The cat adoption process took place at the Society for the Protection of Animals of Quebec (SPA) for the first time in two years.
Since the beginning of the epidemic, the attraction for pets has always been strong due to the isolation in particular, but the SPA de Québec is experiencing a new reality as demand has run out.
Currently, all cages are occupied and the organization is actively looking for families willing to welcome an animal. Fortunately, the number of animal abandonment cases is not higher than usual.
We didn’t expect that. We have 26 cat cages. There is at least one cat in each cage, and sometimes more when it comes to kittens. It hasn’t happened to us since the start of COVID,” explains Félix Tremblay, General Manager of SPA de Québec.
In addition, yesterday alone 17 cats were surgically sterilized to prepare them for adoption.
We won’t be able to put it down because adoption is redundant. That is why we invite people to come and adopt an animal in the coming days. If it was a thoughtful and responsible choice,” Mr Tremblay adds.
Once a cat is adopted, another cat will immediately take its place and the adopters will therefore save two lives, the organization specifies.
The Sudanese Professionals Association wants to say that this overcrowding does not lead to euthanasia. Cats that cannot come down for adoption are placed on hold in a “pre-adoption” room that is not accessible to the public.
The simple fact of publicizing this issue should help find some families quickly. The SPA wants to prevent the situation from continuing for weeks or months.
Adopting a cat costs about $300, which is low considering the care received, and is more expensive at veterinary clinics.
Moreover, labor shortage affects shelter like many other sectors.
This new surplus influx comes as the SPA seeks to fill certain key positions in the organization, in particular those of animal health technician. The inability to occupy certain positions affects the proper functioning of the shelter.
Unlike restaurants and hoteliers, a spa cannot limit the number of “customers” that attend.
Animal health technicians are very important employees of the shelter. Without them, vets slow down, animals receive less care, and veterinary tests take longer,” adds Felix Tremblay.
About 2,500 animals find a family thanks to the spa every year.