Shelter can do more to help older dogs
Walter is a mix of two dog breeds that love being with humans, so he has become noisy alone in his cage, discouraging the very adopters he hopes to attract. At most animal shelters across Ontario, such a senior dog would be lounging comfortably in the front office. There, Walter could be relaxed and adopters could see what mellow pets senior dogs make. But the longer former beloved house pets sit in a cage, the more depressed and stressed they become.
As the founder and president of a federal charity established to rescue older dogs across the province, I have observed what works at many shelters for more than 10 years. There are ways in which shelters can contribute to older dogs' humane care and promote their adoption. I have made suggestions to the Kingston Humane Society and its board of directors on behalf of quite a few dogs of any age that were not being adopted (dogs older than four have difficulty finding homes).
Our Humane Society exists for the purpose of facilitating the adoption of homeless pets. The reason given to me consistently for years for not allowing shelter dogs into our shelter's front office is that employees' dogs are there. These employees' pets could be in employees' closed offices or left at home (they at least have a home).
In comparison with the efforts of other shelters, I often feel that the Kingston Humane Society is run for the staff's convenience in many matters rather than for the animals. For example, my motion for opening the shelter on Sundays for the convenience of the community and to increase adoptions was approved by the board years ago, but only implemented this year.
Please visit the Humane Society or its website and check out Walter and the other older pets who already know how to fit in with humans and won't keep you on the go 24 hours a day. Please support your local shelter's medical fund and also rescuers. We often take in pets scheduled to be destroyed due to medical needs and provide the veterinary care they need on our own.
I only hope that by expressing my concerns to the community, my efforts to rescue dogs from my own local shelter will not be compromised.
Bobbie Glazier
President
Mature Dog Adoptions
Kingston
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