SUMMER ISSUE 2018 A MILESTONE DONOR PROFILE CARING FOR PETS

Transcription

1 SUMMER ISSUE 2018 A MILESTONE 2017 saw the accreditation of our Satellite Hospital at the Stratford-Perth Humane Society DONOR PROFILE Gary West, an active member of the community CARING FOR PETS Building better communities for children, individuals, families, and pets

2 AN ACCREDITATION MILESTONE Satellite Hospital & Nova s Second Chance Among the milestones we marked in 2017 was the accreditation of our Satellite Hospital at the Stratford-Perth Humane Society. The designation awarded AWASCO by the College of Veterinarians of Ontario was the first of its kind in Ontario, opening the door for other Animal Welfare Centres to create on-site hospitals. AWASCO now has fully operating hospitals at both sites, allowing for a better use of animal care time, reducing both stress and its related disease in animals waiting for surgery, and greatly reducing the length of stay for pets in our Centres. Before opening the hospital, cats and dogs would be held off the adoption floor until a community veterinarian was able to complete a full health exam and spay or neuter the pet. At times, this wait could be many days. Today, with staff veterinarians and registered veterinarian technicians, pets arriving at either Centre are processed almost immediately. For dogs like Nova, this enhanced veterinary care that includes improved diagnostics, comprehensive treatments, and (in some cases) complex surgeries, gives them a second chance for a lifetime of experiences. Nova spent more than 200 days in our care. Since coming into care in May 2017 and being adopted in February 2018, Nova required significant time and care to deal with her medical concerns. She required not one but two major orthopedic surgeries on both her knees. She had a tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) procedure on both her right and left knee due to rupture of her cranial cruciate ligaments. This procedure requires extensive physical therapy and rehabilitation post-operatively. Our relationship with the team at Gilmour Road Veterinary Services allowed Nova to receive a variety of therapeutic treatments laser therapy, underwater treadmill therapy, TENS treatment, and specific physiotherapy exercises designed to help rebuild the strength in her hind legs. While our animal care team worked with the staff at Gilmour Road, it became apparent that Nova would require a special home with an adopter who would be prepared to continue her medical care and rehabilitation therapy. So when Devon and Tom came to the KWHS and asked about Nova, the adoption coordinator held her breath but not for long. They were attracted to her gentle nature and when told of her medical history knew that Nova would be a perfect pet. As Devon recently told us, We are very happy with Nova and we believe she is just as happy with us. Thank you so much for Nova. We are truly grateful for having her in our lives. In 2014, the KWHS received the Greater Kitchener- Waterloo Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence award for its innovations in caring for pets. The SPHS was nominated for a similar award in As we continue on our journey of finding the best ways to care for our community s pets, we are grateful to the many donors who support our work.

3 CARING FOR PETS Working With People The Humane Society focuses on doing what is in the best interest of the pet. Through Humane Education, Community Assistance, and our support of Rescue Groups, we believe we are building better communities for children, individuals, families, and pets. Held annually our RABIES/MICROCHIP CLINICS provide necessary vaccinations at low-cost to all pet owners. Rabies affects a pet s central nervous system and is often fatal. There were 149 confirmed cases of rabies in Ontario in COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE helps low-income pet owners keep their pets healthy and active. Owning a pet may actually increase a person s opportunities to socialize. Pet behaviour can be as puzzling and frustrating as understanding physics. The Humane Society provides SUPPORT AND TIPS FOR PET OWNERS the answers may be as close as your phone. HUMANE SOCIETY CAMPS, CLUBS AND SCHOOL VISITS introduce children to responsible pet ownership. Children who have experience with pets benefit in a number of ways, especially in their emotional development. You can support these programs and services by MAKING A DONATION to the Humane Society. Secondary School students needing additional credits have access to CO-OP PLACEMENTS supervised by the Animal Care Manager.

4 DONOR PROFILE Gary West When Capital Campaign co-chairs, Eddie Matthews and Jeff Orr, were looking to build a cabinet of Stratford-Perth citizens, one name quickly came to mind Gary West. Gary was an active member of the community, having served as President of the Stratford and District Agricultural Society and through his involvement in developing the Rotary Complex s Agriplex building. From the Agricultural Society, Gary moved on to volunteering with the Optimist Club of Shakespeare. The club s focus on children and family provided Gary with an outlet for his creativity and he left his mark on the club s major events such as the Community Chicken BBQ and Youth Appreciation Week. Once Jeff and Eddie mentioned kids programs, I was pretty much hooked, Gary says of his meeting to discuss the Humane Society s capital campaign. The campaign team toured the then-home of the SPHS on Douro Street a small, bungalow styled building where stray dogs were housed in the basement and cats were kept in wire cages, allowing little opportunity for disease control. From there, they visited the Animal Welfare Centre in Kitchener, a completely different experience. Adoptable felines are viewed through plexi-glass windows and dog kennels have individual access to outdoor runs. But the icing on the cake for Gary was the community room where PD day and summer camps and evening clubs were held. The Humane Education program in Kitchener-Waterloo, through camps, clubs, birthday parties and school visits, reaches more than 20,000 children each year. This was a vision that Gary could take to the agricultural community for support. Now in its second year of operation in its new facility on Griffith Road, the Stratford-Perth Humane Society has launched a Vet in Training club for children ages 10 to 14. In addition to its March Break activities and summer day camp, the SPHS hosts birthday parties and provides educational tours. It s a great new building, says Gary. And it s great seeing all the kids and families visiting the pets. It would be nice if a Humane Society wasn t needed, but it s also nice to see the kids being educated about pet care. That s really what the future is about. The West family farm, Westlandlynn Farms was an early donor to the Capital Campaign. With the building in place and the programs established, the next step is to develop ongoing funding to support its operations. I know that Stratford and Perth Counties will help out, says Gary. After all, we are a Smart Community and this is a smart organization.

5 Behind the Scenes When you see our animals up for adoption, there s a lot that goes into getting them there. Meet Amanda Amanda is our Animal Care Manager and she s been with the Humane Society for 17 years! Amanda s journey into the Animal Care field started very young. Growing up, her family owned animals, from cats and dogs to hamsters, rats and even a hedgehog. Her mom always told her that she had a special bond with animals and occasionally referred to her as the cat whisperer. Now as an adult, don t think her animal time is limited to the KWHS not at all. At home, she has a Dogue De Bordeau named Tuffy and a British Shorthaired cat named Frankie, both adopted from the KWHS. In 2000, Amanda discovered her true calling with KWHS after participating in her high school co-op program. Keeping the animals happy and healthy became her top priority and she has consistently maintained those high standards for the animals in our care. As the Animal Care Manager, she s responsible for the team that keeps our animals comfortable and secure, working with our veterinary team to ensure that every animal receives the attention they need during their stay with us. Amanda is proud of her team and their dedication to the animals and to each other. We are continuously working on ensuring that we are providing the best customer service to our adopters and keeping up to date on techniques to ensure a successful adoption occurs with every animal. When asked why she s stayed here, she simply states, because of my love for animals. Working with animals gives me pride, knowing that they have someone advocating for them and their wellbeing. It s also rewarding seeing animals be adopted, as the happy, healthy, and respected creatures that they are and that I had a part in that.

6 OUR COVER STORY Lady Bosworth It is said that dogs have owners but cats have slaves. Unfortunately, the regal Lady Bosworth had neither. In 2014, Lady B was brought to the animal centre as a stray. Staff could tell by her demeanour that she had once been a house pet; but now she was bedraggled and listless, having spent too many nights outside and too many days scavenging for food and water. Her fur was matted but even more distressing was the infected cut stretching from her neck to below her front leg, a cut caused by her collar becoming embedded in her skin. Having an on-site hospital meant that Lady B was attended to immediately, and within hours she was settled in recovery. Before long, her gentle nature and soft eyes had won over a family. Lady B was just one of several cats that came to us in the spring that year. They all needed extra medical attention and much TLC before they were comfortable meeting people. Unfortunately, cats don t do well in animal centres, no matter how comfy and cozy we make it. Fortunately, our communities still have families and individuals seeking a four-legged friend to share their homes and lives. We are grateful to our donors who provide the financial means to support the cats in our care. We are equally grateful to our adopters who give these lovely pets a second chance. Save The Dates Wiggle Waggle Walkathon Sunday, May 27 KWHS Vic Hayter Day at Clinton Raceway Sunday, July 22 SPHS Surf Dogs Saturday, September 8 KWHS Paws in the Park Walkathon Sunday, September 23 SPHS Homeward Bound Signature Event Friday, September 28 KWHS Follow us on Facebook and Twitter and join the conversation! KITCHENER-WATERLOO HUMANE SOCIETY 250 Riverbend Drive Kitchener, ON N2B 2E info@kwhumane.com STRATFORD-PERTH HUMANE SOCIETY 125 Griffith Rd Stratford, ON N5A 6S info@sphumane.com KitchenerWaterloo kwhumane StratfordPerth SPhumanesociety