Manitoba animal rescues still feeling stretched thin

Animal lover Jackie Hannah loves opening up her heart and her home to animals in need.

“I have one foster I’ve had since February, we are still working with him,” Hanna said. “He’s a great dog but needs some work and I just foster failed (adopting a pet you’re fostering) another cat.”

Hanna’s passion for animals also lead her to volunteer with K9 Advocacy Manitoba six years ago, where she is a board member.

“I set up the vet appointments, I do follow ups, we spay and neuters. Anything that the fosters need, that’s my role right now,” Hanna said.

While she loves what she does, it does come with stresses.

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“Right now during the summer reason, we are desperate for fosters. We would love to bring this list of 30, 40 dogs that are waiting to come in from northern communities,” Hanna said.

But a day after the Winnipeg Humane Society announced the seizure of 137 dogs from a home north of Winnipeg, Hanna says that will make it even harder for them.

“It impacts fostering, adoptions slow down with rescues because there are so many options to adopt out,” Hanna said.

Rescues across the province say they’ve been swamped post pandemic. Jenn Taplin with Manitoba Mutts Dog Rescue believes backyard breeders are also feeling the financial pinch and contributing to animal overpopulation.

“It still heavily impacts the rescues and the shelters, the ones who rely on donations from people, the ones who rely on adoptions to free up our foster homes,” Taplin said.

Aside from spaying and neutering animals, Leland Gordon with Winnipeg Animal Services says other jurisdictions should follow Winnipeg’s “progressive” animal control laws.

“If someone wants to breed a dog or cat in Manitoba, they should be inspected,” Gordon said. “If someone is an irresponsible pet owner in Winnipeg, we have the at-risk category. We can put those dogs, cats and the owner in the at-risk category and require things to make the person more responsible with their pets in our community.”

Despite current struggles, stakeholders say helping animals will always remain the priority, and passionate advocates, like Hanna, will continue to do what they can while pushing for change.

“Rescues are a band aid, it doesn’t fix the problem, we do it because we love animals,” Hanna said.