News & Notices

The Georgian Triangle Humane Society Animal Hospital Opens its Doors

Posted: April 26, 2019

with the Help of a Grant from PetSmart Charities of Canada and the Support of the Community

The Georgian Triangle Humane Society (GTHS) is delighted to announce that on Thursday, April 25^th, the shelter’s new, on-site Animal Hospital opened its doors for the first time, providing veterinary care to shelter animals along with community feral cats.  This dream would not have been possible without the support of PetSmart Charities of Canada and a core group of dedicated donors who were very connected to bringing medical and surgical services to the animal shelter.

The GTHS was grateful to receive a $65,000 grant from PetSmart Charities of Canada in 2019 which accelerated the opening of the animal hospital.  The grant helped to acquire equipment for the on-site spay/neuter clinic within the GTHS Animal Shelter in addition to providing funding to make basic veterinary care more accessible and affordable to pets in need in the Georgian Triangle region.  The PetSmart Charities of Canada grant will subsidize a minimum of 1,200 spay and neuter surgeries, and will cover the cost of necessary vaccinations, medication and micro-chips for animals coming into the shelter.  This is an incredible aid to the welfare of the animals in need of a second chance.

Additional funding for the project, which is estimated to have totaled $382,000, was made possible by the generosity of our community and the commitment of donors to the GTHS, the majority of whom are active volunteers with the organization. 

Opening the new five-room GTHS Animal Hospital will mean that pets and animals in the care of GTHS will receive spay or neuter procedures, emergency medical / surgical interventions, and routine procedures such as vaccines and micro-chipping right on site at the shelter facility. 

“Excellence in animal welfare is one of the main pillars at the GTHS and this animal hospital will allow us to continue serving the animals that need us the most. Our industry is experiencing a sharp increase in the number of medically challenged animals that are without a home, so the addition of this hospital and our skilled veterinary team is perfectly timed. Thank you to PetSmart Charities of Canada and our dedicated donors for making this happen. Although this hospital will not be open to the general public, we are committed to increasing accessibility to spay/neuter surgeries and wellness care to pet owners in need in our community. If you are in need of access, we encourage you to contact us,” explains Sonya Reichel, Executive Director of the Georgian Triangle Humane Society.

For the past 10 years, the GTHS has relied heavily on partnerships with local veterinarians to help them provide the necessary care for homeless animals. These partners, especially, Dr. Bell of Bellbrae Animal Hospital and Dr. Pankatz of Mountain Vista Veterinary Hospital, have gone above and beyond the call of duty to care for pets in need.

Moving forward, GTHS is proud to announce that Dr. Anick Amaro has been hired as Director of Medicine and will lead the veterinary care practice at GTHS. She is working alongside the animal care team to accredit the hospital so that the first spay/neuter surgery could be performed during the week of April 22^nd.  

Veterinary services offered by the animal hospital will be critical to the welfare of the 1,300+ animals who are helped by the shelter on an annual basis.  Cost effective medical care will help to ensure that companion pets and their adopters will have somewhere dedicated to turn to for essential care in times of need, regardless of their income or life situation.

“At PetSmart Charities of Canada, we’re proud to be one of the nation’s leading funders of animal welfare and the human-animal bond,” says Dani LaGiglia, the organization’s regional relationship manager. “Through grants like this one to the Georgian Triangle Humane Society, we’re not only helping homeless pets to get the care and support they need, we’re also ensuring that pet parents living on a fixed or limited income have somewhere to turn when their pet requires medical assistance.”

Now, the Georgian Triangle Humane Society is thrilled to be able to offer veterinary care right at home in the shelter.  A big thank you to the GTHS community veterinary partners for providing top quality services to our animals for decades leading up to the opening of the GTHS Animal Hospital.

On behalf of the GTHS Board of Directors, thank you to PetSmart Charities Canada and to our generous donors for allowing the resources to open the GTHS Animal Hospital.  

*Event photo gallery by Dave West for MyCollingwood.ca: https://mycollingwood.ca/galleries/georgian-triangle-humane-society.html

http://www.gths

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