2023-01-25

Looking to expand your family?

by Kelly Inglis, manager

  • <p>Kelly Inglis PHOTO</p><p>Boom Shakalaka is a sweet six-month-old female who loves ear scritches.</p>
  • <p>Kelly Inglis PHOTO</p><p>Fancy Free, along with brother Footloose, recently arrived at SHAID and have both settled right in. They are awaiting spay and neuter surgeries before they become available for adoption.</p>

SHAID Tree Animal Shelter

On a daily basis, we have families interested in adopting shelter animals who are in desperate need of loving and responsible homes.

It is of utmost importance that when you decide to adopt a pet, you understand that this pet will be your responsibility for up to 15-20 years. You have to be willing and able to make that commitment.

Adopting from an animal shelter like SHAID ensures your pet will already come to you treated for parasites, dewormed, vaccinated, spayed or neutered, microchipped, vet-checked, and cats tested for feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia.

At a veterinary clinic, these procedures cost upwards of $500; our adoption fees for cats range from $100 (seniors seven years and up), $220 (cats aged six months to six years), and $250 (kittens). Please note we are currently outside of "kitten season" so we do not have an abundance of kittens at the moment.

Dog adoption fees are $150 for seniors, $400 for dogs aged six months to six years, and $450 for puppies (we don't often have puppies available). Veterinary clinics charge $600+ for these treatments for canines.

Cats are known to be pretty low maintenance when it comes to their care; daily feedings, ensuring they have fresh water available at all times, ensuring their litterboxes are kept clean, and snuggles if they allow their human servants that privilege.

If you choose a kitten as a pet, you must also be prepared for leg-and curtain-climbing, zoomies, digging in house plants, and what seems to be the favorite pastime...knocking over glasses. Most cats disregard rules and are not known to be easily trained to do anything!

Dogs are much more high maintenance and require training, daily exercise and stimulation, daily meals, fresh water at all times, grooming, teeth care, and more, depending on the breed. It is very important to research the breeds you are interested in.

They have very breed-specific traits that might not be a good fit in your life. High maintenance grooming, prey drive, exercise needs, space and personalities are all things to consider, among others.

We would like to thank our community for your unwavering support as we celebrate our 37th year "Sheltering Helpless Animals In Distress" and placing homeless animals in loving forever homes on the South Shore.

If you'd like to lend a hand this week, our most needed items are canned cat food, blue Dawn dish soap, Javex and wood pellets (used in place of cat litter). All monetary donations over $10 are eligible for a charitable tax receipt and are greatly appreciated in helping cover vet bills.

Thank you for printing this article from lighthousenow.ca. Subscribe today for access to all articles, including our archives!