Search Results for: Grief Support

Are you coping with the loss of a pet? Saying goodbye is never easy. Many people suffer when they lose a pet and find it hard to move forward alone in the grieving process. The Ottawa Humane Society has partnered with Bereavement Support & Education – Ottawa to offer on-going grief counselling to our community.

Group meetings are held monthly at the OHS and are facilitated by a certified grief educator.

Grief educators provide information on a variety of subjects related to pet loss through guest lectures and informal discussions, working alongside participants to provide compassionate support and in-depth coping strategies for anyone dealing with the loss of a pet.

This program is available to the public free of charge, donations to the OHS are welcome. Participants are not required to bring anything, but may wish to share photos of their pet and other memorial items. Throughout the meeting, light refreshments will be available.

Participants must be over the age of 16.

Meetings will run on the following dates at the OHS:

• Tuesday, Aug. 20 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
• Tuesday, Sept. 17 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
• Tuesday, Oct. 15 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
• Tuesday, Nov. 19 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
• Tuesday, Dec. 17 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 21 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
• Tuesday, Feb. 18 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
• Tuesday, Mar. 17 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

For more information about other Pet Loss Support Group locations, please visit www.ottawapetloss.com/meetings.

For more information, email programs@ottawahumane.ca or call 613-725-3166, ext. 298.

We are using a new system for program registrations! If you have feedback or issues using the system, please email programs@ottawahumane.ca.

I think we vastly under appreciate the impact of the loss of a pet. Too often, we tell people, through our words or actions, that they should just get over it (They can’t get over it!) or to get a new pet (They don’t want a new pet, they want that pet!) or in some other way diminish the person’s feelings of loss and grief.

Too often this leads to the person who has lost a pet to suffer in silence because they feel silly or embarrassed by what they are feeling. That’s not OK. The grief is real and we need to treat it as real. If we care, we have to feel and express that losing a pet counts as something worthy of grief.

Men, I think experience this more acutely, as we do with any problem that can be positively affected by sharing feelings. Few men will admit‎ it, but many probably shared more feelings with that old dog they do with their partner.

Don’t let anyone tell you to put it in the past. You don’t have to say, “I loved that cat.” You love that cat. Period. Your time together may have been in the past but your feelings are right here in the present.

Because this is such a profound issue, as a part of our five-year strategic plan, the OHS has partnered with the Pet Loss Support Group to double the local resources for those grieving the loss of a beloved pet. A second group will be launched Mondays once a month beginning on September 26, right here at the OHS.

The group is free and light refreshments will be available. If you are experiencing the unresolved loss of a pet, please join us.

Bruce Roney
Executive Director

*Recruitment Closed*

The Ottawa Humane Society’s Volunteer Department is looking for volunteers who are interested in working closely with our events team on select office/administration projects and donor stewardship initiatives at our Development office (9 Capella Court). All tasks will support OHS signature events, community events, the OHS wedding program and other fundraising initiatives (e.g. Warm Hearts Raffle). Administrative tasks may include:

• Data entry;
• Telephone calling to thank donors;
• Photo-copying and laminating;
• Document collation;
• Mail outs;
• Other clerical duties as assigned.

Office Volunteer Requirements:

• Volunteers must have strong computer skills (Microsoft Office);
• Experience with data entry or in a administrative role is preferred;
• Volunteers must have excellent customer service skills;
• Volunteers must be highly organized and have high attention to detail;
• Volunteers must be comfortable taking direction;
• Volunteers must work comfortably in a team setting;
• Volunteers must be consistent and reliable;
• Volunteers must be able to make a minimum 1-year commitment;
• Volunteers must be able to commit to a three hour weekly shift;
• Volunteers must wear business casual attire.

Not currently recruiting.

The Ottawa Humane Society’s Volunteer Department is looking for volunteers who are interested in working closely with our Mobile Spay and Neuter Services team, offering office/administration support. Administrative tasks may include:

• Data entry;
• Organizing and alphabetizing files;
• Checking voicemail and transferring messages;
• Creating labels;
• Making e-collars;
• Other clerical duties as assigned.

Office Volunteer Requirements:

• Volunteers must have strong computer skills (Microsoft Office);
• Experience with data entry or in an administrative role is preferred;
• Volunteers must have excellent customer service skills;
• Volunteers must be highly organized and have high attention to detail;
• Volunteers must be comfortable taking direction;
• Volunteers must work comfortably in a team setting;
• Volunteers must be consistent and reliable;
• Volunteers must be able to make a minimum 1-year commitment;
• Volunteers must be able to commit to a three hour weekly shift;
• Volunteers must wear business casual attire.

OHS volunteers help give Ottawa’s animals a brighter future and make our community a more humane place for all. If you are interested in joining our volunteer team, and making a difference for Ottawa’s animals, please review the volunteer opportunities and follow the application instructions.

Please note: Applications will not be processed for programs that are not open for recruitment. We have a limited number of available openings, and applicants must meet the volunteer requirements to be considered for an interview. We thank all applicants for applying, however, only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

Current Volunteer Opportunities at the OHS

Volunteer: Brightening Lives Animal Visits

The Brightening Lives Animal Visits Program is a community service that the OHS began in 1986. This volunteer-based program promotes the value of animals in the Ottawa community by bringing joy and happiness to individuals residing in hospitals, retirement residences, shelters and other long-term care facilities, through human and companion animal volunteer interactions. The Brightening Lives Animal Visits Program mimics an academic school year and runs from September to May, with occasional summer visits. Visits are scheduled from Mondays to Thursdays, and consist of morning, afternoon and evening shifts.

Learn more

Volunteer: Humane Education Program

Do you enjoy spending time with children and animals? Are you comfortable speaking in front of kids?Are you available for three hours every second week during the school year (October-June)? Can you commit to the School Program for one year? Do you have a car or access to a vehicle?

If you answered YES to the above questions, you may enjoy volunteering with the humane education department!

Learn more

Volunteer: Canine Behaviour Intervention Program

Interested in helping OHS dogs become better canine citizens? Some dogs need a little help adjusting to the shelter environment before finding their forever home or they need some basic training to help them get adopted more quickly.

Learn More

Volunteer: Groomer

Volunteer groomers help ensure the health and well-being of our animals by bathing and drying animals, trimming nails, cleaning ears, and brushing or shaving matted coats. The OHS has a fully equipped grooming room including a table, tub, and supplies where volunteers provide grooming services with an expert hand.

Learn more

Volunteer: Foster Program

The OHS relies on the dedication of foster volunteers to aid in the recovery of animals who may not be ready for adoption due to medical or behavioural reasons. Foster volunteers temporarily care for animals in their home until the animals are ready to be adopted. The goal of the Foster Program is to provide the animals in our care with an opportunity for a happy and healthy future.

Learn more

Thank you to all of our wonderful OHS supporters!

Thank you to the individuals, companies, groups and associations who have organized a community event or activity to raise money for Ottawa’s animals. 

Whether big or small, private or public, the effort and passion that you put into each and every event is appreciated and has a positive impact on the lives of the animals we care for.

By Sarah Probst, Information Specialist

University of Illinois
College of Veterinary Medicine
Article reprinted in full and with permission from CVM’s website.

“For many children, pet death is the first time they will experience grief over death. Handling a pet’s death in a positive way empowers children to handle grief in the future,” explains Julia Brannan, veterinary student and student director of the Companion Animal Related Emotions (C.A.R.E.) Helpline at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. “Being honest with children is the most important factor.”

Terminology is crucial when talking to children about death. When explaining pet loss, use the words “death,” “dead,” “dying” instead of euphanisms. “These are all concrete words that children can wrap their brains around.” Be clear because children’s minds may extrapolate harmful connotations from sugar-coated explanations.

For example, a common euphemism for euthanasia is ‘put to sleep.’ Brannan cautions, “Children may begin to think that being ‘put to sleep’ at night can be an irreversible process.” Brannan warns against telling children that your pet ran away or that you gave it to a friend. “That gives children a different kind of grief. They wonder why their best friend would abandon them or why their parents would want to separate them from a creature that meant so much to them,” says Brannan. Instead, if you have made the decision to euthanize, she suggests saying the following: “Because we love Fluffy so much we do not want her to suffer. We are helping her to die because she is experiencing pain that we can no longer treat.”

Talk about the death of a pet before the death occurs. Brannan suggests inviting your child to take part in the decision-making process. “Not including children in the process makes them feel completely powerless about what is going on with their pet.” When deciding whether to facilitate the death of a terminally ill pet, talk honestly about options.

“Reading books about grief and pet loss to children opens the door for parents and children to talk about the possibility of losing their pet.” Brannan’s favorite children’s books about pet loss and grief are the following: The Tenth Good Thing about Barney by J. Viorst; Talking About Death: A Dialogue Between Parents and Children by E. Grollman; About Dying: An Open Family Book for Parents and Children Togetr by S.B. Stein. Your local library or book store may have suggestions also.

If the decision is made to euthanize a pet, veterinarians can explain the medical aspects of death: how euthanasia is done, and how the pet will look in death–that eyes do not close, that the body may be warm for a few hours, and that the body will become stiff later. Veterinarians also can explain why a pet did not make it through a traumatic accident. In addition to medical questions, veterinarians can help parents deal with the child’s questions and grief. “Grief issues do not just happen in the clinic; they happen after the child leaves–months or sometimes years later,” adds Brannan.

Parents often wonder if a child should be allowed to be with the pet during death and see the body after the pet is dead. Brannan suggests asking children what they want to do. If the parent or child does not feel the need to be present during the euthanasia, then an alternative is to go back into the room after the euthanasia proceedure and say goodbye. Seeing that the pet is actually dead often helps give children and parents a sense of closure.

During the grieving process, family members at various age levels will react differently. Children under two can sense stress in the house even though they do not know the cause. Brannan suggests comforting them and paying extra attention to them during the grieving period. “Children 2 to 5 typically believe they are invincible,” explains Brannan. Death is a reversible feat that cartoons like the roadrunner and coyote enact. Although they may not understand that their pet is dead, explaining death concretely now will help them understand it better later.

Eight-year-olds might understand that death is irreversible; however, in their minds, the universe revolves around them. “So if they think bad thoughts like, ‘I don’t want to walk Fluffy today. I wish she would just die’ and then a couple months later, Fluffy does die; a child this age might believe that their bad thoughts caused the death of the pet,” says Brannan.

Children may react in ways that adults wouldn’t. They may draw pictures of their pet underground, bury dolls, or ask shocking questions about what is happening to their pet’s body underground. All of these responses are normal and healthy.

Showing your own grief in front of your child is healthy as well. Hiding grief might make children wonder why you don’t miss the presence of the pet in the house. This could lead to them wondering if you would be sad if they died. Grieving and crying in front of a child validates to the child that these emotions are OK to express.

Families can be creative about memorializing their pet. Plant a tree. Put an engraved stone in your cat’s favorite spot in the house. Write a letter to your dog. Encourage children to draw pictures. Each family member should be encouraged to memorialize their pet’s death in a way meaningful to them.

If you or a member of your family is having trouble dealing with the loss of a pet, call (217) 244-CARE for hours of operation. The C.A.R.E. Helpline was developed to provide a supportive outlet for people experiencing disruption in or the loss of the bond they share with their cherished companion animal. The hotline is staffed by veterinary students who understand the importance of this bond and the emotions involved when that bond is threatened or broken. The students have received training by professional grief counselors and receive ongoing supervision by a licensed psychologist.

At the Ottawa Humane Society, we understand the importance of individual privacy. We know that earning the trust of our clients and employees is a permanent and ongoing endeavor. With the growth of electronic media it is necessary to take further steps in protecting the privacy of the individual. We fully support the new Canadian legislation, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, “the Privacy Act“, in its role to protect the privacy of the individual. Our role in protecting an individual’s privacy does not stop with this Act. We are continually looking for additional ways to ensure that the personal information we hold is secure accurate and used in a responsible and respectful manner.

As such, we have appointed a manager, who will be responsible for personal information and whose role is to ensure that the personal information entrusted with us is secure and will be used for the purpose intended and not be used for purposes other than what is necessary to offer the service our clients deserve. Our Chief Privacy Officer is Fiona Livingstone. She can be reached at 613-725-3166 ext. 246 or emailed at fional@ottawahumane.ca.

Want your work to make an impact in the lives of animals?

The Ottawa Humane Society has been an animal welfare leader since 1888. We are more than a shelter and a safe haven for the thousands of animals in our care each year. We play a key role in our community enriching the lives of people and their companion animals through our programs, services and community outreach.

If you are hard-working and committed to a humane and compassionate community and you want to learn and grow with us, join one of Ottawa’s most reputable not for profits and support our vision to be a model of excellence in the advancement of animal welfare.

• Manager: Events – Full Time
• Customer Service Representative: Foster – Part Time
• Attendant: Adoption Reception – Full Time
• Assistant: Veterinary Technician – Casual
• Veterinary Technician – Casual
• Attendant: Outreach – Casual

There are also many opportunities for volunteering.