Ideas, solutions will impact the future

With 11,000 animals requiring our care every year, the animals that need us today are a major preoccupation for all of us at the OHS. This is a problem, because if we are ever to see fewer animals requiring our care, we must invest in the future as well. It’s difficult. Everyone here loves animals, and many have devoted their lives to their care and welfare. It is hard to accept that there are insufficient resources to do everything we might like to for every animal. It is particularly hard to direct resources to what sometimes feels like a nebulous future, when so many need our help today.

Key OHS staff spent Monday, April 30 talking and planning for just that. 

We took a rare opportunity to stop and think, compared notes, and shared ideas with representatives of all departments, levels, and roles at the OHS. The goal was to change the future:  How to leverage our new building, our skills, knowledge and influence to ensure that 11,000 animals a year don’t need us in 10 years, and that the outcome is better for those that do.

It’s amazing what can happen when you bring together talented people with diverse backgrounds and a passion for a common goal. 

The solutions developed during the summit were big and small. Some were cost-free, simple, and better ways of doing what we already do. Others were new programs like a pet behaviour hotline that can help keep more animals in their homes... but that will have to wait for new money. 

All the ideas will impact a great deal of what we do over the next few years.  They are going to help the animals in our building today.  And they are going to help us change the future.

Bruce Roney

Ottawa Humane Society
Executive Director

Clem

Clementine, the little dog that we began fostering at Christmas, finally found her forever home in March. 

We were really excited to learn that she was going to a home with five children since she is so gentle and kid-friendly.  In true Clementine style, during the family-dog introduction, she visited each child and licked every one in turn.

Over the time she was with us, I was reminded how much work and how disruptive a young puppy can be to one’s life, even with the advantage of bringing her to work.  

At the same time, it was very satisfying to see her grow and thrive and learn, and eventually have the home and family that we were hoping for. 

Bruce Roney

Ottawa Humane Society Executive Director

Read more about the OHS Foster program.

Pal: Noun: A friend. Synonyms: buddy, chum

PAL:  Pet Adoption Location. A great little acronym for a very important program. 

It is the OHS program that partners with local pet stores to help find more animals—generally cats—forever homes.  Over 15,000 forever homes, since the program’s inception, in fact! 

Many people don’t like coming to our shelter, especially when we were at our old Champagne Avenue location. We would love it if everyone would visit our new West Hunt Club shelter, but recognize that it’s not for everyone.  Our home may be far from your home; our hours not convenient; or like some people, being here may just make you a bit sad. PAL allows you to adopt from us at a store in your local area, rather than coming here and getting the “I want to take them all home!” feeling.  It also relieves the space pressure resulting from as many as 45 admissions a day in our peak season!

There are 15 PAL locations throughout Ottawa, and that number is growing as more partners come onboard.

So, if you are looking for your new best friend and can’t visit us here, please be sure to go to your local OHS PAL location.

Bruce Roney
Ottawa Humane Society Executive Director

P.S. The PetValu PAL locations are celebrating National Adoption Weekend April 14 and 15, and raising funds for the OHS and other animal welfare groups. Even if you're not in the market for a new furry friend, stop by your local PetValu and participate Pet Appreciation Weekend (PAW).

The Real Deal

With the advent of kijiji and other sites publicizing the “free” kitten or dog, we were all thrilled to see a three-quarter page article in the Ottawa Citizen’s  “Real Deal” feature about adopting pets from the OHS and other humane societies. 

The article explodes the myth of the “free” kitten.  There is no such thing.  In fact, that “free” kitten or dog is likely to cost you far more than you might realize; while the cost of adoption at the OHS, and most similar organizations is usually less than the cost of sterilization alone. 

Beyond the health and other guarantees offered by most not-for-profit animal groups like us, other OHS inclusions such as vaccinations, deworming, health insurance, and more make adoption at your local humane society is the best deal in town!

See the full text of the Citizen article (and video!) here.

Read more about the cost of adoption, what is included, and what a “free” cat or dog will likely cost you.

Bruce Roney

Ottawa Humane Society Executive Director

A gift of hope

Your best friend calls, having just returned from the vet where sadly, her dog was euthanized. What do you do?

Many of us simply don’t know what to say.

You can’t imagine your best friend without her furry companion by her side, but you’re not sure how to help. And sometimes you can’t help. But you can show compassion and support. The death of a pet can be every bit as devastating as the loss of a human loved one. Since 2004, in memoriam tribute gifts to the OHS have more than tripled.

When a pet passes away a tribute gift can give comfort and hope to someone grieving the loss of their companion animal. If this memorial is given to the Ottawa Humane Society in honour of the pet, it will also help save the lives of other animals.

Pets are members of the family. When they pass away, acknowledging their owners’ grief shows that you understand their feelings. Making a gift in their pet’s honour will go a long way in helping them grieve.

When you make a tribute gift to the OHS, you are helping to fund essential programs and services for Ottawa’s animals. We will send a condolence card to the bereaved family, in the form of a personalized e-card or a tribute card and letter in the mail.

Have your friends or family members made a donation to the OHS in your pet’s honour?

Have you made an in memoriam gift for a pet that has passed away?

We would like to hear your story and how an in memoriam donation helped you.

Learn more about tribute gifts here.

Signs of Spring: Chapter Two

I was very happy that my posting about leaving wildlife alone got people talking.  It is an important but sometimes under-publicized issue.

I am glad that readers pointed out that some animals are in clear distress, that is, visibly injured or obviously orphaned and there is a need to intervene. I will tell you now that I purposely left that point, since so many more juveniles that we see are in no distress, than those that are. Of course, as soon as they are picked up by a human, they ARE in distress and have to be transferred to rehab or euthanized. 

This is a mistake that often cannot be fixed. When juveniles are removed from their mother, generally the mother will move on in a short time, and so will not be there to care for them, even if returned to the site.  Unless we knew that the mother is there, and will accept her offspring, we risk leaving them to suffer slow starvation. 

Some people wrote about the one remaining rehab centre in the region.  And yes, that is an option, but it has limited space and by late spring is frequently full.  Since the main wildlife centre in the region closed, space is very limited.

Thank you for talking about this issue.  And thank you for leaving wildlife in the wild.

Bruce Roney

Ottawa Humane Society Executive Director

Read our educational resources about wildlife issues.

Signs of spring at the OHS

Spring has sprung early, and we are all pretty happy to get out and enjoy the warm outdoors in March instead of April. 

Since a lot of animal issues are seasonal and weather-dependant, we are all bracing for the inevitability of boxes of kittens brought to us, more rescues from neglect, more injured animals—all hallmarks of spring at the OHS.

Another hallmark of spring is increased human conflict with wildlife. And most distressing, juvenile wildlife brought to us by the public. Every year dozens, if not hundreds, of young squirrels, rabbits, raccoons and other small wildlife are brought in by well-meaning, but ultimately destructive humans. 

Most of the young are euthanized; many of them needlessly. Had they been left where they were, in most cases, their mother would have shown up in a short while. With only a handful of scarce spots left for wildlife rehabilitation in the area, and no resources to care for them, the only option is humane euthanasia.

Please, enjoy this beautiful spring. Get outside. Soak up the sun. But please leave wildlife alone.  

Bruce Roney Ottawa Humane Society Executive Director Read our educational resources about wildlife issues.