Orangeville Humane Society adopting out cats from northern Ontario

By PAULA BROWN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Orangeville & District Animal Centre has joined other Ontario SPCA and Humane Society animal centres to help give over 30 cats a chance at finding loving homes through a northern animal transfer initiative. 

The special feline passengers arrived last week and were transported by the Ontario SPCA from the Second Chance Pet Network in Dryden, ON.

OSPCA animal centres in Sudbury, Muskoka, Midland, Barrie, Orillia and Orangeville have been tasked with finding homes for 32 cats through their adoption programs. 

“The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society have a very successful adoption program in place and we have the capacity to bring these animals in and the homes waiting for them to adopt. It's very exciting to be part of that and to be able to lend a hand,” said Dawn Lyons, Manager of the Orangeville & District Animal Centre. 

The Orangeville & District Animal Centre received three kittens through the northern animal transfer, and two of them have already been adopted into new homes. 

“They came in spayed or neutered, and vaccinated which really helped in our turnaround time. We were able to do a medical check, hold them for a couple of day and then they were put up for adoption and found their forever homes,” explained Lyons. 

A lack of access to basic animal wellness services, such as veterinarians and spay/neuter services, has contributed to increased animal populations across Northern Canada. Many northern communities have more adoptable animals than families who can give them homes. 

The Ontario SPCA works with Second Chance Pet Network each year to help find homes for the cats in their care. 

“At the Ontario SPCA, we like to work alongside our partners to deliver much need resources, and that includes transferring them to us so that we can help find them forever homes,” said Lyons. “In Southern Ontario, we have more homes and more families in the position to be able to adopt at this time and are looking to bring forever friends into their homes.”

Anyone interested in adopting can visit the Ontario SPCA's adoption page at www.ontariospca.ca/adopt to meet the animals available for adoption.