SPCA packed with pets

By Mo Cranker on September 4, 2018.

NEWS PHOTO MO CRANKER
SPCA kennel assistant and one-year-old boxer, Luhan, spend some time together Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018 at the shelter. The SPCA is currently at capacity for all animals and is hoping to lighten the load sooner rather than later.

mcranker@medicinehatnews.com @MHNmocranker

The Medicine Hat SPCA is functioning at full capacity and has been for some time now.

“It’s been a very busy year for us,” said kennel assistant Joe Schafer. “We’ve been very full all year and it’s not just a problem we’re having — it’s Alberta-wide.

“Places everywhere are completely full to capacity.”

The SPCA is not merely at capacity for one type of animal, but is holding all it can for dogs, cats, birds and rabbits.

Schafer says spaying or neutering pets is important.

“It’s hard to say why it’s been such a busy year for us and I don’t want to point my finger at just one or two things,” she said. “What I will say is that people really need to get their pets spayed or neutered right away.

“We have so many puppies and kittens coming through our doors and it really is avoidable.”

Schafer says the shelter has been leaning heavily on its affiliated foster homes.

“They do so much for us and really help us with caring for animals,” she said. “The families helping us are amazing and help us so much — we’re always looking for more foster families to help us out.”

There’s currently a wide-range of animals available for adoption, some of which have been at the shelter for many months.

“We’re trying to highlight some of the animals that have spent a lot of time here at the SPCA. We really want them to find their homes,” said Schafer. “Bull, one of our cats, has been here for over nine months. Luhan is around one and is a boxer and we’re really hoping he can find a family that will work with him on some training.

“We also have a lot of rabbits right now. Cloud is a nine-month-old male and has a bit of a special way about him — we’re hoping people can come out and give some of these animals great homes.”

The SPCA has started a paper heart campaign at a number of local businesses and is running a mascot contest on its Facebook page. It is also always looking for more people to foster animals.

More information can be found at medhatspca.ca and facebook.com/MHSPCA

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