The Drumheller & District Humane Society have gone through a number of changes to improve their facility and the public’s interaction with the animals in past few months.
In the past, they had many stop and visit the animals in their care but really didn’t have a process or structure for visits. Now, a number of changes have happened including a new shelter coordinator, Meaghan West. “We made some big changes in how we house animals in different rooms. We made changes to the structure to how we get volunteers in and how we allocate those volunteer resources. Some volunteers really want to be hands on with the cats and socializing with them and some volunteers are more willing to be in for some slightly dirty grunt work of cleaning and helping in the animal care side of things. We want to make sure we allocate those resources to the best of our ability and utilize those talents where we can.”
The Humane Society has also updated their policies in regards to the capacity of the shelter according to West. “The system is referred to as ‘Capacity For Care’ or ‘C for C’, and it is making sure we have enough resources in space, food, litter, but also staff time. We don’t want to be where cats fall by the wayside or run the risk of being overcrowded and then we’re not able to care for them properly. We need to make sure we have a stable population that we can keep healthy and care for adequately.”
As is often the case, the shelter currently has a number of cats up for adoption, explains West. “We have a huge variety in ages from about three months to six or seven years old. Every colour under the sun, different levels of cuddliness and activity. It’s just finding the cat that fits for you and your household. Unfortunately, we always have a selection. There is a never ending supply of them. If you don’t happen to mesh with the right cat today, chances are you will tomorrow.”
The Drumheller & District Humane Society shelter is open to the public Wednesday through Friday from 4 PM to 7 PM and on Saturdays 11 AM to 4 PM. They also have special events from time to time. To stay updated, learn about being a “Cat Cuddler” or “Feline Animal Care Attendant”, or any other details, visit their website or Facebook page.
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