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The OHS never euthanizes animals because they are here too long or because we’re too full.

“What does the term “no kill” really mean? At best, it is poorly understood and has no generally accepted definition. At worst, it is bomb to be thrown at another group that has the same goals but is struggling to achieve them.

By some no-kill definitions, the OHS fits the criteria, since we never euthanize animals because they are here too long or because we’re too full. But you won’t catch us using the term.

We are an open admission, no-suffering, low-euthanasia shelter. Zero animals in need are ever turned away from the OHS. Euthanasia is only considered for animals we can’t help, which means animals with medical or behavioural challenges that can’t reasonably be overcome. We look at all options to save a lives and to find forever home for the animals, but we will never allow an animal to languish in suffering when its chance of recovery is bleak, or when we just don’t have the resources to restore the animal to health.

Ultimately, no kill is a divisive term. It pits members of the animal welfare community against one another instead of fostering collaboration around the common goal of saving animal lives. Under the category of “I couldn’t have written it better myself,” our friends at the Michigan Humane Society recently wrote a blog on this topic:

“No Kill” label divides shelters, diminishes impact

The term “no kill” is often thrown around by both animal welfare professionals and those who are passionate about saving pets. But what does it actually mean? Ask four different people and you will receive four different answers. The term “no kill” is inherently admirable but has become equally, if not more, divisive.

Why is the term divisive? It creates confusion, and confusion creates division. What we need is clarity. With no real definition to drive our thoughts, many use the term to praise or condemn one shelter over another, to discredit an organization, and to demean those working there. Here is what I know is a concrete truth in animal welfare: People in this profession are here because they want to make a difference – they want to save lives.

Using the term “no kill,” a vague label, to compare one shelter to another fails to take into consideration the many unique factors that impact an individual shelter and the many other ways in which that shelter works on behalf of those most vulnerable in the community.

It fails to look at scope and scale. It fails to step back and really see what each individual organization is doing with the resources it has for the animals about which it cares so deeply. Impact is so much more important than labels. When we create confusion we create doubt in the minds of those whose support is so critical to the work we do.

The Michigan Humane Society does not euthanize animals that are healthy or treatable. Since late 2015, MHS has held a 100 percent placement rate for healthy and treatable animals. Does this mean MHS is a “no-kill” shelter? By most definitions: yes. However, we would never define ourselves as such, and, more important, perhaps it’s time to discard the term altogether and look at what responsible modern sheltering should look like.

To discard the term “no kill” does not mean that we have to discard the principles behind it: that every animal that should be saved has an opportunity at life. This is the first point of clarity. “Should” be saved is different from “can” be saved.

Many animals entering MHS each year have never been socialized and display inherent aggression. We, as professionals in animal welfare, have to consider our obligation to public safety and the integrity of our placement process. Each animal we evaluate is an individual and a product of its owner and its environment. Genetics play a part in an animal’s behavior, but overwhelmingly the animals we see that display aggression are a product of the factors around them.

Regardless, this fact does not make them any less dangerous. Whether offensively aggressive or aggressive out of fear – the result is aggression and an animal that should not be placed. This is not to say that it could not be placed, but that it should not. We have a responsibility for public safety that has to coexist with our responsibility to the animals entrusted to us.

The term “no kill” alone tends to manifest itself as a “YOU need to do something” mentality rather than an “I need to do something” mindset. Criticism from behind a keyboard does not save lives. MHS, as an example, puts countless hours and resources into medically treating and behaviorally rehabilitating the most vulnerable animals. However, those efforts are wasted without community support and people willing to adopt from us. Animal shelters have an obligation to the animals they care for but are only successful if the community, which values animals as much as we do, steps away from saying “someone” will do something and, instead, says “I” will do something.

Take the pit bull conversation, for example. MHS is strongly against any form of breed-specific legislation. Most years we adopt out more pit bulls or pit bull mixes than most animal shelters in Michigan adopt out total dogs. With that said, the majority of the intake at MHS’ largest facility, the Mackey Center for Animal Care in Detroit, is pit bulls. These are some incredible dogs – truly great companions.

However, there is a stigma about them, and regardless of the work we put into them, there are fewer people looking to adopt them. To put it bluntly, there is no line out our door to adopt pit bulls. We are not alone with the pit bull issue; it is an enormous burden on sheltering systems across the country.

These are some of the factors that impact the metrics that we are, fairly or unfairly, measured by – every animal requires an outcome and those outcomes require community support. With that comes an obligation for us as sheltering professionals to constantly challenge ourselves to do more – to save more lives.

Let’s look beyond those animals that, for behavioral reasons, should not be placed, and let’s consider the term “treatable.” The Asilomar Accords, a recognized standard for animal shelters worldwide, defines “treatable” as what a reasonable person in the community would treat. In and of itself, this definition is broad and subjective.

Heartworm is a case in point. Five years ago, MHS euthanized dogs that came to us with heartworm, with very few exceptions, mostly due to the sheer volume of animals we took in at that time. Those dogs were untreatable. Now, at any given time, we have between 10 and 15 dogs undergoing treatment for heartworm. In 2016, MHS invested over $250,000 to treat hundreds of dogs in our shelters with heartworm (a preventable disease). In 2017, we have classified as treatable more than 70 percent of the animals placed through MHS. We go above and beyond to individually define treatable in our system of shelters. Every animal entrusted to our care is given a chance at life.

However, our individual accomplishments are not how we measure success. Success is animal welfare organizations working in concert to give every animal the same opportunities at life. Keeping a boat afloat by bailing water into another boat is not the way to make it to shore. But that very notion is the mindset when we allow our actions to be guided by two words: no kill.

We have to discard the notion that a single number, a live-release rate, can define the effectiveness of a shelter. That is sheltering to a number, not a principle. Each animal must be considered an individual, and each shelter must be evaluated based on its impact on the community and, more important, its impact on the animals we share our lives with.

Responsible sheltering should be driven by the principle that we provide every animal the care and compassion it deserves regardless of its outcome. We must balance our responsibility to public safety with our overarching philosophy that every healthy and treatable animal is saved.

Sometimes a term can take on a life of its own and no longer represent the values and principles it once intended. We must never lose sight of our obligation to the lives entrusted to us. Animal care is a community commitment. No one organization should declare success at the expense of other organizations.

Animal welfare has to be considered a community issue, one in which problems and challenges are overcome through collaboration and an unwavering commitment to compassion and life.

Bruce Roney
Executive Director

**GIVEN THE CURRENT PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, AN APPOINTMENT IS REQUIRED TO BRING IN A FOUND ANIMAL OR TO CLAIM A LOST PET. IF YOU FOUND AN ANIMAL PLEASE CONTACT US AT 613-725-3166, EXT. 221 TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT BEFORE BRINGING THE ANIMAL. IF THE ANIMAL IS IN DISTRESS CALL 311 IMMEDIATELY. TO CLAIM A LOST PET PLEASE CONTACT US AT 613-725-3166, EXT. 223 TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CANNOT CURRENTLY SEARCH FOR LOST PETS IN PERSON BUT OHS STAFF CAN ASSIST WITH YOUR SEARCH. THANK YOU!**

If you have lost an animal, please fill in our handy Lost Animal Report or send us an email. The OHS receives thousands of lost animals every year. Submitting a complete lost report will help us to quickly identify some animals.

Members of the public cannot search for lost pets in person, but if you think your lost pet is at the OHS, please call us and we will work with you to verify if it’s yours.

Dogs

While lost cats hide, lost dogs ROAM! How far your dog will travel depends on a few things. For tips on how to find your dog, click here.

Cats

Kitty strayed? A physical search for your cat increases the likelihood that you will find her. For more tips, click here.

What to do next

Immediate steps to take if your cat has just gotten lost:

• Right away, physically search the immediate area.
• If your cat is an indoor-only cat, and you aren’t sure he has gotten out of the house, search EVERYWHERE in the house first. You may want to set a live trap in the house with a tasty treat in it—making sure you’re checking it every few hours.
• Look outside in hiding spaces, like sheds, and under porches and bushes: nine times out of ten, cats will be found hiding, not wandering down the street. They will not come when you call them and may be startled by loud noises. Use a flashlight for darker spaces, and be quiet and move slowly as you search to avoid startling the cat. If you do see him, approach slowly. Use treats to lure him, or cover him with a towel to contain him.Talk to your neighbours: knock on doors, ask them to keep an eye out and to check their garages and sheds, and ask if you can look in their backyard.

If you haven’t found your cat right away, or he has already been missing for a while, take aggressive actions immediately: conduct an extensive search, and let everyone know he’s missing. For more tips, click here.

Immediate steps to take if your dog has just gotten lost:

• Think about why your dog ran: was it away from something, or towards? This may help you to figure out where to start searching.
• Physically search the immediate area and call your dog loudly.
• If there are sounds or words your dog reacts to, use them! Sound excited and happy when you’re calling him…he may not come if you sound angry, harsh or panicked.
• Go to areas you know your dog likes and is familiar with…is there a spot he likes to stop to smell other dogs’ markings? A dog park close by? A walk route you usually take?
• If it’s hot out, dogs usually stay along tree lines and in the shade.

If you haven’t found your dog right away, or he has already been missing for a while, take aggressive actions immediately: conduct an extensive search, and let everyone know he’s missing. For more tips, click here.

Helpful hints

• Be specific when describing your lost pet.
  Examples: A large 6-year-old domestic short-haired cat, all black with white paws. Neutered and declawed. Friendly with people. Answers to the name Newton OR A 3-year-old medium size dog, 25-30lbs, black and tan, shepherd mix. Female, spayed. A little timid – answers to the name Shadow.
• Be sure to attach a photo.
• Help our staff at the Humane Society find your pet – visit the shelter every other day to check for new arrivals. Ask for help and don’t forget to file a lost report!

**Given the current public health crisis, an appointment is required to bring in an animal or search for a lost pet. Please contact us at 613-725-3166, ext. 221 to schedule an appointment. Thank you!**

Dogs that run away, usually escape for one of three common reasons: they’re following an alluring scent (including during mating season!), they were escaping in panic, often as a result of a terrifying sound (like fireworks), or a gate that was supposed to be closed was left open. While lost cats hide, lost dogs ROAM! How far your dog will travel depends on a few things:

• Weather: Bad weather is a barrier for traveling as much distance.
• Terrain: Dogs in residential areas typically travel less distance than in rural areas, because of obstacles such as fences.
• Your dog’s appearance: People are more likely to contain a smaller or “friendly” looking dog than an “aggressive” or larger one. Similarly, “Pure-bred’ looking dogs carry “value”—people are more confident that it’s a lost pet that someone is looking for.
• Population density: Areas with low numbers of people mean the chances of finding the dog near the escape point drastically decreases, as fewer people will see him, and he has fewer barriers (fences, busy streets, buildings) to slow him down.

Kitty strayed? A physical search for your cat increases the likelihood that you will find her.

If your cat was just lost, the good news is that cats are often found nearby. Cats generally hide when they are lost. They like to stay in the area they’re most familiar with. A recent study showed that 75% of cats were found within a 500 metre radius of where they got lost! This is especially true of cats that don’t normally go outside, as they’re more likely to be terrified by being outside to begin with.

If you are unable to find the answer to your question, please send us an email at info@ottawahumane.ca.

For All They Have Given Us: Seniors and the Ottawa Humane Society

I meet a lot of people in my role at the Ottawa Humane Society. And because seniors are such ardent supporters of the OHS, a disproportionate number of the people I meet and talk to are seniors.

Many of the seniors I meet support the OHS because they remember the joy of a beloved pet.  But many do not currently have pets, worried that a pet might outlive them, or outlive their capacity to care for a pet. This makes me a little sad because it seems to me that many of those I talk to really want a pet and perhaps need the companionship even more than they did in younger days.

At the OHS, we think that almost everyone’s life can be enhanced by a pet, and so we have put or collective minds to reducing the barriers and worries for seniors.

One of our solutions was to launch our Cats for Seniors Program to match a senior cat—defined as over five—with a human senior. To promote the idea, the OHS offers a discount on the adoption fee.  This program is win-win as the cat that is more challenging to adopt gets a loving home, and a senior gets a new companion. Older cats are more often quieter and more laid back than their younger cousins and less likely to climb the drapes than a rambunctious kitten—a major plus for many seniors.  And, of course, an older cat is less likely to outlive a worried owner.

Another solution is our Pet Stewardship Program, whereby the OHS will care for the pet of an owner who has passed away or is incapacitated and find a new home for the pet, subject to the owner’s instructions, and overseen in the long-term by the OHS. This can provide tremendous peace of mind for anyone who doesn’t have a friend or family member who is willing and able to take on a dog or a cat should something happen.

For the more adventurous, there is the option of becoming an OHS foster volunteer. Instead of the long-term commitment to a dog or cat of their own, seniors can temporarily care for pets in their homes while the pet recovers from an illness, or otherwise become adoption-ready. Fostering may be the perfect solution for seniors who travel or are otherwise unable to make a long-term commitment to the responsibility of a pet.

And what if a senior is living in a retirement home or long-term care facility? The OHS has thought of those seniors too, through our Brightening Lives Animal Visits Program. In fact, since 1980 OHS volunteers have been visiting these facilities, bringing the joy of animal companionship to residents.

And to celebrate it all, and all that seniors bring to our lives, to the OHS and to our community, we host an annual Seniors’ Day event at the OHS every September.

Bruce Roney
President and CEO

Members of the public cannot search for lost pets in person, but if you think your lost pet is at the OHS, please call us and we will work with you to verify if it’s yours. You can also follow these steps to help get your dog back home!

Most stray cats you see are likely in their own neighbourhood and have the best chance of getting home if you leave them alone.

If you think the cat’s truly lost, however, there are ways you can help! Follow these steps to increase the chances of reuniting them with their family.

Found a Kitten?

GIVEN THE CURRENT PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, AN APPOINTMENT IS REQUIRED TO BRING IN A FOUND ANIMAL OR TO CLAIM A LOST PET. IF YOU FOUND AN ANIMAL PLEASE CONTACT US AT 613-725-3166, EXT. 221 TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT BEFORE BRINGING THE ANIMAL. IF THE ANIMAL IS IN DISTRESS CALL 311 IMMEDIATELY. TO CLAIM A LOST PET PLEASE CONTACT US AT 613-725-3166, EXT. 223 TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CANNOT CURRENTLY SEARCH FOR LOST PETS IN PERSON BUT OHS STAFF CAN ASSIST WITH YOUR SEARCH. THANK YOU!

Found a Pet?

If you have found an animal, legally you must take reasonable steps to find the owner. Click here for five steps to follow when you find a lost or stray cat. Also, make sure to complete our online Found Animal Report.

To report a stray dog at large or stray dog that you have found, please contact the City of Ottawa at 311.

Lost Your Pet?

If you have lost an animal, please fill in our handy Lost Animal Report. The OHS receives thousands of lost animals every year. Submitting a complete lost report will help us to quickly identify many animals.

Submitting a lost report is not a substitute for visiting the shelter to look for your animal.

If you have lost your pet, you can view lost photos online of most of the stray cats and dogs that have recently been admitted to our shelter. Pictures are posted within 24 hours of admission, and the site is updated every hour.

Please note: not all stray animal pictures are posted on this site.

We will do our best to help with your search, but as the owner, you are ultimately responsible to look for and identify your pet.

If you think you have found your pet on our website or you have any questions, please contact our Lost and Found Department immediately (613-725-3166 ext. 223 or intake@ottawahumane.ca).

For tips on searching for your lost pet, click here.

For more information about claiming your pet, click here.

Contact Info and Hours

 Map to the OHS: