Impact Reports

Small grey kitten lying on a blanket.

Securing More Second Chances for Animals in Need

From Oct. to Dec. 2024...

Safe Haven for Kittens

Meet Anthony, an affectionate 11-month-old cat who was found lost and alone outdoors with a large wound on his head and matted fur. We don’t know what happened, but his story is a great reminder of the importance of keeping cats indoors.

Our dedicated veterinary team carefully cleaned Anthony’s wound, gave him medication to ease his pain and closely monitored him to make sure he was recovering well.

We’re happy to share that thanks to your support, Anthony is healing beautifully! His next steps include getting neutered and recovering with the help of a caring foster volunteer. Once he’s fully healed, Anthony will be ready to find his loving forever home. Thank you for making second chances possible for animals like Anthony.

Two Longest Stay Dogs Find Forever Homes

Together, Walter and Billie had been waiting more than 400 days to find their perfect match. For months, they saw little interest from adopters. But the holiday season changed their story.

We told the community how long the dogs had been waiting and Ottawa responded in a big way, sharing Walter’s and Billie’s story far and wide. In only a few days, these dogs went from homeless to finding their perfect forever families.

Thanks to you, Walter and Billie were able to spend their long wait in the home of a foster volunteer. You made sure the fosters didn’t have to spend a cent to give the dogs everything they needed for a comfortable stay. Thank you for making these dogs’ dreams come true!

Stray, Pregnant Rabbits

One pregnant rabbit lost and alone in the cold of winter is already heartbreaking. Shockingly, two momma rabbits needed shelter and care at the OHS in a single week.

Thanks to you, Buttercup and Apricot were able to give birth to their little families surrounded by love and care. These two mamas caused our rabbit population to spike in just a few days, but with your support, the mothers and babies will receive spay/neuter surgeries and find their perfect forever homes.

Thank you for making second chances possible for the animals who need you most.

Life-saving statistics at the OHS:

  • 1,706 animals brought to the OHS including 170 wildlife.
  • 1,117 surgeries performed at the OHS.
  • 1,006 animals adopted.
  • 416 animals average in OHS care daily.

 

Two veterinary technicians helping a puppy on an examination table.

Helping Families Stay Together

From Oct. to Dec. 2024...

Wellness Clinics – Increasing Need

Thanks to you, there are safeguards to help keep pets with the people who love them, including essential community services like the OHS Emergency Pet Food Bank and wellness clinics.

The need for wellness clinics in the community is clear, and we have opened more appointments to provide for more people and pets in need and doubled the number of pets helped through the clinics.

Your support ensures that pets can stay with the families who love them and that the bond between a person and their animal never has to break.

The Next Generation of People and Pups

With your help, we launched our new Puppy Kindergarten and Junior Trainers programs — one to focus on supporting the next generation of dogs and one to support the next generation of people.

Puppy Kindergarten is as adorable as it sounds. In our education centre, six puppies and their people got together to socialize, experience new people, sights, sounds and objects, and to learn some basic training.

At our Junior Trainers class, kids ages 9 to 14 come with their dog and learn how to teach their pets basic manners, new tricks and games, and the class helps kids develop patience and confidence working with animals.

You help make our new programs for young people and pets possible and help keep pets with the families who love them!

Statistics on pets and families helped:

  • 8,858 lbs of pet food distributed through the OHS Emergency Pet Food Bank.
  • 173 pets helped through wellness clinics.
  • 55 cats helped through spay/neuter services.
Veterinarian cuddling with a big dog on the floor.

Building a Caring Community

From Oct. to Dec. 2024...

Return of Brightening Lives Shelter Visits

A wagging tail, heartwarming purr or petting an adorable furry face has proven
benefits in boosting moods and raising spirits (and most animals love the
company too).

Working with our friends at the Shepherds of Good Hope, Ottawa Technical
School and Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre, we invite groups of people to the shelter
to spend time with the animals and enjoy the special connection that people
share with pets. Our homeless pets also get to enjoy extra companionship and
enrichment that is so important for their well-being.

Thank you for your meaningful support in helping make this important program
possible.

Advocating for Ontario’s Wildlife

Kidnapped, locked in a cage, and forced to run for their life — this is the horrifying reality for coyotes, rabbits and foxes used as bait for hunting dogs in Ontario’s train and trial pens in Ontario.

The 90-day window to license new train and trial hunting pens — barbaric facilities that unleash hunting dogs on captive wildlife for sport — has ended with no update from Ontario’s government.

We still don’t know how many new licences were issued, but one thing is clear: this cruel, archaic practice has no place in Ontario. While the government’s inaction is disappointing, the support of the animal advocates who joined our call to end this blood sport is uplifting.

Together, we can make a difference for the animals who need us most.

Statistics on community involvement:

  • 8,382 hours volunteered.
  • 3,736 participants in youth programming.
  • 349 participants in adult programming.
  • 275 letters sent to end train and trial hunting pens.

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