Jonathon Liedtke – ourWindsor.ca – May 30, 2013
While they’re not quite offering lions, tigers or bears, the Windsor Essex Humane Society held an event over the past weekend to remind the public that their business isn’t just centred around adopting-out dogs and cats.
The “Not Just Dogs and Cats Adoption Promotion” held by the Humane Society aimed to adopt out horses, a goat, a guinea-hen, a pigeon, rabbits, guinea pigs and a hamster.
While the guinea-hen was adopted and there is interest from a county family to purchase the goat, Windsorites are unable to own farm animals due to an existing municipal bylaw which prohibits residents from keeping farm animals.
“Windsor has a bylaw … that farm animals are not allowed,” explained Amanda Dawson of the Humane Society. “The horses, the goat and the [guinea-hen] were unable to be adopted out in Windsor, but they can be adopted out in the county.”
Dawson explained that the Humane Society takes in close to 1300 animals other than dogs and cats per year. That number includes wildlife which cannot be adopted out and “wildlife that goes to the Wildlife Rehab Centre.”
The event was viewed as a success by Dawson due to the fact that it “brought a lot of awareness to the fact that we do get in more than just dogs and cats here at the shelter. We do see assorted farm animals and other things here as well.”
“We wanted people not to see us as a dog and cat only place, we do see a lot of other things, ” said Dawson. “We’ve had a lot of people call in inquiring about what was going on and what animals were available.”
Dawson explained that pet ownership is beneficial for both the pet owners and the pets themselves because it “does help keep people happier and it’s a lifelong bond for the animal.”
Regarding the placement rate of animals at the Humane Society, Dawson views it as “very successful. Last year it was close to or just at 1500 animals, which we thought was fairly good. We do fairly well with the animals that come in to us.”
When asked how to care for animals during the hot summer months, Dawson explained that you should keep identification on your pets at all times and as a general rule of thumb to remember that “anything that is too hot for you is too hot for your pets. You’ve got to consider that they’re wearing a fur coat all the time.”
“You want to make sure that they’re kept as cool as you can,” said Dawson. “Don’t bring your animals with you in the car if they can’t come into places with you. Animals can end up with things like heat stroke or other assorted [problems] … you want to leave them at home if at all possible.”
Humane Society is “Not Just Dogs and Cats”
Jonathon Liedtke is the Features & Opinion Editor for the University of Windsor Lance Campus/Community Newspaper and a reporter for ourWindsor.ca. As a founding member and current Co-Chair of the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee, he is committed to representing, connecting, engaging with and advocating for local youth. He is also a member of Windsor’s “Punk with Horns” band The Nefidovs, and as such, is committed to enhancing and sustaining the arts community.
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