The Thunder Bay and District Humane Society is hoping to get an 11th-hour reprieve Monday night. It's asking city council for money to keep its shelter open next year.

Last week, the Humane Society Board announced it has an $180,000 shortfall and is struggling to meet payroll. Over the weekend, dozens of people flocked to the shelter to adopt pets or donate money.

“I think that the city could step up and save it,” said Aerlie Irvine.

“There's enough people here that care about animals.”

Two dogs play at the Thunder Bay and District Humane Society shelter. At right, Aspen (owner Aerlie Irvine) gets to know Yogi, a shelter dog whom Irvine's roommate Jeff Noyes was considering for adoption.

Irvine came with her roommate Jeff Noyes, who wanted to adopt a tawny coloured mixed breed dog named Yogi.

"Jeff had been talking about getting a dog for (a) couple of months. And then when we heard about the Humane Society we decided to come down and ... see if we could help out in any way."

Public responds to crisis

The weekend supervisor at the shelter said she welcomes the public's response. The facility still needs stable funding, but she is hopeful that will happen.

Shelter worker Ariana Spina said many people have come forward to adopt a pet or donate money.

"Normally we might have about 20 to 30 people coming in on the weekends looking at our pets,” she said.

“This weekend we've probably had about 100 people coming in.”

Jade Dittaro is supposed to volunteer at the shelter, but her orientation was called off because of the funding crisis.

She came anyway, to donate money.

"I'm totally choked up,” she said.

“You just see all the animals here that need help and this is such a great facility.”