Our annual walkathon has a new home! This year’s ‘walk central’ will be on NCC property, across from the RA Centre on Riverside Drive. We’re excited about the new location for our biggest fundraiser which takes place on Sept. 12, 2010.

With a larger site, new and easy routes along the parkway and lots of free parking, we know that the change in venue will be a hit with both our human and animal participants. The 2 km and 5 km walks both start along the water and continue west along the recreational pathway towards Vincent Massey Park. Please go online now to help the animals by raising pledges!

The OHS has charged an Ottawa woman with cruelty against a dog that was found covered with cockroaches and flies.

Louise Hupe was charged on May 10 after Ottawa police asked the OHS to remove a dog, a four-year-old female shepherd mix, from Ms. Hupe’s apartment, which was covered in garbage, dog feces and urine, mouldy food, and insects. Hoards of live and dead cockroaches and flies covered the dog’s overgrown coat.

The dog is now under the care of the OHS. Ms. Hupe is charged with five counts of cruelty under the Ontario SPCA Act. Read more about the case here.

Please make a gift to help fund this important community work.

The OHS is dealing with a serious outbreak of parvo. The highly contagious and deadly virus was first discovered in a dog over the weekend, and has since spread to other animals. While the situation is believed to be under control now, strict quarantine measures are in effect to limit further contamination, including stringent disinfection of animal care areas, and staff donning protective gowns when feeding and treating dogs.

With animals coming into the shelter every day, the majority of unknown health, parvo is impossible to predict, and extremely difficult to treat or contain in our outdated shelter. Lack of isolation space in our current building compounds the problem.

We are making long-term plans to solve these issues through increased isolation space in our new building. Click here to find out how you can help us reduce the risk of parvo, and keep Ottawa's animals healthier in the future.

May turned out to be a fowl month, as the OHS participated in several debates about the movement to allow urban chicken coops in Ottawa. We attended a community forum on May 13, organized by the members of CLUCK Ottawa. Then on May 19, our Manager of Emergency Animal Protection Services (EAPS) appeared on CBC radio’s Ontario Today program to discuss the issue and take calls.

The OHS remains concerned about allowing hens in backyards, as it will increase our already hefty investigation load. We’re worried that people in Ottawa will approach the movement as a fad, without proper consideration for veterinary care, or for adequate shelter in the winter. We are not in the same position as Vancouver, a city that recently designated $20,000 for a facility to house abandoned or seized chickens. It’s currently illegal to have chickens in Ottawa, but we still see a handful come through our doors every year. While we care for them until we’re able to find new lodgings on local farms, the OHS is simply not equipped to provide proper housing for poultry for any length of time.

Dustin is a six-month-old cat who was rescued by one of our emergency agents on the streets of Ottawa. Cold and scared, Dustin also had an injured leg that was causing him a lot of pain. After the OHS veterinarian administered some much-needed pain medication, Dustin underwent surgery to have his leg removed, as it could not be repaired. While he recovered from the operation, Dustin contracted a respiratory infection in the shelter, so he was moved to a foster home to recuperate. Soon Dustin will be well enough to start looking for his forever home! Find out how you can help animals like Dustin through the OHS Buddy & Belle Fund.

It’s not too late to get tickets for the OHS Auxiliary’s Blooms & Berries event happening on Sunday, June 6. Join us to learn about landscaping with herbs, browse the sale tables and enjoy some strawberry treats! Click here to find out how to get your tickets.

Now that the warm weather’s here, we’re overloaded with cats, and more and more stray felines are joining us each and every day. In an effort to find new homes for these cuddly creatures, we’ve marked June as PURR-miere month, and we’re putting the spotlight on some of our celebrity pets. Anyone who adopts a dog or cat during the month will be eligible to win free movie passes, and we’ll be giving away other tickets to special movie premieres as the weeks
go on.

Summer can be a great time to get outside with your dog, but dangers lurk on sunny days too. As the thermometer rises, it’s important to be on the lookout for signs of canine heatstroke, which can include rapid heartbeat, lack of coordination, weakness or muscle tremors, unconsciousness, glazed eyes or convulsions. Read more about hot weather hazards here.