Out on paw patrol

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This article was published 11/05/2020 (2131 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Three determined women refuse to let a global pandemic keep them away from their true love: walking dogs at the Winnipeg Humane Society.

While others have hunkered down at home, volunteers Margaret Krupa, Gabrielle Thiessen and Cindy Pischke have gone to the shelter at 45 Hurst Way for several hours almost every day to exercise and socialize the adoptable dogs.

“We all felt the dogs just needed some extra attention,” Thiessen, 68, a retired parole officer, said Thursday afternoon as she cruised Ralphie, a mastiff mix, around the shelter’s outdoor track.

“There isn’t the volunteer traffic there normally is,” the 13-year volunteer noted. “Before the pandemic, the dogs would get out for walks three times a day. With the decrease in volunteers coming in… we thought it would be good to get them out more often. Sitting in their rooms isn’t much fun for them.”

The three women are among up to a dozen canine behaviour assistants — longtime shelter volunteers trained to not only walk dogs but help socialize them and correct problematic behaviour.

Pischke, 59, a retired university administrator and nine-year volunteer, shrugged off any suggestion they were putting themselves at risk by leaving home so frequently amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

“Worried? Not at all,” Pischke said, laughing as she put Spike, a husky/shepherd mix, through his paces. “All three of us are pretty comfortable about that. (The humane society) had their safety protocols set up; we’re working with animals, not people.

“There are so many animals in need. This (working with the dogs) gives you a strong sense of purpose… we’re all working together for a common goal.”

For her part, Krupa, 71, a retired accounts receivable clerk and 13-year volunteer, said the three women get as much out of the almost daily shelter visits as the dogs do.

“I’d rather be outside than inside,” Krupa said as she strode the track with Hoover, a German shepherd mix. “I walk my dog, Tucker, twice a day. Getting the dogs here out is special. It’s pretty quiet and lonely for them here at the moment.”

All three praised the humane society for providing a safe, clean environment for the animals and the handful of volunteers still working amid the outbreak. All three said they’d be working with the dogs most days, pandemic or not.

“I try to keep six feet away — if I remember,” Krupa said, smiling. “I’ve watched the animal care staff here down on their hands and knees scrubbing every inch of the floor and everything else. It’s just spotlessly clean.”

When they’re not walking the dogs — jaunts that sometimes have them visit Assiniboine Park to get the animals used to real-world distractions — they work on obedience training, socializing and eliminating any behavioural issues that could get in the way of an adoption.

Kelle Greene, the society’s manager of volunteer services, said the three volunteers have spent almost 300 hours with the dogs since the shelter was essentially closed to the public on March 17.

“That’s a lot of hours,” Greene said, beaming as the volunteers and dogs sauntered around the outdoor track on a chilly afternoon. “They’ve been coming in almost every day for four or five hours. They are just incredible people… They come in Christmas Day. They come in Boxing Day. Their commitment is admirable.

“They want to ensure these dogs are cared for and not forgotten. They extend what our behaviour team can do. Some dogs wouldn’t be as adoptable without them.”

Greene stressed the humane society will not be looking for more volunteer dog walkers until the pandemic loosens its grip and the shelter fully reopens to the public.

“We’re going to need more dog walkers eventually, but not now…. We’re not open to the public yet.”

The humane society is closed to walk-in patrons, after cancelling or suspending most of its programs and events. Animal adoptions are now by appointment only, and new animal admissions are restricted to medical emergencies.

“Our incoming animals are very low right now, but our adoptions are strong. It’s not comparable to when we’re open, but we are still adopting animals,” Greene said.

The number of volunteers had to be reduced as the sheltered locked down. “Normally, we have about 500 volunteers coming in on a monthly basis to support our programs, but because we’re not offering a lot of services we’ve had to cancel and postpone a lot of volunteer shifts. It’s been heartbreaking,” Greene said.

“Our staff is still working. Our animal care staff are feeding and caring for animals, but the number of animals has been reduced.”

There is yet no timeline for the shelter to return to pre-pandemic operations.

“We are working on a plan of action, in terms of how we have to address social distancing and wearing masks and how many people are allowed in. It’s a phased-in approach,” Greene said.

doug.speirs@freepress.mb.ca