Cochrane and Area Humane Society focuses on making sure cats participate in enrichment activities throughout their day. (Josie Michalsky, CMRU.ca)
The Cochrane and Area Humane Society was founded on March 10, 1998. The organization works to support animals in need. Their main focus is on educating the community on animal welfare. They promote responsible pet ownership. They ensure the well-being of animals in need. The organization provides shelter, rehabilitation, training and support. Their work impacts the lives of animals and the community they serve.
Adoption process
Animals available for adoption can be viewed online or through a scheduled visit at the shelter. Most dogs and cats require an appointment. This allows staff to learn more about a potential adopter’s lifestyle and match them with the right animal.
Robyn Roy, Marketing & Communications Coordinator for the Cochrane and Area Humane Society, says that one of their main focuses is making sure the animals find a home that fits their needs. “It’s important that we find the right family and then give them the right information as well,” Roy says.
In many cases, meet-and-greets are arranged between the animal and existing pets or family members to ensure it is the right fit before adoption is finalized.
Programs and services
Adoption isn’t the only service CAHS offers. Their programs include:
- Private off-leash dog parks
- Obedience and training classes
- Self-serve dog wash stations
- Behaviour consultations for dogs with special needs
- Norms Nook pet store
How you can help
There are many ways to get involved. “We run mostly on volunteer power. Everybody that you see running around here, for the most part, is a volunteer,” Roy says. Volunteers help with dog walking, dog care, kennel cleaning and home care. Others focus on cat care and cat enrichment. Some help in the hospital or assist with laundry and daily shelter tasks.
Donations are another way to support the shelter. People can donate gently used pet supplies such as crates, blankets and food. A full wish list is available on the CAHS website.
Through the shelter’s PAWS program, monthly donations help support animal care:
- $25 provides vaccines and parasite treatment for one cat
- $50 provides vaccines and parasite treatment for one dog
- $75 neuters one cat
- $100 neuters one dog
- $125 spays one cat
- $150 spays one dog
Personal reflection
I found it very rewarding to work on this project, not only because it was to support an amazing business but also because I got to create something very special for them. The Cochrane and Area Humane Society team was incredible to work with and were all so passionate about this project and assisting me however they could. I have always been a very big advocate when it comes to adopting animals from shelters and giving them the life they deserve. CAHS focuses on the enrichment of their animals and how they are more than just an animal rescue and how happy and loved each pet is.
While filming, I was able to spend a lot of time with the cats in particular as it was the focus of the video project. I was able to create a tour and meet the cat of the humane society media project, that highlights the enrichment activities the cats do while spending time in their care. I also was able to take hours of raw footage I was able to send of the cats throughout the day. I hope they are able to use this project and the footage to show the public that even though they are in the shelter, they are still very well taken care of, which was the ultimate goal with this video.
I learned a lot from this project, from working and filming with animals to the important work the staff and volunteers do at the humane society. I do think it helped me improve my technical skills. I learned a lot about working with a client and the best ways to brainstorm what questions to ask to be able to achieve their vision. It also helped me find the proper camera angles when it comes to action or moving shots. Overall, I really enjoyed working on this project and with CAHS, and I hope to be able to do similar work in the future to keep promoting the importance of animal adoption.
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