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| March 2000 |
I'm sure many of you, like me, were sick to death of hearing about Y2K at the end of 1999. Happily nothing happened, and thanks to the great staff at the Humane Society, we were well prepared for any contingency. In fact, we took advantage of the Y2K situation to develop general emergency-preparedness plans, and purchased some related equipment, such as two generators, which will make sure we are ready for possible future problems. In the midst of all of this planning and worrying, however, we did enter the year 2000, and it is a good time to think about our future. The Society has seen a lot of changes since its inception in 1888, and I wonder how different our hopes and dreams for the Society are than they were when it marked a similar occasion in 1900. We enter the year with the usual concerns about having enough money, time and other resources to do the things we want to do. I am sure we have this in common with our year 1900 counterparts. Further, I am sure on both occasions the Society hoped for a new era in public attitudes towards our relationships with animals, especially companion animals. In 2000, however, we can be optimistic that the proposed changes to the Criminal Code are a reflection of our society's deeper appreciation of animal welfare and the role that animals play in our day-to-day lives. The term "animal-assisted therapy" would have been very alien to members of the Society in 1900, but developments in this field show the real progress we have made in recognizing the potential in our relationships with animals. While we continue to worry about over-crowding of animals — and people — at the shelter, and where we will find the resources to expand our programs, we are fortunate that the environment in which we operate is now better than ever. Thanks to the many committed people who have worked at, donated to, or volunteered for The Humane Society of Ottawa-Carleton, we have played our part in the improvement of society's attitudes towards animal welfare. Notwithstanding the day-to-day challenges we continue to face as we enter the year 2000, I am confident that we will make unprecedented progress in the coming years.
1999 was a great year for the Humane Society of Ottawa-Carleton. We were fortunate to have the support of many businesses and corporate leaders. One company that came forward and offered their support was Rebel.com. Based in Ottawa, Rebel.com has made headlines as a leading manufacturer and supplier of Linux-based NetWinder Internet server appliances. Available in either compact tabletop or industrial-strength rackmount formats, the NetWinder product line includes the NetWinder Developer and the NetWinder OfficeServer. The Humane Society of Ottawa-Carleton required a server to allow our organization full access to internet and email. Rebel.com generously donated the required equipment and technical expertise to allow us to reach this goal. We thank Rebel.com for making us their one of their causes in 1999.
The Auxiliary of the HSOC, a group dedicated to raising money for the care of the animals, is starting a new year. Hopes and aspirations are high for over-the-top fund-raising in the year 2000! The Auxiliary celebrated it's 50th Anniversary in 1999, and was honoured at the HSOC Board of Directors Annual General Meeting. A party to commemorate the event took place at a member's cottage, during the summer. The Auxiliary experienced a very successful year of fund-raising, through the raffle at the annual tea held at St. Mark's Anglical Church, lawn and garage sales, "Be Kind to Animals Week", and members's monthly contributions to the Society's "SAVE Fund". Enough money was raised to create and furnish a new cat room - much needed and gratefully acknowledged. At the Auxiliary Christmas party members thoughtfully brought dog bones and cat toys instead of small gifts for each other. Thank you's are extended to outgoing executive and committee members for a job well done. Those taking us into the year 2000 are wished every success. New members are assured a warm welcome by the Auxiliary. Anyone interested in joining is invited to call President Renée Phillips at (613) 599-1106. Meetings are held on the first Monday of every month in the boardroom at the HSOC, 101 Champagne Ave. South. Come join in!
Congratulations to all our Pet Adoption Location Centres! In 1999, 1346 animals were adopted from our six locations. An increase from 1103 in 1998, and 802 in 1997. Join with us in thanking these pet stores for their continued support of the HSOC by shopping at these locations.
Little Farm Pet Centre, Rideau Centre
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As we move into the new Millennium, we are seeking individuals who would like to volunteer their time and expertise on various committees.
Ideally we are looking for individuals to join our existing Fundraising Committee. These individuals
should have experience (either current or previous) in the following areas:
Your time commitment will be a couple of hours a month to attend Fundraising Committee meetings held usually in the evening at the Shelter as well as organizing your own sub-committee structure for an event.
Or, if you're looking just to get your "paws wet" you may want to start off joining a
sub-committee on a new special event this year. We are currently looking for energetic,
dedicated individuals to volunteer their time on:
These positions will be formed in March after the Annual General Meeting. If you have any of these skills or would like to discuss other opportunities, please contact our Fundraising Department at 725-3166 ext.237.
Please be extra careful when you are driving as we jump into a new spring season. We receive many calls yearly about wild animals being hit just after they wake from hibernation and ducks trying to cross roads with their ducklings looking for a good water source. We are fortunate enough in the region of Ottawa Carleton to have two great organizations and experts in their field, who we can rely on to help us deal with these types of calls every year. The Ottawa Carleton Wildlife Centre deals with wildlife concerns at 726-6965, and the Wild Bird Care Centre deals with wild bird concerns at 828-2849. The Emergency Animal Services would like to thank both of these organizations for all of their support and taking the lead role in dealing with these wild animals and birds. May our combined efforts help to increase education and harmony between humans and animals.
Marjorie Ignatieff was a very dedicated pioneer of the Humane Society of Ottawa-Carleton. For almost fifty years Marjorie was an enthusiastic pioneer for the welfare of animals. In 1950 she proposed stiffer laws against the selling of animals particularly in the Byward Market area. Marjorie's first love was Humane Education — introducing animals to children. She started the (still active) Junior Club which had an attendance of as many as 100 children! The day before she died, Marjorie attended the monthly Auxiliary meeting. Even at the age of ninety, Marjorie continued to support the Humane Society. In memory of Marjorie's dedication to the welfare of animals the Humane Education Department plans to establish the "Marjorie Ignatieff Award". This award will be presented each year to a student who has shown exemplary behaviour in the treatment of animals. Also, on February 7, 2000 the Auxiliary of the Humane Society of Ottawa-Carleton dedicated a library (located in HSOC Boardroom) in memory of Marjorie Ignatieff (nee Adams). Daughter Sonya Dakers was be present to accept a plaque commemorating her mother. In his eulogy at the memorial service to celebrate her life, grandson David Dakers described his grandmother as follows, "She was a storyteller, painter, reader, nurturer, athlete and musician." Marjorie Ignatieff was an inspiration to us all.
On November 8, 1999 a woman came to the HSOC looking for her lost cat; Trixie, a 16 year old, diluted Torti, was last seen near Redpine Drive in Nepean. Her owner filled out the lost report and supplied the HSOC with a photo of Trixie. Over the next two weeks her owner visited the shelter regularly to see if Trixie had been brought to us. Approximately two weeks from the date she was lost Trixie arrived on our door, luckily unharmed and in pretty good spirits. Our lost and found staff recognized the wandering feline from her photo in the lost report book and promptly called her worried owners. Needless to say Trixie was claimed by a very grateful owner. Last year the HSOC cared for approximately 5,000 stray cats. The claim rate for these animals is 4% (211 cats). The majority of lost cats that enter our facility are unidentified by either collars, tags or a microchip. To say that matching a lost feline with an owner is similar to finding a needle in a hay stack is an understatement. Added to our dilemma is the fact that many owners who have lost their pets don't think to visit our facility when looking for their pet. In Trixie's case her owners were diligent and they helped our staff by providing as much information as possible. Thanks to her owner and our dedicated staff Trixie beat the odds and made it home safe and sound. If you would like to help your pet beat the odds make an appointment at one of our microchip clinics and provide your pet with a lifetime of identification.
April 30, 2000, June 1, 2000, October 1, 2000 |