Culminating almost five years of research and planning, the Ottawa Humane Society held its ceremonial ground breaking ceremony May 7 at the West Hunt Club site of the new facility. Among the dignitaries and guests helping to mark the occasion were committed OHS volunteer, Laureen Harper, and the Honourable John Baird, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure, and Communities.

Joan Whalen and Bruce Roney "break ground".

The OHS President thanked the dignitaries and guests for their support, but commented, "It is important to remember that this fantastic new facility will truly be a community effort. It is also being built by loyal and committed donors: adults stretching to make a significant pledge, teens raising funds and children forgoing birthday presents."

Also included among the guests was 37-year OHS employee Joan Whelan, who started working at the OHS when the Champagne facility was only a few years old.

The OHS has announced the selection of M.P. Lundy Construction Limited as the general contractors to build the new home for the Ottawa Humane Society. Following a comprehensive selection process, Lundy was selected as the best combination of price and value. CEO Sean Lundy is happy to be helping the OHS to finally build the shelter that Ottawa's animals need. "Everyone at Lundy Construction is excited to be a part of building a new home for the OHS. We are all totally committed to making this project a reality." Lundy's past experience includes construction of the Algonquin Animal Health Care Facility in 2006.

For Gordon and Wendy Peters, a gift to the Breaking Ground Building Campaign was a natural. According to Wendy, "For many years we have had two dogs and two cats; they bring a lot of joy to our lives. We know that the Ottawa Humane Society does great work, but it has been obvious for a long time that it needed a quantum change in the quantity of space for care of animals, not just a small renovation. So we are happy to supplement our normal annual giving with a one-time gift for the campaign. Great things can happen only when the community supports them."

The question was how best to make their gift. After a bit of research, the couple decided that a gift of stock was the best way for them. "We have a few stocks with a large unrealized capital gain. Donating shares instead of cash means avoiding all capital gains tax otherwise payable on those shares, so there was a significant tax advantage. The higher the gain, the higher the savings. Our broker and the Humane Society processed the transaction efficiently, so it was easy to make the donation that way. We encourage others to do the same."

For general information about gifts of stock, contact Anna Silverman at 613-725-3166, ext. 279 or annas@ottawahumane.ca. Anyone considering the advantages to this kind of gift to the animals should consult with his or her financial advisor.