Residents of Prince Edward Island are rallying to support the P.E.I. Humane Society following the seizure of 43 dogs last week. The influx has prompted urgent calls for additional donations to manage the animals’ care.

Surge in Community Donations

Ashley Travis, development and communications co-ordinator for the P.E.I. Humane Society, reports that locals have flooded the shelter with inquiries on how to help. Cleaning supplies and food donations have poured in rapidly. With limited space at the current facility—despite the new shelter nearing completion—Travis directs supporters to the organization’s Facebook page for a list of priority items.

Most Urgent Supplies Needed

“Right now, the No. 1 thing we need are newspapers,” Travis stated. “We line all of our kennels with newspapers and, when there’s a large quantity of dogs, they make cleaning a lot faster for our team.”

Paper towels, large bottles of name-brand dish soap, and disinfectants such as Mr. Clean or Pine-Sol are also essential. “Those large bottles of name-brand dish soap are always really great for us because we can use them for various different things within the shelter,” she explained. “Those are really useful things that we’re in very significant need of right now.”

Partnerships Fuel Ongoing Aid

The society maintains a partnership with Global Pet Foods, while Blue Ribbon Pet Supply organizes a fundraiser to supply food for the new arrivals. “We’re distributing food, we’re distributing medications, we’re distributing supplies,” Travis said. “As quick as a package is coming in, we’re redistributing it.”

Islanders’ Generosity Shines

Support has been overwhelming since the February 5 seizure. “Anyone who’s ever been in need on Prince Edward Island will tell you that Islanders are some of the most generous people you will ever meet,” Travis noted. “We are seeing that live every single day that we come to work the last couple of days.”

Volunteers handle the added workload, and foster families welcome dogs into their homes, easing pressure on staff. “Our phones are going crazy…. We’re all becoming masters of multitasking throughout this procedure and throughout this huge interest that’s going on around this intake,” she said. “It’s been incredible to see such an outpouring of support, not just from folks who are already connected with the shelter, but from animal lovers provincewide.”

The investigation remains active, with no fines or charges announced yet.