A trial date of October 25, 2011 has been set for Ian and Kerri Young.  The Ottawa Humane Society charged the husband and wife with permitting distress to, and not meeting the standards of care for their 5-year-old lab-mix dog.

The Ottawa Citizen reported that the couple thought their dog had sprained its leg. In a message to the OHS, the couple said they thought the dog broke its hip. They claimed they did not obtain veterinary care for financial reasons. An OHS vet determined that in addition to being underweight, having mobility problems, a severe urinary tract infection, and suffering a significant amount of pain, the dog had advanced cancer that was likely present for at least one month. The decision was made to humanely euthanize her.

Please help fund these critical investigations by making a gift to help protect the animals

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Laureen Harper, and Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird say hello to some adoptable cats at the Ottawa Humane Society following the ribbon cutting ceremony on July 6th.

The OHS official ribbon cutting ceremony on July 6th was attended by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Mrs. Laureen Harper, daughter Rachel, Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson as well as our own Joan Whalen, Brightening Lives dog Cooper, Bruce Roney and OHS President Rob Cameron with son Michael.

At the ceremony, Bruce Roney announced an anonymous gift of $1.5M.  This generous donation helped us reach our Breaking Ground Building Campaign fundraising goal.

Following the ceremony the VIPs visited one of the new community cat rooms and toured the new facility.

There is still time for you to find a wonderful naming opportunity at our new facility.

For example, 60 banks of state-of-the-art cat kennels, 10 trees to beautify the West Hunt Club property, and 10 lights that illuminate our dog walking trail.

These beds are for the dogs!

Dogs love to have a bed of their own. Kuranda dog beds raise dogs off the floor onto a hammock-type bed, which is more comfortable to sleep on. Kuranda beds mimic furniture, giving the dogs a feeling of being “home”. Energetic dogs will often use these beds as a trampoline, helping to burn off excess energy. Staff love Kuranda beds too, as they are extremely durable and can withstand tough cleaning products.

You can help a homeless dog rest in comfort. $120 purchases a bed, $140 purchases a bed with a deluxe double-sided fleece pad.

As the temperature soars, remember to keep your dog cool, well hydrated, and never leave your dog in a parked car.  Leaving a dog in a car even for a few minutes on a hot day could be fatal. 

A dog can withstand internal body temperatures of 40°C for only a few minutes before brain damage or death can occur.

Each year the OHS receives hundreds of calls about dogs left in vehicles on hot summer days. By early July OHS Rescue and Investigation Services (RIS) received 94 calls and rescued three dogs from dangerously hot cars.

If you see an animal that may be suffering from these signs of heatstroke/heat exhaustion, call the OHS emergency line at 613-725-1532.

Our 23rd Iams Wiggle Waggle Walkathon is six weeks away, so if you've been putting off registering, now's the perfect time to get started! We have made it easy for you. We have an updated and simplified online registration and pledge collection system.  Sign up and set up your personal fundraising page and begin collecting funds! Find out more about our Team Challenge, including incentives such as a free team picture!