From April 14 to 20, we are celebrating National Volunteer Week and the contributions of close to 800 volunteers who give their time, effort and heart to Ottawa’s homeless animals. There is no question, without the support of our volunteers, the OHS would not be able to care for thousands of animals each year. The work of volunteers is ingrained in everything we do, from volunteer veterinarians who work alongside our staff veterinarians to provide life-saving care for animals with nowhere else to turn; food bank volunteers who are essential in helping pets and their families stay together; yo ..read more

If you’ve ever watched someone say a final goodbye to a loved one, you’ll know how heartbreaking that is. The emotions often reserved for airports and hospital rooms are strikingly similar to those witnessed every day by the OHS admissions team. After all, pets are our family. Saying goodbye to a beloved pet is like saying goodbye to a piece of ourselves. As confusing and stressful as it can be for a pet to enter a shelter, we know it can be just as hard for their person. This is just one of the heartbreaking situations we see every day: Owners who come to the OHS over and over, desperately se ..read more

Volunteering: it’s an incredible thing. It means donating your time and energy, towards a greater cause. It’s an integral part of keeping an organization like the OHS going. And for high school students in Ontario, it’s also a requirement for graduation. We often get calls from eager teens hoping for the chance to earn their volunteer hours at the OHS, helping animals in need. We’re excited to have just launched a new program that will give them that chance – it’s a win-win for the animals in our care and for the youth who are passionate about them. The new Youth Foster program sees teens care ..read more

This week, we hosted a special “Help the Shelter” March Break Camp for kids. These children come to our camps with a fierce love for animals, so showing them how we can better enrich the lives of our pets has been a rewarding experience for everyone involved! These young, but dedicated campers read stories to our shelter rabbits to support their socialization, helped find families for our animals by designing adoption posters, and crafted frozen treats for our shelter dogs as we head into the warmer months.  Camps and other programs for kids are cornerstones of our efforts to build the n ..read more

Giving a pet away is not easy. Our team sees it every day. The family who’s moving and cannot bring their dog with them. A pet who needs extensive veterinary treatment that is out of reach for their people. A person who is facing sudden financial crisis and doesn’t know if they can afford to feed their cat or themselves. The family whose schedule became more complicated and they’re not able to be there enough for their rabbit. There is a prevalent myth about surrendering a pet: that the person does not care about their companion. The reality is, deciding to surrender an animal to the OHS when ..read more

Spay/Neuter Awareness Month is coming to an end, but the importance of spaying/neutering our pets is something worth remembering year-round. This essential procedure is key to ending the tragic cycle of homeless pets in Ottawa. It also helps our pets live their best lives, preventing life-threatening illnesses like pyometra and addressing some common behaviour challenges.   It’s not too late, you can still give to make this essential surgery possible for Ottawa’s homeless animals. Spay/neuter is a crucial service for our pets as a pet that is spayed/neutered will usually live a longer, h ..read more

February is Black History Month. Last year, we shared the contributions of Dr. Lila Miller — the mother of shelter medicine — and how she made strides in advancing veterinary care standards for homeless animals. We’ve also explored the work of Dr. William Key who, alongside his horse, Beautiful Jim Key, was a pioneer in the humane education movement — instilling in the next generation a sense of compassion and responsibility towards animals. Dr. Key was not the only Black animal advocate to champion humane education. Frederick Rivers Barnwell was a minister, leader in public health and a cham ..read more

The OHS is sometimes referred to as the “dog and cat society” (and we might add rabbit to that these days), given that those species account for the majority of the animals who come into our care. But our mission is, actually, focused on all animals. And today, we must speak up for horses. You NEED to call and email your Member of Parliament right now to voice your support for Bill C-355. The bill will end the export of live Canadian horses for slaughter overseas, and will be voted on by the end of the month. Each year, Canada ships thousands of horses overseas for slaughter. Trapped in cramp ..read more

The third Monday of January is also known as Blue Monday or the most depressing day of the year. In the 2000s, a travel company coined the date, possibly in a bid to sell more vacations. The science behind Blue Monday being the most depressing day of the year is dubious, but I can’t deny that January simply feels like a sad month, at least in Canada. The days are short and cold, holiday cheer has dried up, and some resolutions for the new year may already feel impossible to reach, or a cumbersome burden. What’s not dubious? The benefits pets can have for our mental health and well-being. A pe ..read more

A new year is here, and I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to an excellent year for Ottawa and our community’s animals. I understand I might be somewhat alone in my optimism. Between the worries of pet owners who are concerned that finances may drive them and their pets apart, Ontario struggling to provide effective protections against animal cruelty and neglect, and surges of pets in need arriving at the OHS, it’s easy to be apprehensive about what’s to come in 2024. The challenges facing our community and our pets are clear, but what’s also clear is that Ottawa is a community t ..read more