Since LAPS was established by a group of dedicated founders in 2003, we have grown to meet the needs of our changing community. While our core values and mission have not changed, our areas of operation and scope of services have. Learn more about the work we do to support animal wellbeing in Greater Langley and how we can work together to ensure every animal receives the best care possible.
Our team follows the Canadian Advisory Council on National Shelter Standards’ guidelines as outlined in the Canadian Standards of Care in Animal Shelters, centring the animals’ needs in the care they receive.
At LAPS, all caregivers and handlers who support animals in our care, no matter the location, use Fear Free® and positive reinforcement methods to reduce stress and promote comfort. These low-stress, cooperative approaches help animals voluntarily engage in routine handling, such as grooming, leashing, petting, medication, and veterinary exams, in a calm and supportive environment.
By prioritizing the animal’s experience, these techniques build trust, reduce fear, and improve safety for both animals and people. While initial interactions may take more time, positive-based handling sets animals up for more confident, relaxed, and successful future experiences in care and in home.
LAPS is committed to responsible, humane animal care and prioritizes the best outcome for every animal when making decisions about their care. Decisions regarding medical or behavioural outcomes are made by qualified professionals in accordance with veterinary standards, animal welfare best practices and applicable legislation. Euthanasia is never used as a convenience or cost-saving measure and is considered only when medically or behaviourally necessary in the interest of animal or public safety.
Yes! Read more here.
Historically, a stray dog is a dog that is living independently without a permanent or legal caregiver, while a lost dog refers to a family pet that has accidentally wandered away from home. However, many of the stray dogs we find today are actually lost pets that have been missing for some time because they have been unable to find their way home. Shelter’s that have Animal Control contracts will often use the term “Stray” as it is a legal definition in the municipal bylaw.
When a lost or stray dog is found, LAPS’ Animal Control Officers’ primary goal is to reunite dogs with their guardians as quickly and safely as possible. Their vehicles serve as mobile offices, equipped to trace dog license tags, scan and track microchips, and identify and trace tattoos. Our team goes above and beyond, knocking on doors, reaching out to community members, monitoring social media posts and more, to ensure every dog makes it safely home. We’re committed to providing a personalized, attentive service so that no adventurous dog is ever lost or injured while exploring the world outside the safety of their home.
For City of Langley dogs and dogs found in Metro Vancouver Parks in the Greater Langley area, LAPS will look for a suitable foster home where the animal can stay until they are able to return home. If there is no foster home available, and the dog is injured, LAPS will take the animal to a veterinary clinic where they will receive treatment and spend the evening. If there is no foster home is available and the dog is not injured, our officers will bring the dog to a pre-screened third-party boarding facility, where it will stay until it can be brought home.
If the Township of Langley Animal Control Officers bring LAPS a dog from the community, LAPS provides care for the dog in the Patti Dale Animal Shelter, where it will stay until it can be brought home or matched to a new family if it cannot be reunited with its original home.
Historically, most dogs assisted by LAPS have been returned directly to their owners without entering foster care or a boarding environment. We expect the vast majority of lost or stray dogs to continue to be reunited with their guardians without an overnight stay.
As of January 1, 2026, The Patti Dale Animal Shelter only provides animal sheltering services for animals that reside in, or are found within, the Township of Langley’s boundaries. More information on the scope of intake at the Patti Dale Animal Shelter can be found here.
At LAPS, the focus is always on the wellbeing of each dog. Dogs that are thriving in their current routine—whether in foster care, a boarding facility or at the Doghouse Program—remain in that environment, regardless of location.
All LAPS volunteers have experience and/or training regarding disease prevention, personal protective equipment, defensive dog handling (as appliable), cat specific care (as applicable) and are provided 24/7 support by LAPS staff. They are provided with LAPS’ positive reinforcement handling and personalized care plan for each animal, ensuring the safety of the animals in a home environment.
Animals being considered for foster care are matched with caregivers according to the caregiver’s ability to properly care for the animal and the animal’s unique needs.
Learn more about our program here.
If you are interested in becoming a foster caregiver, more information is available in our Become a Foster section.
Dogs are brought by LAPS’ Animal Services Officers to a pre-approved facility, where they receive a thorough intake examination and any required preventive treatments by LAPS staff. The facility is selected based on the number of LAPS animals currently in care at the facility at that time. Day-to-day care, such as feeding, walking, comfortable clean housing and enrichment, are provided by boarding staff, while LAPS manages veterinary care, additional enrichment, behaviour rehabilitation plans and placement. When an owner is located, the dog is returned directly to the guardian by a LAPS officer as a door-to-door service.
LAPS prioritizes what is best for the dog. If they are thriving in the boarding facility, they will continue to be cared for there until LAPS staff match the dog to a new family.
If a dog cannot be housed long-term in a boarding facility due to, for example, medical or behavioural issues, LAPS prioritizes placing the animal in a pre-screened foster home until rehoming can take place. If a dog cannot be fostered long-term, LAPS may care for the animal through the Doghouse program at Correctional Services of Canada’s Fraser Valley Institute for Women until a new home is found, if the dog is suitable. LAPS has used this program for adoptable dogs over many years when staff have assessed that the dog can be successfully matched with a caregiving inmate participant. The participant is often permitted to take the dog back to their quarters to live and sleep with them, which has historically proven to be beneficial for both animal and caregiver.
In most cases, either the potential match guardian will visit the animal in a foster care environment, or the meeting will take place at the potential match’s home or in a comfortable public space, such as a park. In some instances, LAPS staff will coordinate a visit to the boarding facility if it’s in the best interests of the animal to meet their possible match in the facility rather than at the potential match’s home.
Absolutely not. All LAPS policies for care and placement apply equally to all animals in our care, regardless of where they are being cared for. Dogs are never euthanized based on the length of time they are in care.
Your pet’s full health history is unknown when they arrive at LAPS as a lost animal. To ensure their safety and the well-being of other animals in our care, our staff conducts thorough physical check and provides preventative health care treatments. Studies show that many dogs and cats entering shelters don’t have antibodies to protect against serious diseases like parvovirus and distemper. These treatments help protect your pet and prevent the spread of disease in the shelter. The treatments are routine and recommended by veterinarians. We understand that vaccination can be a controversial topic for some pet owners. At LAPS, we are committed to following best practices and recognized standards of care to protect the health of every animal in our shelter and the broader community. Vaccinations are a key part of preventing the spread of contagious diseases.
Absolutely. LAPS follows animal health procedures that meet the Association of Shelter Veterinarians Guildelines for Standards of care in Animal Shelters, American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) guidelines, and recommendations from the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. Our procedures are developed with guidance from the LAPS Animal Welfare Committee, which includes multiple veterinarians.
In most cases, either the potential match guardian will visit the animal in a foster care environment, or the meeting will take place at the potential match’s home or in a comfortable public space, such as a park. In some instances, LAPS staff will coordinate a visit to the boarding facility if it’s in the best interests of the animal to meet their possible match in the facility rather than at the potential match’s home.
No. LAPS takes a risk-based approach. For dogs with traceable identification, we may delay vaccination unless the animal requires an overnight stay. This allows owners to maintain control over their pet’s health decisions while ensuring the animal’s safety. Many unclaimed animals come to LAPS without reliable owner information. For these pets, it is essential to begin vaccinations promptly to protect them from disease and ensure their immunity develops properly during their stay. Vaccines start to protect animals against serious diseases like parvovirus within a few hours, so a delay of even one day can be unsafe. Animals who are suspected to be pregnant are also not vaccinated.
LAPS is not a licensed veterinary clinic and does not administer rabies vaccinations because they are regulated differently than other vaccines in Canada. Rabies is not a disease that spreads within shelters, and rabies vaccines must be administered by a licensed veterinarian.
No. Mild, temporary reactions such as soreness at the injection site, mild fever, or lethargy are possible with any vaccine. Serious reactions are rare but can include allergic responses.
Some contagious diseases have an incubation period of 2–14 days and may not be immediately detectable. Routine vaccinations and parasite treatments provided help minimize this risk and protect both your pet and the broader community.