The shelter of the SPCA Côte-Nord de Sept-Îles is overflowing and must refuse animals brought by their owners “in distress”, according to the organization, which points to the lack of accommodation accepting animals.
Upon arrival at the establishment on Holyday Street, visitors are greeted by barking dogs in their cages outside. Along with the cats, 80 pets live here.
“Well, we’re full, we’ve run out of space. We are struggling to find foster families,” said the organization’s executive director, Daphnée Gwilliam, who says she receives “two to three calls a day” from people wanting to part with their pets.
“It is certain that each year, we have an increase in calls during the time of the move, but this year, it is quite particular with the price of housing which explodes, all the conditions for renting apartments”, she continues. talking about the lack of pet-friendly accommodations.
The SPCA Côte-Nord team has no choice but to refuse the requests. “It’s difficult. We come to us with people in tears, in distress, who are not well, who do not know what to do. We are here, and we tell them, we have no solution for you. We would like to help you, find a magic enclosure for you, but I don’t have one. People are helpless,” lamented Daphnée Gwilliam.
The organization doesn’t want people who adopt pets just to help out, but rather out of love and to keep them for the long term. “You have to want the animal. It is a responsibility. Becoming a foster family can give us a hand”.
In addition, the SCPA Côte-Nord recommends that owners sterilize their cats and dogs as soon as possible.
If they are abandoned, cats have a better chance of surviving than dogs, according to the coordinator and head of animal care at the SPCA Côte-Nord. “Dogs cannot survive. They can catch diseases, get hit by cars. It is not the solution to leave them outside,” explained Isabelle Martel.
According to her, abandoned cats are numerous in Sept-Îles and Baie-Trinité. Isabelle Martel added that they reproduce “exponentially”.
On a poster in the premises of the SPCA, we learn that a single pair of felines can lead to the appearance of more than 20,000 cats and kittens in 4 years. “The female is always ready [à s’accoupler]. As soon as she has a litter, as soon as the kittens are weaned, she can have a litter. At 6 months of age, the kitten can already be recoupled,” she pointed out.
At the same time, the SPCA Côte-Nord is preparing to move to new premises that will have approximately the same number of places for abandoned animals. The move is scheduled for December.
