Advocating for the animals... read more

Being There for the Animals When Population Peaks

Social media and the internet are valuable tools that can help rally support to improve animal welfare, find a forever home for an animal who has been waiting too long without any interest, reunite a lost pet with their family and much more.

Helpful as these tools are, they can also spread misunderstandings that can hurt pets and the people who love them.

Currently, the OHS is managing a high population of animals and is caring for many cats, an unprecedented number of rabbits, and many dogs who have complex behaviour and medical needs.

Because of this high population, the OHS is delaying non-emergency intake, and this is where a misunderstanding might start. Someone may learn that intake for safe and healthy animals is being delayed and misinterpret this information as: the OHS is not accepting any animals.

The misunderstanding might quickly spread through the internet and social media and is particularly dangerous since it may prevent someone from contacting the OHS about admitting an animal who needs help immediately.

The OHS never turns away animals in need. The OHS achieves this by prioritizing which animals are admitted to the shelter based on the animal's needs and the resources available.

The OHS also aims to keep families together whenever possible. If a family is having challenges that might prevent them from keeping their pet, the OHS will explore options to keep the family together. These options may include training classes, behaviour workshops, the OHS's pet food bank and Mobile Spay/Neuter Service. If staying together isn't an option, the OHS will work with the family to schedule a date to admit the animal that is best for the pet, the family and the OHS.

If you find comments stating the OHS is not accepting animals, please share that the OHS does not turn away animals in need and help them learn more about the OHSs intake process.

A pet's life might depend on you.

Homeless Animals like Figgy Pudding Need YOU

Every day, you give hope to animals like Figgy Pudding. Will you give a gift today to ensure animals receive the care and attention they deserve?

At 11 weeks old — Figgy Pudding was struggling to survive all alone with nowhere else to go. She was very thin and limping on her left hind leg. It was clear that she needed medical attention immediately.

OHS veterinarians acted fast to provide her the urgent care she desperately needed. An X-ray revealed that amputating her leg was the best option for her to live a happy, healthy life.

Thanks to the compassion of generous people like you, Figgy Pudding received the life-saving care she needed and found her loving forever home. Will you extend this same compassion to more animals like Figgy Pudding and give them a second chance at life?

Planning the Future: The Next Five Years

This summer, the OHS asked for your feedback to help plan for the future. Between focus groups and surveys, more than 3,000 people shared what they thought the community needs to support Ottawa’s animals.

Early results show that more needs to be done to support the OHS's plan to help at both ends of the leash that is, helping pets who already have a home to prevent the animals from being surrendered to the OHS.

As the OHS develops its strategic plan, these are some areas of focus that will be included:

• Helping families stay together by reducing financial barriers to keeping pets healthy, happy and in loving homes.
• Making more second chances possible by helping more animals become adoptable and ensuring they are successful in their forever homes.
• Supporting the human-animal bond by ensuring pets are seen as valued family members and helping more pets find homes.
• Advocating and educating to create a better future for the animals.
• Bolstering the OHS's foundation to ensure the organization is available for animals today and the animals of tomorrow.

The OHS's new strategic plan will launch next spring. If you haven't had a chance to share your thoughts and want to do so, email Heather Hunter, director: outreach & community services, at heatherh@ottawahumane.ca.

The Results of the OHS's Rabbit Week and What it Says About Ottawa's Rabbit Crisis

To find forever homes for 30 rabbits in its care, the OHS declared July 23 to 29 Rabbit Week. Bunnies took over the OHS's social media channels and a special adoption promotion was available for the duration, offering a discount on rabbits and additional perks for bunny adopters.

To get even more rabbits adopted, the OHS extended the promotion to Aug. 18. During the period, 28 rabbits were adopted, but 18 more were brought to the OHS and even more have come in since then.

There are two major learnings from the success and failings of Rabbit Week:

1. Rabbits are valued pets and Ottawa has many people who are willing to adopt a rabbit, but targeted promotions are needed to reach this group.
2. Unsterilized rabbits acquired from online breeders are still contributing to Ottawa's rabbit overpopulation. The OHS spays/neuters all rabbits before adoption while those acquired through online listings, pet stores and other sources rarely have this benefit.

It's clear that creative and eye-catching promotions are needed to find more forever homes for bunnies in need, but this method is like using a bucket to save a leaking boat.

To truly solve Ottawa's rabbit crisis, there needs to be greater awareness of how to properly care for rabbits as pets — including how to acquire rabbits responsibly. Rabbits need greater protections in legislation to prevent breeding practices that lead to countless online postings of rabbits for sale, entire litters arriving at the OHS with nowhere else to go, and helpless bunnies being abandoned outdoors to fend for themselves.

You can make a difference for Ottawa's bunnies by sharing this information with people who are interested in acquiring a rabbit and by reaching out to your city councillor to ask for better protections for rabbits in our community.

Thank You for Supporting Ottawa's Animals!

Thank you so much for being a PAW monthly donor — you are a hero for Ottawa's animals!

You save animals like Pongo, a six-month-old Dalmatian, who arrived at the OHS with an overbite and a deformed mouth. Thanks to you, Pongo got a second chance and has found his happily ever after.

Thank you for helping thousands of homeless and vulnerable animals.

The Standards Program Trustmark is a mark of Imagine Canada used under licence by the Ottawa Humane Society.

The Humane Canada Accreditation Program mark is a licenced mark of Humane Canada used under licence by the Ottawa Humane Society.