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Niagara's animal rescue volunteers working hard to navigate new, tighter pandemic rules

Pets Alive are doing Zoom-inspections of houses, virtual meet and greets with potential pet owners
Screenshot 2021-01-18 at 3.05.19 PM
Toby, one of Pets Alive's rescue dogs, currently waiting to be adopted. Phtoo: Pets Alive Niagara/Facebook

A Niagara-wide network of animal rescue-volunteers has had to find new ways of operating throughout the pandemic - but are getting fewer windows to conduct their work amidst ever-tightening regulations.

Brad Davis, president of Pets Alive Niagara says the organization has stopped taking in applications for adoptions during the 28-day stay-at-home order a.s they await the government's next step.

"If we can handle something without too much in-person contact, we try to do it, but we don't want volunteers to feel pressure or people to be uncomfortable having us come over to their homes," said Davis to Thoroldnews.com.

The group is now focusing on taking care of the animals currently in their care, and getting them ready for adoption.

While Davis said the organization's well-managed finances have laid a stable ground for them to pay for veterinary bills, which comprises 90 percent of Pets Alive's operating costs, Davis said the prospect of not being able to host the regular BBQ-parties, bingo sessions, or seasonal trivia-nights might eventually put them in a situation where they won't be able to assist other rescues in the area.

"Almost all fundraisers are all of a sudden not available to us anymore," said Brad Davis.

"I'm personally counting on it taking until probably 2022 before that can resume in-person events again."

Through the group's region-wide network of helpers and foster homes, the organization has managed to adopt out cats and dogs through a great deal of creative work on Zoom, where he said they have even been conducting 'house inspections', to ensure dogs being adopted out via the agency are a right fit for the family.

"But the demand has been through the roof. I think people are perhaps home and feeling lonely, and are looking for company."

For more information about Pets Alive Niagara, visit their Facebook page.


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Ludvig Drevfjall

About the Author: Ludvig Drevfjall

Ludvig Drevfjall has been the editor of ThoroldToday since January 2020. He has worked as a journalist in Sweden, British Columbia and Ontario
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