Peterborough Humane Society keeping up with care for strays
An urgent care fund launched last month by the Peterborough Humane Society aims to help animals still in the shelter awaiting their forever home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The urgent animal care fund launched on April 15 will help to raise funds in place of many fundraisers that were cancelled earlier this year because of the province’s emergency precautions.
Executive director Shawn Morey said fundraisers, such as the FurBall Gala, usually generate money to help with operating costs but the cancellations leave them in a tight spot when it comes to the continued care of the animals at the Lansdowne Street East shelter.
“We have had a lot planned for the spring that unfortunately has gone by the wayside,” Morey said. “The urgent animal care fund is a way the community can provide monetary support to the organization to continue to do what we do.”
The shelter’s doors remain shuttered to the public after closing March 16, but staff are continuing their daily routines with their animals.
While pet adoptions were also put on hold March 27, the required continued care of the animals has been climbing steadily.
“While adoptions are on pause, animals in shelters still need nutritious food, veterinary care, enrichment and daily attention to keep them healthy and happy,” Morey said
While the doors are closed, the shelter continues to take in stray and abandoned animals and province emergency services.
“We have just over 45 animals in the centre as of today, including an additional 25 out in foster that over the next little bit will be coming back into us,” Morey said.
More are expected to come into care. “It is more so for the animals that will be here tomorrow,” Morey said. “For example, kitten season is happening and with the weather being warmer we are going to see an influx of animals coming through the centre.”
The animals in the shelter are not getting the eyes on them they normally would get had they been adopted into forever homes, he said.
On Friday, the Peterborough Humane Society also launched the Fur the Love of Moms campaign aimed at collecting $10,000 over 10 days to fund the feed and care for the expected 150 or more kittens the shelter expects to take in this year.
Donations can be made at peterboroughhumanesociety.ca/donations.