Last year saw a significant increase in the number of pets coming into shelters across the province.
Jennifer Hughes, Provincial Operations Manager for the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), says between 2022 and 2023, rehoming requests in Muskoka went up 131 per cent for dogs, and 71 per cent for cats. Province-wide, numbers were 46 per cent for dogs and 25 per cent for cats.
According to Hughes, more strays were also brought into the Muskoka branch: 35 per cent for dogs and 16 for cats. She says as shelters near capacity, animals might be transferred to different branches, or put on a waitlist until more space is made.
Hughes says it’s hard to speculate what factors are behind the jump, but cost of living increases could mean more people choosing to surrender their pets.
“It is lower than pre-pandemic, but the animals are staying with us longer,” says Hughes. “So there’s higher medical, higher behavioural [costs]. There’s also pieces that could be economics and access to veterinary care, could be reasons as to why animals are coming in to us.”
There is good news—Hughes says adoptions were also up last year, with 450 pets finding new homes in Muskoka, and 4,500 across the province.
“[Shelters] are doing their very best to accommodate all of the requests coming in from their communities,” says Hughes. “We are getting creative with our adoption strategies, and we do have partnerships across the province with other humane societies and rescues.”
Hughes adds that shelters also work with pet owners to try and keep animals in the home for longer. She says that could include directing owners to spay/neuter facilities, partnerships with food banks to help with food insecurity, and some behaviour counseling services.
“Donations are always welcome, in physical form with something as basic as linens, to monetary donations as well,” says Hughes. “It all goes towards our mission of helping keep pets and people together.”
You can access those services, foster an animal, or figure out a donation by calling your local SPCA branch or visiting its website.
