Shelter’s creatures need their comforts

AS winter approaches, the Ballarat Animal Shelter is seeking donated woollies and tasty treats for the furry friends in their care.

Coordinator animal services Clare Douglas-Haynes said blankets are required for dogs, especially short-haired breeds with minimal body fat, and heat-pads are needed for kittens and cats who are currently relying on oil heaters.

Good quality food and treats are always appreciated by any animal staying on site.

“We need treats for the dogs which are incorporated a lot into our training. Peanut butter, for example, is an enrichment tool for us and helps us train an animal to wear a lead or a muzzle.

“Treats keep our furry friends focussed and excited, and spoil them. It’s really nice for our staff to see, as well as for our dogs,” she said.

“We appreciate wet food for our cats and dogs. We only supply Royal Canin dry food, but tasty wet food brings a scared cat out of their hidey hole, or brings any animal out of their shell.”

The Ballarat Animal Shelter team, currently based in a former abattoir building on Gillingham Place, Alfredton are also on the look-out for warmer, more appropriate premises.

“Once the shelter drops below 10 degrees, it’s really hard to get the temperature back up again, and what we really need to stop the flu epidemic taking off is to keep our cats warm,” Ms Douglas-Haynes said.

“We don’t get much sunlight in the cat area, so we can’t rely on solar heat. We have to provide little heat pads, because their claws pierce hot water bottles.

“We need blankets; we burn through our blanket donations so quickly. We also need furniture in good condition, like chairs, that we can sit a cat on to retain their heat.”

Mink-style blankets are ideal as they retain heat, last for a long time, and the animals enjoy sleeping on them, but Ms Douglas-Haynes said the team is happy to take any blanket, as long as it’s not a doona.

The Shelter is always in need of animal bedding, scratching posts, and sheets and towels that can be laid on the bottom of pens.

The facility is open from 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, and donations can be dropped off at any time.

“We are grateful for anything,” Ms Douglas-Haynes said.