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Alliston & District Humane Society facing high numbers of abandoned pets

October 13, 2022   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The Alliston & District Humane Society is experiencing a much higher volume of animals being brought to its shelter as post-pandemic numbers increase as pet owners return to work and decide they no longer have time for their animals. 

Currently the shelter is seeing some of the highest rates of surrender and abandonment of animals this year. 

Many of the dogs that have arrived are emaciated and experiencing a variety of medical issues. The kennels are full and many dogs are now in foster homes. 

Cats are arriving at the shelter daily and the problem is exacerbated by the fact that many are having kittens. 

The shelter also has over 60 rabbits. 

“We really started overflowing from spring through the summer,” explained Jane Clark, President of the Alliston & District Humane Society. “Normally we get one dog being surrendered per month, now we have a waiting list.” 

While some dogs are brought to the shelter when owners no long want them, others aren’t so lucky. 

“Some people just take dogs out to rural roads and dump them and leave them on their own,” Jane explained. “We’ve had a lot of dogs dumped in the townships we cover.” 

The abandoned pet problem is due in part to the fact that many people decided to get an animal during the pandemic, however with many residents returning to the office, they find they no longer have time to care for a pet. 

While some surrender their animals, others simply abandoned them at the side of the road to fend for themselves. 

The Alliston & District Humane Society is a small, no-kill organization run by volunteers. There are currently more than 150 volunteers that care for animals 365 days a year. 

The Humane Society relies on donations from organizations like the Babes Riding Club and Tim Schmidt, the HapyHipi, who recently donated $45,000 from a car show he hosted. 

The funds donated are used for medical bills for the animals as well as on-going care. 

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