As students walk around campus on their first week back in classes, the hustling and bustling can take away from the many day-to-day moments around campus.
And when they make their first trip to Downtown Kingston, they might see unhoused people with animals or stray cats and dogs yet give it little thought.
Animal welfare is defined by the quality of life of an animal, including their physical and emotional well-being. This includes proper nutrition, healthcare, and the absence of fear or stress. Animals need both physical enrichment, such as exercise, and emotional enrichment from their owners, and when these needs aren’t met, their health and well-being start to decline.
The truth is that many students are unaware of animal welfare issues in Kingston and the urgent need for more resources. Currently, the main welfare issue facing Kingston is the overpopulation of domesticated animals such as dogs and cats at the city’s only humane society, the Kingston Humane Society (KHS). Many of the animals that end up in the KHS are strays or abandoned, and some puppies and kittens are sold illegally by unlicensed backyard breeders despite licensing requirements.
Another factor contributing to the overpopulation of animals is unaltered pets, those that haven’t been spayed or neutered, and are therefore still able to reproduce. Across Ontario, spaying and neutering rates are often prohibitively expensive, with costs at veterinary clinics ranging between $300-$1200. For many people, this expense is simply not feasible. As a result, animals, most often outdoor cats, can become pregnant and have litters of kittens.
Several cats coming into the KHS are feral, meaning they aren’t domesticated, making them harder to adopt out to families who are ready to adopt a pet.
But abandoning animals isn’t the only animal welfare issue in Kingston. There have been several instances of animal cruelty as well. On May 20, an article was released in The Kingstonist regarding charges associated with bestiality and endangerment to an animal. According to the Kingston Police Special Services Unit, videos were extracted during a seize from a previous
drug-related investigation. Both individuals were arrested on May 16th regarding these charges.
Additionally, about a month ago, The Kingstonist released an article regarding the removal of 33 Boston Terriers from a home in Kingston. Animal Welfare removed these animals after an investigation in November of 2024 declared the conditions as hazardous and neglectful. Further, this March of 2025, the Ontario Animal Care Review Board denied the individual’s appeal of the removal.
These two cases demonstrate the severe need for more animal welfare support in Kingston and show the severity and extremism of the cruelty happening.
Another large issue with animal welfare in Kingston’s the lack of funding for programs set up to help animals. The KHS takes in record numbers of animals and receives no government funding to assist with its animal population. Since 2022, they’ve had no less than 230 animals in their care, with the building capacity being 144.
While KHS receives funding for pound services, such as caring for and feeding the animals, this is recognized as a contractual service and not a donation. KHS also takes in stray animals from 10 different municipalities, including the City of Kingston, Loyalist, Stone Mills, Central, South and North Frontenac, Napanee, and Gananoque, and it’s the only open shelter in the region for these municipalities. KHS is supported mainly via donations and sponsorships, and without the help from these platforms, it wouldn’t be able to care for the many animals it houses.
There are several organizations within the city that help increase animal welfare practices. An important program worth mentioning is Community Veterinary Outreach, a charity that provides veterinary care to unhoused persons and vulnerably housed communities. They evaluate and treat animals who need healthcare without removing them from their owners, all while lowering the number of animals entering the shelter. Volunteers of this program offer clinics for vaccinations, treatment of parasites, microchip implants, and advice on behaviour and other assessments.
It’s also extremely important to highlight the involvement of student clubs on Campus, and how students can make an impact on animal welfare. Including Queen’s 4 PAWS club fundraises money in support of Kingston 4 PAWS Service Dogs, a platform that provides trained service dogs to physically and emotionally challenged individuals. Another club that looks to protect animal welfare in Kingston is the Queen’s Protecting Animal Welfare Society, which raises funds and awareness for animal welfare. Both these clubs make a huge difference within animal welfare in Kingston, whether it be through awareness and support, or fundraising money to support the care of animals and the people that need them.
Animal welfare looks different depending on who you ask, but one thing is clear: animals are needed in society for various reasons. Most students who come to Queen’s leave their pets at home and miss them terribly. Other students get involved right away to make an impact in their community through fostering with the KHS or volunteering.
Remember, as Daphne Sheldrick said, “it’s not enough to love animals; we must actively protect and preserve them. It’s our duty and responsibility as custodians of this planet.”
Maya Luke is a third-year biology student.
Tags
4 Paws, Animal welfare, Community Veterinary Outreach, foster animals, Opinions
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