WECLOME TO OUR NEW SHELTER CLINIC CAMPAIGN

Pet and Wildlife Rescue (PAWR) sees an average of 3000 animals each year and due to our current situation, which combines a shortage of veterinarians and an increase is cost of services, our staff/volunteers must drive animal across the region to find services for our shelter animals.

Managing travel time and expenses is challenging, but the greater burden falls on our animals, who endure prolonged confinement due to limited surgery availability. While we have strong partnerships with the clinics we collaborate with, their priority must be their private clients, leaving them with limited flexibility.

Dogs must stay at the shelter for several weeks while waiting for spay/neuter appointments. This not only occupies valuable space and resources but also increases their exposure to illness and stress while limiting the individual attention staff can provide. Cats are an even greater concern in our area, with an average of 250 in our care throughout the year. During kitten season, it’s not uncommon for us to take in 20 cats in a single day.

The answer to many of our challenges is clear: we need a more efficient and timely way to provide pre-adoption care for our animals. This will increase their chances of finding loving homes while reducing their time in the shelter. Though it’s a significant endeavor, we are prepared to usher in a new era of improved animal welfare in Chatham-Kent.

Our objective:

To establish a dedicated, not-for-profit veterinary clinic to provide essential medical care for the approximately 3,000 animals that enter the care of Pet and Wildlife Rescue (PAWR) annually.

• Key Benefits:
  1. Improved Animal Welfare:
  – Prompt medical attention will reduce suffering and improve recovery rates for injured or ill animals.
  – Spay/neuter surgeries will contribute to controlling the pet population, decreasing future intakes.
  – Minimum wait time for surgeries will dramatically reduce the length of stay in shelter for the animals in care.
  – Shorter length of stay reduce stress, transmission of diseases and reduced cost of care.
  2. Cost Efficiency:
  – A dedicated clinic will significantly lower medical costs compared to outsourcing veterinary services after the initial investment.
  – Savings can be redirected to other critical shelter operations or expanded programs.
  3. Enhanced Adoption Outcomes:
  – Providing fully vetted and healthy animals in a timely manner will minimize the amount of time animals must be kept in kennels or cages.
  – Shorter time spent in the shelter minimizes the development of poor habits and behaviour for the animals in care, improving their chance at a speedy adoption.
  4. Community Impact:
  – The clinic could eventually offer low-cost services to pet owners in need, promoting responsible pet ownership and reducing abandonment rates.

The establishment of a not-for-profit veterinary clinic in Chatham-Kent will be a transformative step for PAWR and the animals it serves. It will ensure that all shelter animals receive the care they need while contributing to a healthier and more humane community. With the support of donors, local partners, and the community, this initiative has the potential to become a cornerstone of animal welfare in the region.

We need the community’s help to ensure we can continue to save lives and maximize our efforts at improving animal welfare in Chatham-Kent.

Please consider supporting our campaign by donating HERE