COCHRANE— The Cochrane and Area Humane Society received a sizeable donation of $7,500 from Cochrane GM on Friday (May 7).
Operations manager Rob Dzikewich said Cochrane GM had set aside $100 from every new and used vehicle that was sold during the first quarter, and plans to continue that program.
“Today’s donation— We just hope that it grows,” he said.
The Cochrane and Area Humane Society has been hit hard by the pandemic, Dzikewhich said, which has caused the shelter to have to cancel or adapt many of its key fundraisers through the year.
As a community focused organization, Cochrane GM saw an opportunity to step in and help the shelter to continue its mandate of helping Cochrane’s homeless animal population.
“When we first opened it was our mandate to not only support our customers, but to get involved in the community. Cochrane being what it is, we’re very much a community organization,” he said. “Given what’s going on in the world right now, it’s very difficult for them for people to get involved and drop donations off.”
“Dogs and animals, they can’t speak for themselves, and we want to voice to Cochrane that they’re still kicking around, and they all need good homes,” said marketing director Danny Loj. “The involvement from the community has been unreal.”
Loj added that Cochrane GM also received donations of blankets and other useful items that were delivered to the shelter.
Janine Rossler, executive director of the Cochrane and Area Humane Society said she was thrilled to accept the donation on behalf of the shelter.
“Just knowing that this community and this business is behind us in this way has been incredible. To see a 7,500-dollar donation— Thrilling, it’s absolutely thrilling and it will go such a long way in supporting the animals in our care,” Rossler said.
The Cochrane and Area Humane Society typically houses around 200 animals at any given time, and sees nearly 2,000 animals come through its doors annually.
Donations like this ensure that the animals who temporarily call the shelter home receive all of the care and medical procedures that are needed to ensure they are fit for adoption, Rossler said.
“These funds will be directed towards the daily care costs of food, but also, every animal that comes in, we want to make sure they are vaccinated, and have parasite control, that they’re spade and neutered, that they are microchipped for permanent ID,” Rossler said. “If they do have extenuating medical needs or circumstances that we can do specialized surgeries for them if needed, if they need rehabilitation support or behaviour modification support, that we can take that time to have our behaviour team work with them to set them on the right path to being awesome canine citizens. There are a lot of things we do behind the scenes before they’re available for adoption.”
The Cochrane and Area Humane Society also recently received a $5,000 donation from Home Treasures on Thursday (May 6). Rossler said that she is very grateful for the support that the community has shown to the shelter, despite the difficult time that everyone is facing right now.
“We are tremendously grateful. We recognize that it has been tough for everybody. To have such support coming back from the community, I can’t express how much that means to us. This pandemic has pulled us all together, and we have been doing whatever we can, and vice-versa, to keep each other’s doors open, and to know that organizations and businesses in our community want to see our doors stay open and are supporting us in any way that they can, with the challenges they’re seeing, is very heartwarming,” Rossler said.
She added that she hopes the community will support the businesses that have stepped up to selflessly help others during the pandemic.
