SPCA at grips with abandoned pets
The SPCA is receiving a lot of abandoned pets dropped off by people who can no longer afford to keep them. Usually there’s a rush on towards moving day, but the director is quoted here as saying it’s now constant.
Item says adoption fees are reduced this week, so if you’ve been considering adding a sweet critter to the household, this would be a good time.
Ian 20:49 on 2024-06-05 Permalink
It is a very good point that the cost of pet food has skyrocketed. My cats’ food has suffered shrinkflation and inflation … and also worth noting most vets aren’t even taking new dossiers but those that do are charging a premium.
The days of taking on a cute kitten as a low maintenance inexpensive pet are gone, let alone a puppy. The popular conception of pets hasn’t caught up.
Kate 09:52 on 2024-06-06 Permalink
Sometimes the cat distribution service simply hands one to you. I got my first cat that way and had her for 20 years.
I hadn’t realized it was so hard to get to a vet now, though…
Ian 11:52 on 2024-06-06 Permalink
Fostering for a rescue is a pretty good option if you are unsure about whether you want a pet or not. There’s certainly no shortage of animals in need of fostering. My elder cat came from a rescue, and she’s sweet as pie.
Kate 13:53 on 2024-06-06 Permalink
I fostered for a couple of years after Zad kitty died of old age. It was sometimes rewarding, but I learned that people are weirder about animals than about anything else, except maybe their kids and their parking spaces.
My present cat was a foster initially, but she was an adult cat I took in just as kitten season was peaking, and the foster organization knew she was in a safe place while they focused on homing all the kittens that fell into their hands. By the time they remembered her, she’d been here for months and we’d come to terms. She’s a fine cat, not a mean bone in her body.
jeather 16:38 on 2024-06-06 Permalink
Funny, when my cat had a bladder infection (he’s fine now), and I was getting an appointment for the follow-up, I asked the receptionist how long in advance I needed to book, and she said that they’ve had a reduction in people seeing them, and a few days was enough.
Mine is still, as far as I know, a private clinic — I wonder if the even more expensive vets are those bought out by large companies.
Ian 17:38 on 2024-06-06 Permalink
@jeather, would you mind if I contacted you through Kate? I’ve been looking for a vet for my cats since I moved 2 years ago.
jeather 18:55 on 2024-06-06 Permalink
Yup, though my vet is in St-Henri (where I am), so if you’re elsewhere it might not be ideal. They’re not cheap, but they’re two blocks away from me and it’s worth a lot for the convenience.
Ian 20:09 on 2024-06-06 Permalink
Ah ok, my current vet is in the Point – not convenient from Mile End and certainly expensive, but they are good. My cats really dislike travelling in cars so I’d like to find somewhere more local where I can just carry them over.
Thanks anyhow, I appreciate it!
Kate 20:15 on 2024-06-06 Permalink
Ian, the Pussy Patrol bring their cats mostly to Clinique Vétérinaire Plateau Mont Royal, on Mont-Royal near St‑Urbain, if that’s a good reference.
I used to bring my old cat to Chaton Santé on Bernard in Outremont. I stopped using them when I moved up to Villeray but if my cat had a complicated issue I might bring her back there. The vet in Park Ex is OK for shots and things but he kept referring to me as “mummy” which really put me off.
jeather 20:32 on 2024-06-06 Permalink
I like my vet mostly because it is, as noted, two blocks away. They clearly care about animals a lot, but I think the head vet is . . . not great with humans. But he operated on my cat past 9 at night (though he then had to go to the DMV, but I didn’t have to have the operation there), which I am very grateful for.
Ian 23:42 on 2024-06-06 Permalink
@Kate Chaton Santé is one of the ones that told me I needed a dossier.
Kate 08:52 on 2024-06-07 Permalink
I don’t know what that means. Did you have to bring records from a previous vet?