It’s hard to believe but time flies!
The new Humane Society Hastings Prince Edward is now one year old.
An anniversary gathering was held at the Wallbridge-Loyalist Road facility Wednesday morning where
many donors and supporters were thanked by Society staff and volunteers. The occasion also marked World Animal & Pet Day Recognition day.
Society Board Chair Greg Sudds said over 1,200 gifts had been made to make the $6 million, over 16,000 square foot facility possible and
offered special thanks to the cities of Belleville and Quinte West for their cash, in-kind, and land donations.
“The community has come together connected by compassion.”
But other than the thank yous, there was a special tribute for former Humane Society Board Chair Donna Endicott who passed away suddenly in August. She had been chair of the Society’s board from 2016 until early this year.
Several people in the crowd of about 50 were in tears during a presentation by her dear friend Ruth Ginman.
Executive Director for the Humane Society Hastings Prince Edward Marilyn Lawrie had this to say following the event.
“Donna was a force of nature. She was driven. She was so supportive of this Humane Society and I don’t know where we’d be. It certainly takes
a village to build something like this but Donna was most definitely leading the way.”
Meanwhile, although a spacious clean building and only one year old, the Humane Society is already over-capacity and that has caused the society to have to suspend owner surrenders of pets for the foreseeable future.
Lawrie said the surge of animals being surrendered to the care of the Society was mostly caused by the end of the COVID-19 pandemic along with a downturn in the economy. “Just two weeks ago a man had to surrender his dog because he and his wife could no longer afford an apartment. We took that dog in due to the extenuating circumstances.”
Lawrie asked those in attendance to talk to their friends about the Society and urge them to donate as costs have risen by around 50% in recent months.
Also she asked people to adopt animals in care or take advantage of a program to at least temporarily provide a good home for animals, the fostering program.
“If the animal’s on medication, some of the older animals are on insulin and other medications, and even right down to their food their puppy pads or kitty litter, the Humane Society covers all of those costs.”
To date Humane Society Hastings Prince Edward has taken in 1,288 cats, 458 dogs, 101 rabbits, 53 rats, 48 guinea pigs, five goats, 18 chickens, some budgies and bearded dragons, among others.
Two of the 101 rabbits taken into care at the Humane Society Hastings Prince Edward over the past year. (Photo: Quinte News)
