Holiday Address from Sonya

Good morning,

Sonya here, Executive Director with the Georgian Triangle Humane Society, and I’m writing to you this morning from our animal centre. It’s 7am, the dogs and cats are still relatively quiet, but the day will get busy soon – so I’m taking advantage of the calmness to share a few words.

2020, it goes without saying, is a year for the history books. This pandemic has impacted us all and admittedly, it is lasting longer than any of us anticipated. COVID -19 has drastically disrupted our lives – but in doing so, it has created opportunities for innovation and creation.

When COVID-19 hit our community, we knew one thing at the GTHS; with thousands of animals relying on us for help, we had to find a safe and responsible way to continue to serve.

In April and May of this year, we re-wrote how we operate almost every aspect of our organization with safety being our most paramount priority. Simultaneously, we witnessed our world changing. Parents, including myself, struggled to navigate childcare and the challenges of working from home, people found themselves unemployed, accessible spay/neuter surgery became more difficult to obtain and pet owners became faced with the possibly of losing a beloved furry family member due to circumstances beyond their control.

As a result, the GTHS knew that as our world was changing, we had to change too. In April, we launched our Pet Pantry program serving pet owners struggling to feed their pet. In June, we opened our Hospital to provide spay/neuter surgeries to the public. In July, we revamped our Pet Sitter Course so that it could be accessed online and available from the safety of home. Finally, in August, we held the first of four on-site Rabies and Microchip Clinics. With these new programs, we worked to ensure that no pet was left behind during COVID-19.

This year has brought out the best of all of us. From our steadfast donors to our hardworking volunteers and our ever-supportive community members, we have risen to the challenge. Together as a team, we have fixed over 1200 pets, we have helped over 1100 homeless animals, we have delivered 8000 lbs of food to pets in need and we have ensured 68 families could keep their pet during an emergency.

We have worked together to provide hope and compassion when it is needed most.

This holiday season, after an unexpected year, we are filled with gratitude for each and every donor and volunteer that makes our work possible. We wish you all a holiday season filled with purrs, slobbery kisses, play bows and snuggles.

From my family to yours, Happy Holidays!

Sonya

Stay informed on GTHS events, initiatives and programs. Learn how the GTHS team is serving the pets and people of the South Georgian Bay Area. Read heart-warming Happy Tails about GTHS Alumni. See a lot of really cute pictures of dogs and cats!