GUELPH – The Guelph Humane Society (GHS) recently announced the receipt of a $25,000 grant from PetSmart Charities of Canada to help more kittens find homes this season.
The funding will help to offset kitten-care related costs for the approximately 400 kittens that will arrive at GHS between spring and fall 2021.
With 400 kittens anticipated at GHS over the next few months, this means 400 spay/neuter surgeries, facilitating 400 adoptions, and providing roughly 1,000 vaccinations.
“Kitten season is a busy time for every shelter environment,” says GHS associate director Lisa Veit.
“Our capacity to care for kittens has doubled since the move to our brand-new facility, and this generous grant from PetSmart Charities of Canada will allow GHS to invest in some key areas to help more kittens get adopted successfully.”
One of those key areas is enrichment. Whether in the shelter or a foster home. This also includes the development of a fostering manual, which will equip fosters with best practice approaches, more effective socialization, and lead to faster adoption rates.
“In our new building, our cat rooms and adjustable cat portals are equipped with larger spaces that give us the ability to house kittens with other kittens,” says Veit.
“Having at least one known kitten companion is a strong form of enrichment, providing companionship, a play mate, cuddle buddy and general company. In foster homes, we plan to pair solo kittens up together to encourage socialization.”
The first kitten of the season arrived at GHS on April 21st. He was bottle fed by staff, and was quickly moved into a foster home with other cats until he is ready to be neutered and then adopted.
Hundreds of others will be arriving over the next few months, and thanks to this grant from PetSmart Charities of Canada, GHS is in a position to provide the enrichment, socialization and care they need to be successfully adopted.
“With this funding, we are thrilled to support GHS’s efforts to help more kittens get adopted at such a busy time in the year and proactively reduce the homeless pet population throughout the area,” said Charlotte Palmer, of PetSmart Charities of Canada.
Once kittens are ready for adoption, they are placed on the society’s Available Animals webpage as contactless adoptions continue.
Anyone interested interested in adopting a kitten, should check https://guelphhumane.ca/adopt/available-animals/ over the coming months.
