BONNYVILLE – Year-round, the Bonnyville & District SPCA is a non-profit organization that relies on community support to help animals in need.
With the recent smoke-related cancellation of the After Burner concert on July 20, The SPCA had to postpone a fundraiser barbecue they were going to have at the event. But, the Bonnyville SPCA has other fundraisers planned in the coming months, including the Lock in Your Love for Animals campaign.
Shelter Manager Judith Rodriguez explains that the Bonnyville SPCA functions with the support of the community, fuelling its mission of helping lost, abandoned, neglected, and abused dogs and cats from the Town and MD of Bonnyville.
During the summer months, the shelter sees an influx of kittens, and the SPCA is currently at capacity with kittens.
The Bonnyville SPCA could benefit from the donation of wet and dry kitten food, as well as cleaning and office supplies, cat litter, and a couple of pools for the dogs to give them some relief and joy during the summer months.
Careful in the heat
“Heat can cause a lot of health issues for the animals under our care. In the kitty cabin, we have been able to install AC window units in most of the rooms, and a portable one in the office,” said Rodriguez.
“For some dogs, we have kids' pools in the yards, but at closing time the building must be locked up. That is when the temperature goes up. So, each dog gets a frozen treat (water, fruit, or sugar free jam and a couple treats) at bedtime. It's something pet owners could do too,” continued Rodriguez.
Rodriguez reminds owners to never leave pets in vehicles for any length of time during the summer months, and to not walk dogs if the ground feels hot on the palm of your hand after a few seconds since dogs can burn the pads of their feet.
A summer to adopt
The Bonnyville SPCA generally sees an increase in adoption numbers during the summer, and Rodriguez believes it is an ideal time to adopt a pet.
“More daylight hours and family activities provide a better scenario for the animals to decompress and bond better with their new families before wintertime,” said Rodriguez.
But Rodriguez reminds those considering adoption to understand the commitment involved.
“If you can't picture yourself keeping an animal until their last breath due to old age, don't adopt, become a foster parent instead. Shelters like the Bonnyville & District SPCA are always looking for foster homes. The shelter takes care of all the animal expenses during the foster time, and the foster parent will act only as the caregiver.”
A pet is a remarkable companion and “kids raised with a pet learn better social skills such as compassion and responsibility when they are asked to take care of the animal needs,” said Rodriguez.
Along with being spayed and neutered as soon as they are old enough, animals at the Bonnyville SPCA are vaccinated, dewormed, and microchipped.
“When one of our animals is adopted, the adopter is actually saving two lives - the animal they are taking home and the animal that will be accepted at the shelter once the space is opened.”
For those interested in volunteering, there are many ways to do so, such as socializing the animals, fostering, cleaning, dog walking, maintenance, fundraising, helping at events, or even becoming a board member.
