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About the Langley Animal Protection Society (LAPS)
The Langley Animal Protection Society (LAPS), a registered non-profit charitable organization, dedicated to supporting healthy human-animal connections through leadership, education, programs, and municipal services. Through a variety of essential services LAPS aims to ensure that pets can be with the people who love them and if faced with the need for a new family are supported with their emotional, physical and physiological needs during the transition of their life.
LAPS provides a range of emergency shelter services to care for animals in need, as well as social programs designed to assist pet owners. These initiatives include food banking, spay/neuter services, access to urgent veterinary care and emergency boarding for people freeing interpersonal violence or faced with housing insecurity. By offering these crucial resources, LAPS seeks to alleviate the pressures faced by pet owners during challenging times and to prevent unnecessary separation of pets from their families.
VISION: Thriving Animals, Caring People
Our History
Langley Animal Protection Society (LAPS) was established in 2003 by a dedicated group of volunteers. They were eager to see positive change in the way stray, lost, and unwanted animals were sheltered and cared for in Langley. In order to uphold these founding members’ values, we continue to focus on providing excellent service to the community and overcoming the challenges facing animals in Langley.
Since 2003, LAPS Animal Control Officers have promptly and professionally responded to dog and large animal complaints. Thanks to their care and dedication, LAPS has reduced the number of repeat complaints drastically and has helped make the City and Township of Langley safer for people and animals alike.
In 2009, LAPS moved from its dilapidated, falling-down shelter into a brand new, state-of-the-art facility named in honour of LAPS founding member, Patti Dale. This new shelter was designed with the physical and mental health of the animals in mind. Private kennels for dogs and places to hide and perch for cats provide a low-stress environment and contribute to their overall well-being. Isolation areas for both cats and dogs allow staff to care for sick animals and help prevent the spread of disease. Thanks to this new building, LAPS can continue to contribute to the welfare of Langley’s animals in need.
In 2018 LAPS expanded again with the support of the Township of Langley and many private donors. The new state of the art ISOasis opened. The grand opening meant that the most vulnerable of homeless cats who suffered from diseases such as Ringworm fungus and upper respiratory infections could received the care they needed in a bright, cage free environment that supported not just their physical needs but their emotional welfare too.
About Patti Dale
Patricia Elizabeth (Patti) Dale (1958-2005)
Patti Dale was a larger-than-life kind of woman. When she found a cause she believed in, she never hesitated to take action. She may have been small in size, but she had a big heart, intelligence, and determination to overcome any obstacle.
As a long-time resident of Langley, Patti was a driving force behind the development of LAPS. She had a deep love for animals, especially Rottweilers, and dedicated herself to their welfare. Her dream was to see a new animal shelter built on the existing site in Aldergrove. Patti never shied away from a challenge, and she did everything possible to ensure that the new shelter would provide the best possible environment for the animals, volunteers, and staff. From scooping poop to presenting to the mayor and council and visiting animal shelters throughout the Pacific Northwest, she did it all.
Patti truly believed in her mission. When she spoke, people listened. She possessed beauty, brains, and a terrific sense of fun. In addition to her work for animals, Patti was a wonderful mother to two girls.
Sadly, Patti passed away in 2005 before the new shelter was completed. On October 11, 2008, the Township of Langley named the beautiful new shelter in her honour. LAPS continues its work in the Langley community as a tribute to the woman whose passion and commitment laid its foundation.
