21 New Cats Every Day

We’re often asked how many animals the shelter can hold. It’s not uncommon to imagine an animal shelter like a parking lot — there’s either space or there isn’t. The reality is that it’s less about the physical space of the shelter than it is our capacity to provide life-saving, consistent care for the animals. We can always find more space for the animals through fostering and maximizing how our space is used at the shelter. What is limited is the resources: the people hours, skills and supplies needed to safely and humanely care for each animal we take in.

Each animal is unique, as is their care pathway. Needs vary and may include urgent medical care, diagnostics, treatment, medication, behaviour support and specialized care plans. Each animal’s needs must be assessed, coordinated and supported throughout their journey with us. The need is constant and so is our commitment. As an open-admission shelter, we never turn animals in need away and so often, our job is daunting.

But thanks to you, we can be here. The animals rely on a caring community to make life-saving care possible throughout the year, and this is most apparent during the busy summers. Adopters give animals a well-deserved second chance and make sure we’re ready for the next animal in need, volunteers get boots on the ground and help us stretch to support as many animals as possible, and donors ensure the shelter can continue to operate and support the close to 8,000 animals who enter our care each year.