The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is rolling out new "limited contact" adoptions and the Stouffville-based organization says the process allows adoptions to safely resume at Ontario SPCA animal centres province-wide.
“Our goal is to operate safely while also adhering to our adoption principles to help ensure the matches we make are for life,” says Daryl Vaillancourt, Chief of Humane Programs and Community Outreach. “Potential adopters can expect the same thorough, thoughtful and compassionate adoption experience that the Ontario SPCA has always delivered.”
According to the Ontario SPCA, the introduction of limited contact adoptions at its animal centres across the province took careful consideration and research and the organization is resuming adoptions during the COVID-19 pandemic in the safest possible way.
Janet Bredin, shelter manager at the North Bay and District Humane Society says, although the Main Street West facility is not open for walk-in adoptions, virtual arrangements are available. While the local humane society does not fall under the umbrella of animal centres administered by the Ontario SPCA, Briden says North Bay has been and will continue to offer virtual adoptions, similar to the provincial roll-out announced Wednesday.
"Our doors are closed to the public right now, so it's not a situation where people can just come in and walk through the shelter, says Bredin. "You have to book an appointment and fill out an application online. All of the animals we have available for adoption are on our website."
Once an appointment is set, physical distancing measures must be observed while visiting the shelter, including wearing a face covering. The North Bay Humane Society also asks that no more than two people attend a meet-and-greet at a time.
Bredin says the local humane society has been offering virtual meetings with the goal of finding foster or permanent homes for animals for nearly two months but this has everything to do with the size of the operation and not the importance of the initiative.
"We definitely try to work together with the Ontario SPCA but we aren't governed by the same body. We had the option of opening up a little sooner because we can do things on a very small scale, " advises Briden. "We can get two or three staff members involved instead of the provincial animal centres that might have 30 or 40 employees."
The Ontario SPCA, which has one of its animal centres located in Sudbury, says potential adopters will be able to view adoptable animals on the Ontario SPCA’s website.
After filling out an online survey to help match them with compatible animals, potential adopters can make an appointment with their local Ontario SPCA animal centre to learn more about the animal they are interested in adopting, arrange a meet-and-greet online and complete adoption paperwork digitally.
Ontario SPCA team members will then set an appointment for the adopter to pick up their new friend. New protocols will ensure that physical distancing is maintained to limit contact while ensuring team members are present to help see that animal off with their new family and answer any questions.
Following the advice of the Government of Ontario and health professionals, the Ontario SPCA advises it made the decision to close its doors to the public to minimize the movement of people to help slow and stop the spread of COVID-19, adding "Frontline animal care team members have been providing animals awaiting adoption with extra one-on-one enrichment time to keep them happy and healthy while preparing them to meet their new families."
“The health and safety of our team members, communities and animals is our top priority,” says Vaillancourt. “We are now ready to safely see the animals in our care off to loving homes. We appreciate the public’s patience as we navigate these unprecedented times.”
The virtual adoptions have been a positive move in North Bay, Briden says, but it doesn't take long to experience a backlog of potential adoptees.
"Predominantly, we are experiencing a backlog with cats right now," she says. "We're really reaching out with a lot of partner organizations because there are a lot of foster-based rescues that are doing adoptions. We've had our backlogs, we up adoptions, and then things calm down for a bit. That's our standard cycle."
Briden adds, "It's not the public's fault. There are many people out there interested in adopting but they are also very particular about what they want. With our limited adoptions, we can't really cater to people as much as we could before."
Overall, Briden says adoptions are down year-over-year but "if people are looking to adopt, we have animals here."
