College animal adoption program the cat’s meow

STORY AND PHOTOS BY MELISSA GERVAIS

Looking to adopt a cat?

The Animal Care program at Davis Campus houses up to 15 cats every semester. This term the program has eight cats for adoption, two of which are still available.

Cloud, one of the cats at Sheridan’s Animal Centre, took a moment to stretch after he woke up from his nap. He’s one of several kitties housed by the college each semester.

Nichole Marcotte, an Animal Sciences technologist with the Sheridan program, said the cats are usually adopted quickly.

“We really want them to go to forever homes,” she said. “They’ve been through so much. They’ve helped us, and in return we want to be advocates for them.”

Sheridan has a working relationship with the Brampton Animal Shelter to allow stray cats to stay at the college each semester to help students prepare for work in animal shelters, clinics, grooming businesses, or other animal care facilities.

Marcotte said she uses an extensive screening process involving written applications and formal interviews to ensure all cats go to safe, stable homes.

“We make sure that they all go to good homes, which is great,” she said. “We get very, very, very attached to them. They’re like family. They help us out with teaching the students, and in turn they give us so much love.”

Any cats that aren’t adopted at the end of the term are fostered by students until a permanent home can be found.

The cats used in the Animal Care program serve to teach students how to properly care for domestic animals, including how to clean, feed, and hold them properly.

Students in the Animal Care program practised their skills in the lab. The cats staying at Sheridan’s Animal Centre give students practical experience caring for animals.

“They learn their behaviours, and they take really good care of them,” Marcotte added.

The students alternate shifts to make sure the animals are never left alone. A registered veterinarian and a mini pharmacy are also kept available on site in case of emergencies.

All forms of student learning in the Animal Care program are non-invasive.

“We don’t poke them and take their blood, and we don’t do surgeries here. We don’t do anything like that,” Marcotte said. “It’s just really non-invasive, learning how to restrain, and learning how to take care of them because these are students that are going to be working as animal care attendants out in the field, in vet clinics assisting technicians and veterinarians.”

Ruth Sultana, a Registered Veterinary Technician with the college, said the cats are kept in a safe environment.

“I know people tend to get concerned about the fact that we are doing invasive handling of these cats, which we do not. That is not the case,” Sultana said. “We don’t do anything that would harm or hurt them.”

The Sheridan Animal Centre fosters up to 15 cats every semester from the Brampton Animal Shelter. Roberto, still sleepy from his catnap, greeted visitors.

Sultana adopted two one-and-a-half-year-old sister cats from the Animal Care program back in 2012, named Pearl and Tyla.

“They bring life to my house every day,” she added.

Sultana said that Sheridan’s relationship with the Brampton Animal Shelter is a win-win, because students learn in a practical environment and the shelter gets to free some space for new animals awaiting adoption.

“I don’t know if there’s ever been a time that we haven’t found homes for all the cats that have come here,” Sultana said. “It’s a nice way of becoming involved in the community.”

The fee to adopt a cat from the Animal Care program is $50, and all cats have been dewormed, vaccinated, microchipped, and spayed/neutered.

Anyone interested in adopting can contact the Animal Centre at 905-459-7533, extension 4301.