Shelters packed, SPCA flooded with calls as Nova Scotians try to cope with the cold

Last night, temperatures in the Halifax area dropped to –17 C, and felt even colder with the wind chill. 

That made for packed shelters for homeless people in the municipality.

"It was busy, we were full and we had to set up a couple of emergency beds," said Rebecca Whitzman, co-ordinator at Out of the Cold Shelter in downtown Halifax.

"All the other shelters were full as well, so it was a busy night for everybody." 

Warming centre open

Nineteen people stayed overnight at the shelter, which operates out of St. Matthew's United Church on Barrington Street, and another 20 to 30 dropped in during that time, she said.

The shelter operated a daytime warming centre Thursday and Whitzman anticipates it will be open for the next several days, as long as the temperature is below –15 C.

"There are probably like 15 people here right now," she said.

The warming centre opens at 8 a.m. and runs to 8:30 p.m. The overnight shelter operates from 8:30 p.m. to 8 a.m. 

"So people won't have to go outside at all," Whizman said.

The numbers at the shelter this week are similar to last year. "That's not necessarily a good thing, because we want people to be getting housed throughout the year," Whizman said, adding people feel more vulnerable and unsafe during the winter. The extreme cold adds to the stress.

"It just makes it a little more difficult to get places, to try to work toward their goals, such as housing and getting to appointments, that's why we try to ask for a lot of donations for bus tickets," she said.

Power outages continue

Around 230 households in Nova Scotia still had no power as of 4:35 p.m. Thursday, following high winds and cold temperatures that triggered power outages around the province beginning Christmas Day.

Nova Scotia Power was operating comfort centres in Shelburne, Kentville, Stellarton and Chester for those residents who need a place to warm up or to recharge phones.

The utility advised that if a customer's meter mast was damaged, a certified electrician needed to make repairs before power can be restored. Nova Scotia Power is providing a list of electricians on its website.

Few police calls

RCMP made calls to homes in East Hants and Lunenburg counties to check on residents, Cpl. Jennifer Clarke said.

Both calls turned out well, she said.

Halifax police haven't been involved in any cold-related emergencies so far, Const. Dianne Penfound said.

Animals feel the chill

The provincial SPCA is reminding people to keep their pets inside during the cold snap.

"It's mainly dogs that we're getting calls about, but we are receiving calls about cats as well. People think that because they have a hardier breed [of dog] that it's OK, they can just leave them out," said Joanne Landsburg, chief provincial inspector for the Nova Scotia SPCA.

"Even if they're outside and they are a hardy breed, they still have to provide an appropriate shelter for them to be outside during that particular time.  And most times, dogs are not really acclimatized to the weather that we've had over the past couple days."

She advises taking dogs outside for short breaks and returning them to the house to warm up.

Landsburg said it has been difficult for the SPCA's 16 officers to keep up with the volume of emergency cold-related calls. They have followed up on the cases they can, but she said if people have immediate concerns about an animal's welfare they should also contact local police.

Chicken challenges

It's more than dogs and cats that are struggling. Brooke Gray, who lives in Cherry Hill on Nova Scotia's South Shore, says caring for her flock of chickens has been challenging.

"It's been one more thing to try and juggle and take care of," she told CBC's Maritime Noon.

To try to shield them from the cold, she added insulation to their coop yesterday and also thickened their bedding. Providing fresh water for them has also been tricky because the water freezes quickly.