Wag-A-Tail fundraiser hitting Riverbank trails

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This article was published 10/09/2022 (1103 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

At six months old, Zora is still considered a puppy, but she may still be challenged to find a forever home, as dogs older than three months have a more difficult time doing so compared to their younger counterparts.

She’s a bouncy, affectionate mastiff mix that has grown to love children after spending so much time with families in foster care at the Brandon Humane Society. She is the second last of her litter looking for a forever home, with a sister in foster care. However, being in between the “cute” phase of a young pup and the adult stage makes it tough to convince people she could be a good fit for their family, said shelter manager Tracy Munn.

This is why the society is trying to show the public that even the older dogs are just as fun to adopt.

At Zora’s age, she’s learned basic skills, doesn’t require round-the-clock care like a young puppy and is perfect to train.

“She’s in that in-between stage where they aren’t seen as ‘cute,’ but not quite an adult, and dogs like her get overlooked,” said Munn. “That can make it harder to find a home for her.”

All the staff and volunteers at the shelter want to see the animals find a home, but they also want to make sure it’s the right home. To help with that, the animal shelter and rescue is holding its 19th Wag-A-Tail Walk-A-Thon fundraiser Sunday.

Pooches and their humans will hit the trails around Riverbank Discovery Centre from 10 a.m. to noon. People walking in memory of a lost pet can also participate. After the walk, Brandon Wheat Kings will serve a barbecue lunch.

“I’m sure we will have a good turnout. The weather is looking great and everyone loves the Riverbank Discovery Centre,” Munn said. “We bumped the time back to 10 instead of 9 [a.m.], so that gives everyone an extra hour so they don’t have to rush.”

Also, as in past walk-a-thons, the Humane Society will have eight or 10 dogs on site that are looking for a new home. Munn said they also have cats up for adoption, but the felines won’t be at the event for their own safety.

Walkers had to collect pledges to participate, and all the money raised goes straight to the Brandon Humane Society to help the organization pay for everything from food to utility bills.

In the past, the event averaged $40,000 in pledges raised, but the hope is Wag-A-Tail can surpass that this year. However, any donations and pledges are welcome, Munn said, especially after the hardships of the pandemic and a spike in animal abandonments and surrenders.

This event is the biggest fundraiser for the animal welfare charity. The Brandon Humane Society relies solely on charity donations. They do not get any government funding, and there are always costs. Food, utilities, taxes and even vet bills are a constant burden.

On average, the shelter spends $30,000 per year on food, Munn said.

For utilities, the organization averages $500 a month during the spring and summer, and as much as $900 monthly in the winter. The shelter is on a septic and holding tank system for their water and sewer that averages $25,000 a year. For the size of the shelter, she said it should have four full-time and three part-time staff, but it doesn’t due to costs and the building size.

In addition, the humane society’s 17th Street East building is not big enough, but replacing it isn’t happening any time soon, again, due to costs.

The pandemic was especially hard on the shelter because of shutdowns and restricted access. However, Munn said they eventually worked that to their advantage by setting up an appointment system for potential adoptees.

Other shelters emptied out as people sought pets for companionship and a reason to go out for walks.

But, as people return to work, animals are finding their way back to shelters, which is never good for the animal or the shelters that have to find room for them.

“A lot of people were not educated on adopting pets. There should be a lot of thought put into it,” Munn said. “These aren’t things you can buy, then put away when you don’t want to deal with them any more. They are returning to work and the dogs and cats are getting separation anxiety and chewing up the house. They are coming back to us traumatized because they have been forgotten about and abandoned, again.

“It saddens us because we love animals and we know they give everything they have for us. We have a responsibility to take care of them.”

At Sunday’s event, volunteers will talk about the benefits of spaying and neutering animals for their health and safety, and to cut down on pet overpopulation.

Wag-A-Tail gives people and opportunity to meet the animals and get to know them without an appointment. People interested in adopting can talk to shelter volunteers about what they need to do to prepare themselves for a new pet.

To find out more, contact the society at 204-728-1333, or visit its website at www.brandonhumanesociety.ca.

» kmckinley@brandonsun.com, with files from The Brandon Sun

» Twitter: @karenleighmcki1