(Submitted photo/SPCA)

By Ian Gustafson

Adoption Increase

SPCA find homes for over 700 animals this year

Oct 5, 2019 | 8:00 AM

Staff at the Prince Albert SPCA found homes for a substantial number of animals so far this year.

To date this year, 541 cats and 208 dogs were adopted. In 2018, from Jan. 1 to Oct. 4 they adopted out 339 cats and 221 dogs.

“That is quite a large jump in cats,” SPCA Manager Ashlee Bober told paNOW. “We’re roughly around the same ballpark for dogs but we have definitely adopted more cats this year which is super fantastic.”

She hopes they can keep increasing those numbers in the future because she said there are a lot of animals looking for homes.

“We definitely have a lot more of a cat problem than a dog problem. We’re usually stuck with over populations of cats here which sometimes we need to look at transferring but we really push to see if there is anybody In the area who is able to adopt and this year we’ve been grateful we’ve had a lot of people in the area adopt,” she said.

GST Holiday

Federal government's two-month GST holiday begins

1h ago

Imminent need

Council set to discuss possible location for homeless shelter on 15th Street

6h ago

International Spotlight

P.A.'s Howe one of 4 Sask. born players named to Canada's World Junior roster

22h ago

Bober gave credit to the adoption events they have throughout the year such as the Empty Our Shelter adoption event that is held across the province.

“This year was a really big success,” Bober said.

Having the different events and fundraisers within the community helped get the animals out to people who may not be able to come to the shelter.

To adopt an animal, she said requires an application. Staff at the SPCA will then review it to determine if the family is a suitable fit for the animal.

“We kind of look at what they’re looking for and the requirements of the animals and if the adopter suits the needs of the animal,” she said. “It is something that is actually quite fast.”

The SPCA told paNOW previously in August they were over capacity. Bober says the facility remains at maximum capacity for cats, with capacity for dogs at a near maximum.

She said being able to adopt out more cats this year created more space for incoming animals.

“It has been a huge help this year especially recently. Usually this time of year we usually have one or two transfers that we have planned out to our rescues in Alberta who have bigger facilities and higher adoption rates than we do,” she said. “This year we have been really excited that we haven’t had to do a cat transfer and we’ve had steady adoptions through the shelter.”

–

Ian.Gustafson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @IanGustafson12