GEORGIAN TRIANGLE HUMANE SOCIETY
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Kitten season is upon the south Georgian Bay region, so it is all hands on deck at the Georgian Triangle Humane Society (GTHS). Currently, the organization has over 80 kittens in foster care, not including those housed at the GTHS Animal Centre.
Last year, 218 kittens were cared for by loving foster volunteers until they were old enough to find homes of their own (with a total of 335 kittens taken in by the organization).
“This year, the organization expects to surpass the number of kittens fostered in 2020," explained Foster Care Coordinator Julie Davis. "We are extremely grateful for the dedication and commitment of our volunteers. If it wasn’t for their kindness and their willingness to open up their homes to these animals, we would have nowhere for these kittens to go – our animal centre just doesn’t have the capacity,”
She went on to say, “we rely on donations, both in-kind and monetary, to purchase the food and supplies needed to care for these babies, and are thankful for the support of our wonderful community.”
In preparation for an already demanding kitten season, the organization is recruiting new foster volunteers to join the GTHS team.
Foster volunteers provide a safe, loving and temporary home for pregnant or nursing cats and kittens. They are responsible for helping the cat/kittens in their care thrive until they are ready to be adopted.
This includes, but is not limited to, feeding the animals at least twice a day, maintaining clean litter boxes and socializing the animals. It may also include bottle feeding (for neo-natal kittens) and administering oral medications.
Fostering is a rewarding experience and is an important way to help animals in need in the comfort of your own home. To learn more about fostering, visit the GTHS website.
Donations are also being gratefully accepted helping the non-government-funded organization provide life-saving supplies to volunteers. Monetary donations can be made online and in-kind donations can be dropped off at the GTHS Animal Centre at 549 Tenth Line in Collingwood.
The organization’s greatest needs are wet cat and kitten food, clumping litter, and kitten formula. For a full list, check the GTHS Amazon Wishlist.
The majority of the kittens who make their way to the GTHS are born to unowned outdoor cats. For years the organization has been taking proactive steps to curb a population at crisis levels. Hosting free spay/neuter surgeries for feral cats (Community Cat Days) and greatly reduced services to financially limited pet owners, the goal of the GTHS is to find a long-term solution to pet overpopulation through proactive, measurable tactics. These programs and services would not be possible without the kindness of generous community members and volunteers.
Once kittens are old enough to leave the care of their foster homes and find families of their own, they are listed on the adoptions page of the GTHS website. The organization is thankful to their community of adopters as they navigate their virtual adoptions procedure during this time.
The demand for adoptable cats and dogs has increased exponentially over the course of the past 15 months. They would like to thank all adopters for their patience and understanding as they continue to follow safety guidelines and offer contactless adoptions.
It’s a perfect time to add a feline companion to your household as June is National Adopt a Shelter Cat Month! The GTHS encourages those wishing to adopt to check the GTHS website regularly and stay tuned for upcoming cats and kittens looking for homes.
With kitten season comes an increased chance of coming across a stray cat or litter of kittens. Here is what to do if:
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