(file photo/meadowlakeNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Foster homes sought

M.L. Humane Society still at capacity

Dec 23, 2022 | 4:29 PM

Meadow Lake and District Humane Society (MLDHS) is bursting at the seams this holiday season with a large number of cats and dogs in its care.

President Jeff McCallum encourages anyone interested in adopting a dog or cat, or fostering, even if only over the holidays, to contact the shelter.

“We are still at capacity,” he said. “Unfortunately, I had to redirect or turn away some of the animals that we would have liked to have brought in. Currently, it’s just on an emergency, case-by-case basis only.”

McCallum said the shelter is full for cats, and mostly full for dogs.

“We try to keep at least two cages open at all times, so that the city bylaw officers have some room to impound dogs,” he said. “If there was an emergency, I’m sure the city would let us put a dog or two in those.”

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The volunteer-run shelter currently has about 22 cats and around 10 dogs in its care.

McCallum said the facility has been at capacity since late October.

“As soon as the temperature started to drop, that’s when we sort of filled up,” he said. “We’ve been doing our best ever since to try keep the animals we have moving, happy and socialized. Unfortunately, that hasn’t left us a lot of spare room to take in anything extra, unless it’s a complete emergency.”

Otherwise, people looking for a shelter to bring an animal they can’t keep will need to contact a facility at a larger urban centre or other front-line rescue organization.

Some of the many reasons the MLDHS is seeing more animals enter the shelter include owners needing to relocate for work who can’t take their pets with them, others dealing with allergies, as well as cases where animals have been abandoned or come in as strays.

McCallum is encouraging anyone who is able, to contact the shelter to look at adopting a cat or dog, or just provide temporary help as a short-term foster.

“We have a program right now that is set up so that if you want to take in a shelter animal for the holiday season, we would be more than happy to accommodate you,” he said. “At least it gets them out of the shelter for a short while. It gives us breathing room to move some more, or transition new animals.”

McCallum added if the animal works out for the person while they get to know it, they might end up deciding to adopt it. If not, at the end of the holidays they can simply bring the animal back to the shelter.

He said any help is appreciated.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @meadowlakenow