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Number of Adoptions Going Down As Christmas Approaches

Adoptions at humane societies drop a little over the Christmas season

The time of the year when people spend the most is when the Lac La Biche Regional Humane Society’s adoption rates drop.

The shelter coordinator at the local humane society, Dezerae Moldowan, has noticed this trend with humane societies over the years.

“It does seem to slow down around Christmas time. I think people just get more focused on Christmas and dealing with their families.” 

While animals going out is on a seasonal slide, animals coming into the shelter is on the rise as temperatures drop.The number of strays that have been surrendered to the humane society has been increasing as the weather gets colder.

“Now that it is getting cold, cats are moving onto people’s decks, sheds, and shelters looking for food,” says Moldowan, explaining that residents are seeing more of the animals that would normally go undetected in warmer weather.

With the adoption rates going down and the number of strays on the rise, the humane society has a full house. It's been a full year as a full house, with 351 animals passing through their doors so far this year. The increases also mean increased partnerships with other animal shelters in the region.

“It’s all part of our program,” says Moldowan. “We try to find suitable placement with other rescues and societies, so often if we have a pet that we can’t or isn’t generating any sort of interest, then we reach out and try our best to find them somewhere they can go where they’ll often get adopted quicker than being in a rural community.”  

Shelter officials are pleased the idea of sending a dog or cat from a shelter as a Christmas gift is happening less and less, but the local group hopes people will still look to the shelter for Christmas ideas. The humane society is offering a Christmas for Critters program this year. The program sees  donations going to things like food supplies, vaccinations, and neutering/spaying. For more information, visit Lac La Biche's Humane Society website and click on donations. 

Gifts from the shelter

The Lac La Biche Regional Humane Society has donation bins at Brittons Independent grocer, IGA, Lakeland Animal Care Group, and at their shelter. Donations of dog food, cat food, puppy/kitten formula, treats, bowls, collars/leashes, kitty litter/ boxes, beds/bedding, puppy pee pads, toys, kennels, x-pens, dog houses  are always welcome for anyone looking to give a gift to the local animals at the shelter. 

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