fbpx

Friday June 5, 2020

Dear Friend of the animals

Yesterday, Thursday June 4, was Hug Your Cat day.  I do not hug my pet companion Currie; he decides when and how he wants to show and receive affection. Currie lays near feet, alongside the laptop, and at the end of the bed. Ear tickles and belly rubs are his hugs of choice to my great delight.

I looked up “hug”. The Merriam Webster dictionary definitions include “to stay close” and “to hold fast” as in “cherish”.  Staying close and holding fast means a lot of caring. At the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA, we hold fast our commitment to keeping cats healthy, safe and wanted. Every day our staff and volunteers, supported by donors, are working with pet families to do just that. And here are some of the ways.

Supporting Pet Families

The three best things we can do for cats are spay/neuter, get a vet, and microchip our cats.

Spay/neuter reduces the number of unplanned kitten births resulting in overwhelmed pet families, and high numbers of stray, abandoned and neglected cats. PetSmart Charities® of Canada grants over 5 years have subsidized 5,100 spay neuters for cats belonging to families with least access to services. This means that more than 55,000 unplanned kitten births have been prevented. Overall, spay neuter surgeries provided by our Companion Animal Hospital have helped pet families be the pet parents they want to be.

Not forgotten are street cats who live in alleyways, parks and fields. While not owned, they are community cats for whom we collectively take responsibility to reduce their populations, promote health, and provide minimal shelter. The Trap Neuter Vaccinate Return program provides donor subsidized spay/neuter, rabies vaccinations and support for cat colony caregivers.

Our adopting families learn “Got a pet? Get a vet!” A newly adopted cat of any age is in good if not great health.  As is the case for us human folk, health promotion and disease prevention are key for a healthy life. The HBSPCA sets the stage for a positive health journey with a record of the newly adopted cat’s health status, vaccination record and follow up requirements – to be shared with the pet family’s veterinarian of choice.

A microchip helps cats find their way home if lost. A simple scan of a microchip shows your cat’s unique microchip number and reuniting cat and family is just a phone call away. Microchips are included with all spay/neuter surgeries. And, the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA regularly holds clinics for microchips and rabies vaccinations.

Sometimes the best of intentions do not work out for every pet family. When a cat arrives at the shelter for surrender, the first question is “What would it take to keep your cat?” We have learned that sometimes timely and affordable same day care is all that is required. When a cat is already in a safe and loving home, the best place for the cat is at home. A little care goes a long way and prevents an unnecessary admission to shelter.

Hug your cat

I invite you to hug your cat, if they like hugs, and hold fast the tenets of keeping cats healthy, safe and wanted.  Our service to community is made possible by people who care and advance the cause. You can make a difference by supporting spay/neuter for owned cats and community cats.

To learn more about spay/neuter programs at the HBSPCA please visit /services/spayneuter/

To help keep these programs accessible and available please consider a donation.  For the entire month of June, every $1 you donate to the HBSPCA through www.canadahelps.org qualifies us to win $20,000! The more you give, the more chances for the animals.

Donate here https://www.canadahelps.org/en/gcgc/31674

On behalf of the animals and their families you support, I wish you health and safety.

Sincerely,

Marion Emo
President and CEO
Keeping Distance Staying Connected.