July 19, 2018

If a golden retriever came knocking at your door, would you answer?

The Ottawa Humane Society is in its third year of its five year strategic plan. The plan is ambitious and challenging. Its goals run from reducing cat overpopulation to intervening in dog behaviour to creating a new generation of responsible and compassionate citizens. The plan also addresses how we are going to pay for the better future for animals and people in our community.

For years, the humane movement has been using the tagline, “We speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.” This has been core to the OHS and most humane societies — being a voice for animals. What some of us forgot along the way is that while we need to speak for animals, we also need to ask for animals.

Dogs aren’t good at mailouts and cats put on lousy events, so we have to do it for them. One initiative the OHS is undertaking for the animals is door-to-door canvassing. We are asking our community to support the animals through monthly giving right at their doors. In the long term, monthly giving is the most affordable for you, and efficient for us. That is, in the end, more funds for the animals, their care and their future.

So, no, we don’t have golden retrievers going door to door to ask you to sign up for a monthly gift. But when an OHS representative comes to your door, please remember we are asking for them.

Bruce Roney
President and CEO