Over 1900 animals have been dropped off at Moncton’s local animal shelter within the last year, according to People for Animal Wellbeing.
They average around 150 animals being cared for during the peak summer months.
“[Pet owners] are making difficult decisions; the cost of everything is rising. We want to be there to support families when they need us,” said Executive Director Heather Smith, who has been a part of the organization for 22 years. “We do have instances where people say, ‘I’ve lost my home’ or ‘I have to surrender my pet, I’m going into a shelter,’ or maybe they cannot afford the rising costs of care.”
Smith explained that P.A.W. has and will continue to create programs to support keeping pets and their families together, such as Paw-sitive Fix, which was launched last year. The initiative is geared towards providing low-cost spaying, neutering, and other preventative measures like vaccines and deworming.
“Paw-sitive Fix is not meant to take clients from the veterinary community but instead engage with those who are struggling to provide that kind of care for their pet.”
The organization also runs a pet food bank, Roxy’s Pet Pantry. Operations began during COVID, but after continued success within the community, it became a permanent fixture in the shelter.
Smith said the food bank was accessed over 600 times last year, “They do not have to choose between bills and feeding their pet. If we can support them temporarily with food and keep that pet in the home, that is in everyone’s best interest.”
Although Smith has seen an increase in intakes, there has also been an increase in adoptions. “We are trying to be mindful about making sure that we keep our adoptions affordable.”
Smith recommends pet owners be as proactive as possible, such as establishing a relationship with your veterinarian, trainer or shelter in your area.
She advises pet owners to act sooner rather than later when deciding on preventative health measures.
