OHS to take Possession of New Site

On December 15th, the OHS is scheduled to take possession of land for the new facility. The site, in Ottawa’s burgeoning south-centre, will allow OHS emergency rescuers to respond quickly when needed, and allow our community easy access to the new facility.

Finding an appropriate site for the new facility was a much longer and more involved process than anticipated. We found out that Ottawa actually has a shortage of commercial land available – especially land that is centrally located. The OHS serves a huge area because Ottawa is geographically the largest city in Canada—a fact that is not commonly known. Because we serve the whole City to respond to animal emergencies, it was essential that we be reasonably central. We can’t be in any of the City’s farther reaches because it would waste precious minutes responding to a dog hit by a car, a cat caught in a fan belt, or a raccoon with distemper.

Introducing... Bryce Healey

Bryce Healey has committed to helping the Ottawa Humane Society build a better future for Ottawa’s animals by joining our campaign cabinet.

Why did you become involved in the Breaking Ground Building Campaign?

Being an animal lover, the Ottawa Humane Society (OHS) had long been a charity I wanted to support. My interest in becoming involved with the Breaking Ground Building Campaign stemmed from my involvement as a foster parent for the OHS and a volunteer for several of the OHS' fund raising events. The more involved I became with the OHS, the more I came to understand the important role it plays in our community, and in turn the more I wanted to help out. When I was first told about the Breaking Ground Building Campaign, I knew it would mark a major milestone in the OHS' history and was something I wanted to be a part of... something I wanted to help make a reality.

Why for you is this project so important?

This particular campaign is important to me for many reasons. First and foremost the animals. Wobbles, Juuni's brothers, Ozzy, Yogi, and Pumpkin are all kittens who have passed on under my care; all due to disease. If a new shelter would have helped to save even one of those lives, it would have been worth all the effort in the world.

A very close second is the staff at the OHS. These are all amazing people who work there out of their love for animals. They deserve a state-of-the-art facility they (and the community) can be proud of, with the best equipment to help them help the animals.

What will it mean for the animals and the community to have a new shelter?

In short, a new shelter will help give animals who have already had a hard start renewed hope for a better life.

Relief from the Stress of Overcrowding

Readers of our regular newsletter, Our Best Friends will know that since late Spring, the shelter has been overcrowded to an extent not seen in years. The 1968 shelter is designed to accommodate about 200 animals, but since May, most days the OHS has housed over 400, sometimes close to 500. In order to meet its commitment not to euthanize for space, the OHS increased resources to support fostering and housed animals in any space available. “There were animals in almost every hallway, even in the offices of administrative staff. It was crazy” says Manager of Animal Care and Rehoming, Marlene Bradley. Sadly, overcrowding leads to highly stressed animals, and this often leads to disease.

When OHS Executive Director, Bruce Roney recently visited the Winnipeg Humane Society’s new facility, he was struck by how calm both animals and humans were in the larger and better designed facility. “I asked the Winnipeg Humane Society E.D. there about disease, and he responded, what disease? It was very clear to me that the reduction of stress that comes with appropriate space has a huge impact on animal health and well-being.”

The new OHS shelter will incorporate years of research and best practices in animal sheltering to ensure that the most animals possible will have a brighter future.

Above: Due to overcrowding, the OHS has to keep some cats in rabbit cages in the middle of cat rooms and in the hallways.	Above: Winnipeg's new animal shelter has quiet, ample kennels and rooms for the cats.

OHS Auxiliary Gives its All to a New Home for the OHS

The OHS is lucky to have had a very active Auxiliary. Founded in 1949 as the OHS Ladies Auxiliary, the group has raised many thousands of dollars to help us help the animals. Our current crisis with our building is no exception, and the Auxiliary has pledged $125,000 to the Campaign. In addition to this generous pledge, the Auxiliary added over $100,000 left to the group by a former Auxiliary member who passed away, allowing the Auxiliary to exceed their goal by a wide margin!

On behalf of the campaign staff and volunteers and all of us at the OHS, please accept our best wishes for the holidays and the coming year.