The municipality is taking a new approach to providing animal services, stepping back into the role of collecting lost and stray animals, after animal welfare advocates raised concerns about gaps in services. This move is part of an expansion of the animal services the city provides, which will include creating an online presence, establishing a process for re-homing animals, modernizing their standards of care, and creating an animal services task force.
Transitionary Role
The city does not have the resources to fully operate an animal shelter with adoption services. According to Commissioner of Corporate Services Keri Greaves, the new approach will be “transitionary” and will involve caring for the animals until they are either reunited with their families or moved on to their forever homes.
- Reunite animals with their families
- Move animals to their forever homes
- Care for animals in the short term
Expansion of Services
The expansion of services includes:
- Creating an online presence
- Establishing a process for re-homing animals
- Modernizing standards of care
- Creating an animal services task force
Current State of Animal Services
The city currently cares for 11 dogs, which is 73 per cent of its comfortable capacity. So far this year, 36 dogs have been impounded, with 18 returned to their owners and 7 transferred to local rescues for re-homing.
| Dogs in Care | Dogs Impounded | Dogs Returned to Owners | Dogs Transferred to Rescues |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 36 | 18 | 7 |
Task Force and Community Partnerships
The city is working on establishing a task force that will involve municipal and community partners. This task force will help identify gaps in services and provide recommendations for improving animal services. Greaves says the city is currently in discussions with several rescues and shelters in the community, and is optimistic about the potential for a good relationship moving forward.
“I think it’s gonna be a good relationship moving forward. We’re currently in the midst of early discussions with several rescues and shelters in the community. We have to set up a process. We have to set up the proper transfers, but we’ve had good discussions with these shelters and rescues. I think it’s gonna be a good relationship moving forward,” says Greaves.
Modernization of Standards of Care
The city is also modernizing its standards of care for animals, including:
- Providing a comfortable amount of space for each dog
- Ensuring quarantine and isolation rooms are available for dogs with medical or aggression concerns
Creating a New Online Presence
The city has already updated its animal services webpage with a list of dogs currently in care. Each dog is accompanied by a photo and the location where they were found.
Key Takeaways
* The city is stepping back into the role of collecting lost and stray animals. * The new approach will be “transitionary” and will involve caring for the animals until they are reunited with their families or moved on to their forever homes. * The city is working on establishing a task force that will help identify gaps in services and provide recommendations for improving animal services. * The city is modernizing its standards of care for animals, including providing a comfortable amount of space and ensuring quarantine and isolation rooms are available for dogs with medical or aggression concerns.
Conclusion
The city’s decision to step back into providing animal services is a positive step towards addressing the gaps in services that animal welfare advocates had raised. By modernizing its standards of care and establishing a task force, the city is taking a proactive approach to improving animal services. With the help of community partners and a new online presence, the city is confident that it can reunite lost and stray animals with their families and find them forever homes.
