SASKATOON -- The Saskatoon SPCA says it has found homes for 116 animals over the last two weeks and is encouraging more people to adopt a furry friend during the COVID-19 pandemic.
CTV Morning Live's Stephanie Massicotte spoke with Jasmine Hanson at Saskatoon SPCA to find out how the organization is adapting to the challenges posed by COVID-19.
Stephanie Massicotte: How is the SPCA faring?
Jasmine Hanson: We're doing as well as we can at this time. We have unfortunately closed our doors to the general public, just to make sure our staff is kept safe during the pandemic. We're still able to do all of our adoptions, lost and found and animal protection services, which is great. Unfortunately, we are seeing that financial hit that a lot of other businesses are.
And fundraisers are a big part of providing those funds for the SPCA, so with these events being cancelled, how will that impact operations?
It's just going to mean a lot of donations are needed at this time because yes, all of our upcoming fundraisers and events have had to be cancelled, and rightly so. Not only are we facing the loss of those funds but we know a lot of people aren't in the financial situation to donate right now but we need it more than ever. So, that's why it's really important for those who are able to make those donations, do it now.
You do have this weird but wonderful problem of not really having many animals available for adoption.
Yeah, so a couple weeks ago we actually put out an urgent cry for adopters because we knew that this was going to change our operations quite significantly. But we actually saw a ton of adoptions, which was really awesome. We're still moving animals up for adoption very regularly, but they are going quickly. If you want to adopt, keep an eye on our website, you can apply online and then one of our adoption counsellors will give you a call to set up an appointment to come in and meet the animal.
Now I know a lot of people who are home right now maybe wanting a furry friend, but we really need to remember the time that we have available for these friends once life gets back to normal.
Absolutely, that's a great point. It is a good time to adopt because families are going to be home a lot more often, so it's a good time to get them settled into your family. But definitely do not forget, it is a very long-term commitment and it is going to be a financial consideration as well. So, we do make sure we ask all of our adoptions the right questions to make sure they're prepared to adopt. But it's a good thing to not adopt impulsively, make sure you're prepared.
So who is this cutie you have joining you today?
This little girl is named Madame, she is pending adoption. She was actually found abandoned, and she was brought in by our animal protection services with a bunch of other kittens of various ages. They had a few issues, they were a bit smelly and had some upper respiratory infections but they're doing great, and we'll be moving more and more up for adoption almost every day."
So for those who want to adopt, what does that process look like now?
So we don't want anybody coming out to the shelter to just look at all the animals before they have decided they want to adopt. Visit our website. We don't have a lot of animals up for adoption right now, but there will be more and more on a daily basis, so keep an eye on those pages. You can put in an application online if you see an animal that catches your eye. And then we'll call you.
And for those who want to give back to the SPCA financially, how can they do so? "
Visit our website. You can make a donation online and get a tax receipt right away. You can also go to our Amazon wish list to purchase cat food and dog toys. Those will be shipped directly to our location, so you don't even have to leave your home.
