-Humane Society is gearing up for its first-ever barn cat spay/neuter event-
by Sylene Argent
Suspicion has been heightened at the Windsor-Essex County Humane Society, that there could be someone collecting stray animals, and claiming to be associated with the local organization or the Essex County Animal Control Service.
“We received information from a couple different sources that people had indicated that either the Humane Society or the Essex County Animal Control Service had picked up an animal that they had found as a stray, and that was not the case,” Melanie Coulter said, who is the Executive Director of the Windsor Essex County Humane Society.
The issue was concerning enough that when the Humane Society had heard several different reports, its reps wanted to put the word out to the community that if anyone finds a stray animal, and contacts the Humane Society or Animal Control to pick them up, that the officers will wear an official uniform and will drive a marked vehicle, Coulter said.
If anyone experiences someone trying to retrieve a stray animal, and claiming to be of either organization, but is not wearing a uniform and is driving an unmarked vehicle, the Humane Society asks that the animal not get surrendered to them and that they get contact about the incident immediately at 519-966-5751. Anyone who has experienced this situation is also asked for forward that information to the same phone number or email a report with the date and address to feedback@windsorhumane.org.
Though the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way the Humane Society has been able to adopt pets, and has cancelled its fundraising measures – including the annual Strays on the Street Corner and gala events – the community has stepped up to forward donations.
Coulter believes the Humane Society will start seeing more people who have struggled because their animal becomes ill, and they are out of work and cannot afford veterinary care, or people who may get evicted or are moving from their homes. Coulter said shelters across North America are worried about those potential situations.
Because of generosities of the community, the Humane Society is able to provide care for animals in need and offer services to the program. People who can are being generous and are helping to keep the Humane Society’s doors open, she said.
On Sunday, the Humane Society is offering its first-ever barn and farm cat spay, neuter event.
“This is the first-ever promotion we have done specifically focused on barn cats or farm cats. It is a great chance for people to get their barn cats or farm cats spayed or neutered.”
Appointments are required to take advantage of the program, which will not only spay or neuter the pet, but will also include microchipping, FVRCP and rabies vaccine, treatments for internal and external parasites, and an ear-tipping, which indicated the animal has been altered, for a nominal fee.
“We are really hoping to get a lot of barn cats spayed or neutered that day,” Coulter said, adding the clinic has offered many similar programs to target feral cats in the community. People who have barn cats don’t think of them as community cats, and they don’t necessarily think of them as their own cats. Often, the Humane Society gets the offspring of those barn cats, that need to find homes.