It started with a single dog, adopted in 2010.
In 2020, despite the limitations of COVID-19 and pandemic lockdowns, Finding Them Homes – James Bay Pawsitive Rescue, managed to rescue and re-home 394 dogs from the James Bay, Manitoulin Island, and Thunder Bay areas.
In northern communities, a key challenge is the lack of available veterinary care. Unwanted litters, injured, and abandoned dogs contribute to a dog overpopulation problem in the scattered communities of northern Ontario, where the closest care could be in Thunder Bay, and accessible only by air.
Finding Them Homes was launched to provide an alternative.
The non-profit organization has been bringing rescued and surrendered dogs south to the Barrie area for veterinary treatment, fostering, and finally rehoming to a “forever home.”
Thanks to community donations and local volunteers, rescued dogs are treated by a veterinarian, spayed or neutered, fed, loved, and hopefully, adopted.
On Saturday, Finding Them Homes held a Meet and Greet and Adoption event at the Cookstown Tanger Outlet Mall.
In an empty store inside the mall, over a three-hour period, a total of 12 rescued dogs had an opportunity to garner pats and treats, demonstrate their loveable characters, and tug on heartstrings.
There was Boady, a two-year-old “super-sweet” husky mix; Barney, a nine-month-old pup surrendered by his owner; Chester, a Shepherd mix brought down for the north for emergency surgery and described by his foster family as a ”good dog, great personality”; and Camino, another friendly two-year-old husky mix.
The hope was that at least some of the visitors who came through the doors would be inspired to donate, volunteer to provide a foster home for rescued dogs, or even bond with one of the rescued animals and decide to adopt.
To date, Finding Them Homes has found forever homes for 3,437 dogs.
For more information on the charity, click here.
