March 25, 2021
The Unexpected Dog
There are a lot of things putting me in a good mood lately: an early spring; brighter evenings; and, an end to the pandemic in sight. Another thing that puts me in a good mood is an unexpected dog. By that, I mean meeting a dog in a surprising place: a restaurant patio, a store or a hotel. It just makes me feel warm and content, like everything is right with the world. Unexpected cats make me happy too, but for some reason they are only found in small bookstores, antique shops and the occasional feline-themed café.
At the Ottawa Humane Society, we think that a lot of people have the same feeling when they meet a dog — expected or not. We believe that pets are not only part of a healthy family, but also part of a healthy community. That’s why we created our Dog-Friendly Business Program: to encourage the integration of well-behaved dogs in Ottawa.
For a modest fee, we give businesses a water bowl, a full treat jar, sample rules and a decal to let customers know the business is part of the program. Then we promote them as dog-friendly through our communication channels. This year, to do our small part to help so many local businesses suffering in the pandemic, we have waived the fee.
I hope that you will do your small part to help local businesses too — especially those that have opened their doors to unexpected dogs.
Bruce Roney
President & CEO