They’ve waded through a series of challenging years and have set their sights on a more stabilized and promising future.
The board and staff at the Estevan Humane Society’s shelter have a proven record of success and they’re not about to lessen their influence and service within the community when it comes to rescuing and sheltering the less fortunate animals within the city.
“We have about 40 cats and kittens in the shelter right now,” said Marlene Moore, president of the society. That number is not bad for this time of year. They have had a good year for feline adoptions, including the placement of 11 feral cats at nearby farms. The dog population is at eight, which is about normal.
“Over the past year we’ve housed 273 animals and had 118 adoptions,” Moore said, referring to the fact the shelter also serves as a pound for the City of Estevan, where dogs and cats that have strayed from their owners are returned in an orderly fashion, often with licence fees or fines attached. In return, the City provides funding for the shelter on an annual basis. The society operates on a no-euthanization mandate unless it is deemed absolutely necessary due to definite safety or health situations.
The real challenging years began in 2011 when the shelter suffered from the flood waters that hit the valley bottom hard. That’s where the shelter is found on the south side of the city. Another flood in 2013, worsened the conditions and Moore said she discovered black mould creeping up the walls when some baseboards were removed to check on damage. The entire building had to be re-sanitized and drywall, up to two feet in height, had to be replaced. The repainting is just now getting completed.
In the midst of all this, the shelter lost a most valuable employee with the death of long-time manager Judy Martin and the departure of some long-time volunteers. Moore said those losses are still being felt.
“The drywall and replacement work took about $45,000,” said Moore, noting the costs were shared between the City and the Humane Society. A lot of the excavation and ground work was donated by Turnbull Excavating (Tyson Turnbull) and Hank’s Maintenance, who rode in to the rescue, she said.
“Our staff and board have done a good job of adopting the cats and kittens out to good homes. Jane Howard, our secretary-treasurer has been doing some great work on the adoption files, ensuring things go well there,” she added.
In the meantime, the staffers that include Brittney Waliko, Elizabeth Murphy, Tianna Threinen and Cara Flaman have been ensuring the animals are kept safe and secure and properly cared for each day.
“Keeping the kennels in good condition is a big job. Re-welding has to be done regularly. The dogs can be hard on them,” she explained.
“We need about nine more cat kennels to be at the level we want to be. That could cost up to $14,000,” she said. “We have to check out what can be done within our budget.”
Moore explained that the kennels are built specifically for shelters such as theirs, designed so they can be cleaned quickly, and efficiently and are mobile enough to move easily from one site to another.
So with the major glitches hopefully behind them, the society’s volunteer directors as well as employees, are optimistic about the future and the service they can provide to the citizens of Estevan.
