisted by Laurence Massé, Director of Philanthropic Development and Communications. Working together, the two women will ensure smooth operations during the transition and continue to coordinate the work of the shelter’s teams to further the animal cause. “It is with pride and dedication that we will work with our teams to make the SPCA’s mission shine day in and day out,” emphasizes Gaillard. “Protecting animals against neglect, abuse and exploitation, representing their interests, and ensuring their well-being is work that truly brings us together.”
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Source: Montreal SPCA
Media contact: Anita Kapuscinska, Senior Consultant, Corporate Development and Media Relations, Montréal SPCA, 514-656-2760, anitak@spca.com.
About the Montréal SPCA – Founded in 1869, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (now known simply as the Montréal SPCA) was the first animal-welfare organization in Canada. Today, the Montreal SPCA is the largest animal protection organization in Quebec, speaking on behalf of animals wherever there is ignorance, cruelty, exploitation, or neglect.
