The Thunder Bay and District Humane Society is making plans for their long-term future.
After announcing in early November they would have to close their doors at the end of the year if they didn’t make up for an $180,000 deficit, an outpouring of support and donations from the community has the Humane Society’s executive director confident the organization can move forward.
“It’s such a relief to be able to plan into the long-term and not have every day wondering how you’re going to survive. We can now start planning for the future,” said Maryann Kleynendorst on Wednesday.
There’s been a whirlwind of activity at the Rosslyn Road animal shelter the last couple of months with donations coming from people of all walks of life, Kleynendorst said.
From student groups, theatre groups, businesses, restaurants and private citizens, help has come from every facet of the city and district. The Humane Society’s pre-authorized debit programs is now at more than $10,000 a month, more than two-thirds of the $15,000 they need per month to stay afloat.
“On top of that we’ve gotten in a large amount, a very generous amount, of one-time donations from the community. It has allowed us to pay off our creditors and also allows us to have a bit of a cash reserve to help us get to that $15,000 a month goal,” said Kleynendorst.
“The community’s been amazing,” she added.
Not only has the support brought in some financial stability, but it has also boosted morale at the shelter.
“I think you start working in a little bit of isolation and you don’t really realize how isolated you’re feeling and then something like this, a crisis, happens and you realize people out there really are involved; they are interested in what you’re doing,” Kleynendorst said.
She added it was difficult to be energetic about the job when they didn’t know where their next bag of kitty litter would come from or if they could afford to treat animals when they were sick.
“All of those things have changed for us now and there’s a real sense of renewal,” she said.
