A reprint of an email that was posted here May 2012: I would be happy to share with you the efforts that staff put forward at the shelter to ensure every animal is cared for. If you truly wish to help then get the message out to everyone to register or license their pet. The money goes to support programs that will enable them to be returned to their owners sooner. Tell everyone to have their pet spay/neutered. Tell them to keep their pets indoors, they live much longer and healthier lives. If everyone takes responsibility and does their part, the number of animals euthanized will continue to go down. Staff have attended seminars dealing with shelter management. A number of recommendations have been implemented by the shelter, such as: •Every animal entering the shelter is vaccinated, when possible. •Every animal is triaged upon arrival to determine its health and placed in the appropriate room. •Healthy, known owned animals are placed in separate rooms furthest away from the most sickly animals. •Healthy animals that are not spayed or declawed are placed in a separate area. •The cleaning protocol is such that healthy animals are cleaned first, to reduce the likelihood of spreading disease. •Lab coats are required in highly contagious areas and then laundered to kill bacterium and viruses. The OSPCA Veterinarians have developed a shelter cleaning protocol that has been adopted by City Staff. Staff no longer pick up stray cats 24/7. Euthanasia days have been reduced from 3 days a week to 1 to 2 days a week as required. Animal Services is working with the SPCA to re-home TNR cats that are brought into the shelter. Animal Services has developed a new education program about responsible pet ownership that encourages pet owners to license/register and identify their pets. Staff have been assigned to inspect potential rescue organizations that must meet the standards as set out by the Animals For Research Act as it relates to Pounds. Rescues are viewed by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs, OMAFRA, as an extension of the Pound and they must meet or exceed the criteria that govern them. The Animal Shelter will not be a zero kill shelter because a number of low income pet owners turn to us when their pets are too ill or old and they cannot afford to pay the price that their vet charges to put them to sleep. I do not believe that anyone would find it preferable to allow any living being to suffer for the sake of ones self gratification. I hope that we, as a society, are more compassionate and caring than that. “The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all these living beings, which are all part of one another, and all involved in one another.” Thomas Merton, Trappist Monk, Our Lady of Gethsemani Abbey. Staff will continue to find ways to reduce the number of animals that are euthanized however, we will continue to provide services to those citizens who need our assistance. Thanks, (name removed)
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 19:16:45 +0000
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