 | Home page |  | Text size |  | E-mail this page |
Pet shelter at capacity SPCA has funds to expand but not enough to hire more workers
Candace Thomson
Northern News Services
Published Friday, June 21, 2013
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Eight months after opening its doors with an aim to relieve overcrowding at the Great Slave Animal Hospital's shelter - until then the only animal shelter in Yellowknife - the NWT SPCA's animal shelter is over-capacity and sending excess dogs to the hospital.
SPCA president Nicole Spencer, left, stands with adoption hopeful Cali Groenheyde, centre, and her friend Amy Marcon at the Yellowknife SPCA Shelter earlier this month. - Candace Thomson/NNSL photo |
The SPCA shelter currently has a capacity for 15 dogs inside and 10 outside, as well as 10 cats, but with a newly arrived litter of puppies it's over capacity by six dogs. The mother and pups are staying in one of the unfinished dog bays, which the SPCA's one staff member and volunteers are now using as an impromptu maternity ward. Most of the dogs are coming from NWT communities outside Yellowknife.
SPCA president Nicole Spencer says the organization has enough money - $30,000 - to build additions to the shelter, which would allow space for 10 more dogs. But wouldn't be able to pay for staff to run it if it expands.
"It's sort of a catch-22," said Spencer.
"We should be able to have 40 dogs but we don't have the money or manpower to care for the dogs and build the needed bays."
The shelter cost an estimated $800,000 to build, with more than half of that coming from community donations and small city grants.
In order to finish the interior and construct the outdoor bays, Spencer said the SPCA would need to hire at least one other full-time employee, which would cost the shelter $45,000 per year. Spencer also mentioned the need to hire part-time employees to work the evening shifts.
"We have the money for the space but at the same time we don't have the money, because we need to hire more people," said Spencer. "It's very frustrating."
Spencer said the only solution is to apply for core funding from the city, which the shelter will qualify for in the fall since it has had grants from the city for the past three years.
For now the group is trying to manage its over-capacity issues by sending some dogs to animal shelters down south or to the Great Slave Animal Hospital's shelter.
"It's a good solution because if I didn't have organizations to send them to we would be full all the time and wouldn't be able to take anymore from the community," said Spencer. "And those dogs would be killed. So if we don't move them out, more can't come in, so therefore they'll suffer."
The Great Slave shelter currently has 14 dogs but has no official capacity. It doubles up on kennels to make room, sends dogs to foster homes, moves them into the boarding section of the clinic, and shuffles them around between indoor and outdoor kennels to make room.
Jenna McCrindle, adoptions co-ordinator for Great Slave Animal Hospital, said the hospital always tries to make room for dogs that are hurt, sick, or otherwise needing attention.
"Even if we're full, we won't turn them away," she said.
Adopting a pet
The adoption process is exciting, but make sure you're ready. This is what the SPCA wants to know before you adopt:
- Why you want a pet?
- How many hours you'll be with the pet and how many hours it will be alone?
- How many years you've been involved with pets?
- If you have access to a vehicle.
- A description of your lifestyle.
- How often and what type of exercise you'll give your pet?
- What you will do with your pet if you have to go away?
- How many adults and children live in your home?
- If you live with anyone who has animal allergies.
- Where the animal will be kept, and what type of house you live in.
- Whether you own or rent and whether or not everyone in the house, and your landlord, have given permission for there to be an animal living in the home.
- A list of all pets in your home and the type of pet you're seeking.
It also requests for a shelter worker to do a scheduled visit of your home to make sure it's right for a pet. Keep in mind that it's $150 to adopt a cat and $250 to adopt a dog.
Source: NWT SPCA
| 
