Sask. pet shelters 'filled to the brim', ask for more adopters, foster families

As the pandemic rush for pets slows to a halt, pet shelters in Regina and through Saskatchewan are calling for more adoptions as they reach maximum capacity.

"We have seen a higher number of dogs coming in this spring, and cats, which is always a problem during the spring and summer months," Bill Thorn, director of marketing and public relations with the Regina Humane Society, said on Saskatchewan Weekend.

"We feel some of those animals were adopted during the course of the pandemic and as people are starting to head back to work, finding that perhaps they don't have the time to spend with them as they thought they might."

The pandemic led to a boom in adoptions as people spent more time at home, but they've returned to pre-pandemic levels of adoptions, Thorn said.

Thorn said the Regina shelter, like Humane Societies across the country, are "filled to the brim."

LISTEN | Regina Humane Society 'filled to the brim' with dogs in need, including one found in deep distress on the side of a highway:

In cases like this, the shelter will typically have special adoption fees over the course of the weekend to relieve the pressure. 

Thorn said he's finding it's having to keep those fee specials for several weeks at a time. It's helping send more pets out to families — but the intake fills those gaps quickly after.

He wants more people to adopt, but to be sure they have the time and resources to take care of their new pets.

"It is a lifetime commitment," he said. 

Adopting a miracle

Miracle, one of the Regina Humane Society's available dogs, was found walking down the side of a highway in rural Saskatchewan. 

"His eyes were half closed, because there was stuff going on there, and he had a really bad skin infection that caused lesions over a lot of his legs and his body; his fur was terribly matted," Thorn said.

Miracle has very bad separation anxiety, Thorn said, so wants him to go to a home where people are often around, 

"His story started so awfully and we really want to see him have a story that ends beautifully," he said.

Sask. Shelters 'dangerously full'

Other shelters in Saskatchewan are also making calls for adoptees as their kennels fill.

CC RezQs in Regina, a non-profit organization that rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes stray dogs from reservations, said in a Facebook post its exhausted staff are being "forced to do an intake freeze."

That means the organization cannot take in any more dogs and puppies, according to their post, while caring for about 34 animals, including adult dogs, young adults, pregnant dogs, litters, dogs being surrendered and "basically everything else you can imagine."

"We are currently in a position where we have unending requests for help; and no homes open to put the dogs and puppies needing rescue," the post said.

To lift the freeze, they've made a call out for more foster families.

So far this year, the group rescued 188 dogs and puppies, the post said, adding "we would love to rescue even more."

In Saskatoon, the SPCA states on Facebook that it's "dangerously full" of cats and kittens. On Wednesday, there were 168 cats in its care, including in foster care and awaiting spaying and neutering, according to the post.

To increase adoptions, the SPCA said it would be opening its cat rooms for casual viewings.