May 10, 2024
Everyone Wants to Know: Where Will You be in Five Years?
I’ve already talked about how much I love plans, so it’ll be no surprise that I am beyond thrilled to share our new five-year strategic plan! Our focus: saving more animals by helping at both ends of the leash.
Last fall, Ottawa shared with us what’s needed to help pet owners and better support all animals in our community. It’s clear that in our current times of rapid change and uncertainty, we must be able to adapt nimbly and quickly, to meet our shifting environment and help more animals and the people who love them.
Five key directions are the pillars of our plan and will drive us forward in building a more humane and compassionate community for all.
We will secure more second chances for all animals.
Elevating our ability to meet the physical and mental needs of Ottawa’s homeless animals will lead to fewer animals in our care that we’re unable to help. But this isn’t just about more second chances for those in our care: we envision an enhanced safety net in Ottawa for all animals.
We will help families stay together.
People and pets need each other. Ottawa is facing a pet affordability crisis. The OHS is enhancing and expanding its community services to help families weather any storm.
We will empower our caring teams.
People and pets rely on the OHS’s dedicated and compassionate staff and volunteer teams to provide essential, life-saving services. Providing our teams with the best environment and tools to serve the animals and our community will let us better serve Ottawa’s diverse and vibrant community and respond to the needs of the animals.
We will educate, enrich and collaborate with our community.
Ottawa is a community that cares. We will give the community the tools needed to drive meaningful and lasting change for animals in need.
We will safeguard the animals’ future.
The OHS relies on the support of a caring community to build a sustainable future and ensure Ottawa’s animals always have somewhere safe and loving to go. Together, we will create a stronger, more resilient organization that ensures this.
With these five pillars, we are creating a better, safer future for all of Ottawa’s animals.
We have lofty goals. But with your support, and the support of Ottawa’s caring community, the next five years are going to be great for Ottawa’s animals and the people who love them.
Sharon Miko
President & CEO