City slashes adoption fee after shelter overrun with dogs

The city is greatly reducing its adoption fee for dogs who’ve spent more than two weeks in the care of Winnipeg animal services, after its canine numbers surged.

On Thursday, the number of dogs in city care jumped to 40, up from 25 a week earlier, leading the city to drop the adoption fee to $48.30 for that group of dogs until June 20. That’s down from a standard fee of $339.15.

“The 40 dogs in our care right now, we have about 17 adoptable dogs, so it’s very hard for us to leave kennel space open … when we have so many adoptable dogs that just aren’t moving. The more adoptable dogs we can move out into the right home, the more space we have to help the community,” said Zoé Austin, general manager of Winnipeg Animal Services.

Austin said the canine population cared for by the city can surge suddenly, since animal services takes in dogs deemed dangerous after biting incidents, dogs whose owners are suddenly hospitalized or displaced by fires, and pets who have become strays.

The city holds animals for a set time period to try to reconnect them with their owners before the adoption process begins.

Austin said the ideal maximum capacity of the shelter is 28 dogs, though space is converted to hold up to 44 when needed. Each dog costs the city an average of $20 to $40 a day to house.

“There is always a capacity issue at animal services,” she said.

A few dogs have stayed with animal services for more than three months, including a Labrador-retriever puppy named Merida, who would be much better off in a permanent home, said Austin.

“She’s a nine-month old puppy now. She came to us at six months old. She doesn’t have major behavioural issues, she has no major health issues … She’s beautiful. Sometimes we scratch our heads at why a dog sits here as long as they do waiting for the right person to come along,” she said.

While many people look for puppies to adopt, older dogs can have the advantage of already knowing a few tricks, including some who are fully house-trained, said Austin.

Each adoption includes spay/neuter surgery, a licence, a veterinarian checkup, initial vaccinations, a tattoo and a microchip.

Adoptions take place at 1057 Logan Ave., from noon to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Friday or noon to 4:30 on Saturdays and Sundays.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

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