OHS Iqaluit Program
Thank You Sponsors and Supporters!
An innovative partnership between the Ottawa Humane Society, Canadian North airlines and many devoted volunteers is providing hope for hundreds of northern animals whose fate would otherwise be death.
With limited resources for animals in Iqaluit, many of them roam at large-unsterilized and homeless. Many starve to death. Countless others are shot in a bid to control overpopulation problems.
Thanks to the initiative and hard work of concerned citizens in Iqaluit, Nunavut, the Iqaluit Adoption Program was born.
The OHS ships empty crates up to Iqaluit via Canadian North on a weekly basis. There, a volunteer loads them up with dogs (and the occasional cat!) in need of new homes. Canadian North flies the animals back to Ottawa, where dedicated OHS volunteers pick them up and bring them back to our shelter.
Hundreds of animals have been flown into Ottawa from Nunavut since 2002!
All of the animals arriving from Iqaluit go through a standard OHS health and temperament assessment. Many of the dogs who arrive in Ottawa are pregnant; most are undersocialized and others are ill. As a result, many will go through the OHS foster program before being placed for adoption.
The OHS could not continue this wonderful program without the dedication of volunteers in Iqaluit and Ottawa, and the generous assistance of Canadian North!
Thank you to everyone who continues to make this unique program a success.
Check out our Iqaluit FAQs for more information!
Here are a few of animals who have found their forever home:
"Nanook is a beautiful dog-she looks like a cross between a Siberian and an Iceland dog weighing in at 30 lbs. She runs like a champ and is sharp as a tack. In a nutshell, these dogs from the "North" need lost of space and tons of walks and runs. They are NOT apartment or townhouse dogs so if you decide to get a Northern dog like we did, the folks at the Humane Society will assist you in every way to get the right one.
Nanook loves to travel in the car and is a dream with kids. She is awesome-we love her to death! Thank you for recommending her to me!"
Michael Davies and Family, West Ottawa Hyundai
"You can imagine our shock when we were told that a little white, fuzzy dog had come in from Nunavut! She was so frail, shaved almost pink (her fur was very matted) and trembling. It was love at first sight! She looked so sweet ... which is why we called her Cookie!
She drives with us to Toronto, so she's a seasoned traveler. We have lots of names for her ... Fancy Pants, Baby Child but "Hon" is the favorite. She sits in the living-room window around 4pm till my 14 year old son's bus arrives, and then she goes bonkers. It's the same routine again when my husband and other son come home from work. This little pooch is the love of all of our lives!
First, there were the four of us in this family-Dad, Mom and two boys, but now there are five."
Yvonne McIssac and Family
"Royce is an absolutely wonderful cat! We have a little Pekinese dog and he and Royce are buddies! They are hysterical together! We have a young boy as well and everyone gets along. Royce has been a great addition to our family."
Sue R. owner of Royce
