Stratford Perth Humane Society program allowing students to foster pets for community service hours
The Stratford Perth Humane Society has launched a new program that gives high school students the chance to foster pets while getting in their volunteer community service hours.
“Which would help us to free up space here so that we can continue to provide even more care to animals in need,” said Stacy Mclellan, volunteer coordinator with the Stratford Humane Society.
Students aged 14 to 17 are eligible to participate after completing an interview process. Any costs associated with taking care of the pet are covered.
“Their food, any enrichment items, all the toys they might like. Our small animals go home with their closures,” said Mclellan.
The pets that are available for fostering include healthy adult cats and small pets like bunnies or guinea pigs.
Staff at the humane society said the goal is to expand the pilot program to students in the Kitchener-Waterloo area.
“They got lots of training and really get to learn what it takes to look after an animal," said Mclellan.
Grade 10 student Lillie Riehl recently took home her fifth cat in just a few months as a part of the program.
“I like the cat cuddles a lot. It’s very nice,” she said.
Riehl already has around 80 hours completed which is more than the required 40 hours for school.
“I thought this would be a fun and good way to do it,” she said.
Riehl said the last two cats she fostered she ended up adopting.
“My heart broke because I knew that they would be given away,” Riehl said.
Staff at the humane society said student foster parents could have the pets for 24 hours or a few months, depending on the animal.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.