Holiday generosity spreads to animals

Bear, a two-year-old chocolate lab-moose cross, eagerly waits in the Moose Jaw Humane Society lobby before being taken home with his new owners on Saturday.

Although animals can't give gifts per se, Moose Javians made sure dogs and cats without permanent homes were on the receiving end of presents.

'People have been very generous over the Christmas holiday and we appreciate all of the donations that have come in, be it monetary, bedding, or people volunteering their time to walk our dogs and cuddle the cats,' said Dana Haukaas, an administrative assistant with the Moose Jaw Humane Society (MJHS).

'We are hoping that will continue on into January.'

Haukaas noted that January is generally a slower month as far as donations go for the MJHS. The upcoming book sale will hopefully offset some of that.

Other donated items to the MJHS this festive season included toys and canned food. As of Saturday, Haukaas said they are pretty well stocked for canned food, but she noted that could change in the next few weeks.

'The canned dog and cat food is always in need here,' she said. 'As we go through it, we replenish it.'

There is, however, one thing Haukaas told the Times-Herald people don't always think to donate to the MJHS: cleaning supplies.

'Be it laundry detergent, or a product like Mr. Clean with a nice smell to it that helps cover up the smell of bleach, or the chemicals that we use to disinfect things here,' Haukaas said.

Gladdy Bell, president of the Stray Cat Rescue and Protection Society (SCRAPS), also said donations have been plentiful this holiday season for her organization.

'Come the New Year we can always use cash, of course, and wet and dry food,' Bell said.

As an organization not funded by the city or level of government, SCRAPS relies heavily on donations to help feed and care for feral cats that roam our city's streets.

Over the past week Bell said she has been in contact with about 10 cats, which is lower than normal.

According to Haukaas, the MJHS has been slightly busier of late.

'We've had a couple of stray cats and probably over the course of the last seven to 10 days, but we've had a good seven dogs that have gone missing and were subsequently reconnected with their owners,' she said.

'Now that the weather is getting cold again, people get more concerned about the cats being left out in the cold.'

Nathan Liewicki can be reached at 306-691-1256 or follow him on Twitter @liewicks