THUNDER BAY – A low-cost spay and neuter clinic that was expected to open this September will not be operational until early 2019, as the Thunder Bay and District Humane Society continues to struggle financially.
According to Jack Remus, one of the founders of the Thunder Bay Humane Society and current president, the spay and neuter clinic will not open until January 2019.
Work on the new clinic at the Rosslyn Road shelter began in early May and a veterinarian has already been hired. Remus said four or five staff members at the Humane Society will be participating in a training program in the United States next January.
The shelter has already been flooded with calls from people wanting to schedule their animals for spaying or neutering. But bringing the clinic to Thunder Bay was also meant to assist remote communities with growing feral animal populations.
“In about four or five months’ time, we are hoping to have the spay and neuter clinic up and going and we will be able to do these things here,” Remus said.
The $600,000 clinic was funded in part by a $300,000 grant from Pet Smart Charities, but the shelter still needs to reach out to the public for additional funding for general operations, which includes several fundraising initiatives such as a Go Fund Me page with a $60,000 goal launched in early July.
The clinic could provide spaying and neutering services for as low as $150 and Remus said there is definitely a need in the region for these services at a more affordable rate.
“We’ve been able to put that in place, but the only problem is who is going to be paying for our staff, who is going to be paying for our operations?” Remus said.
The Humane Society has also faced several staffing issues recently. Last month, a former shelter manager filed a complaint with the Ontario Labour Relations Board regarding her termination, and another shelter manager is also alleging she was terminated without cause. Board chair, Brenda Everts, also resigned from her position.
“Within the last couple of months, there have been some problems, maybe personal, but as well as financial and I felt it appropriate for me to step back into a position as president,” Remus said. “In the last couple of weeks, I’ve spent some time and met the staff and I think they just feel there needs to be a degree of stability there.”
Despite these issues, Remus is confident the people of Thunder Bay and surrounding region will continue to support the Thunder Bay Humane Society.
“I truly believe the people in Thunder Bay and communities around here firmly believe animals need some form of support,” he said. “The cruelty aspects, the education aspect, and taking the dogs from up north, we play a very important part in Northern Ontario, particularly in Thunder Bay.”
Remus added that if the shelter were to shut down, many rescued animals could be euthanized because the local animal services shelter would be able overwhelmed by the number of animals.
"I do not believe the citizens of Thunder Bay want the humane society to disappear,” Remus said.
