Humane Education News Submitted by Kim Crocker and Christine Thurgur Spring Seminar Series Contact Christine @ ext. 235 for the topics, place, dates and times of the H.S.O.C. Spring Seminar Series. Last Fall's topics included: Helping Your Pet Adjust to a New Baby, First Aid for Your Cat or Dog, Dealing with the Loss of Your Companion Animal, and Grooming Your Cat or Dog. All proceeds go to the Humane Society of Ottawa-Carleton No dogs or cats may attend. All family members are welcome. Viscount Adoption Project (V.A.P.) We have completed the first Pilot Session of the Viscount Adoption Project. So far so good. We have received positive feedback from the Child-Psychiatrist who came in to observe the children in the first and fourth weeks of V.A.P., from parents and, in two cases, grandparents of the participants and from the director of one child's After School Program. The highest praise of course came from the children themselves who felt that V.A.P. had been a very positive and fun experience for each of them. Out next Pilot Sessions are scheduled for February and April 1999. We are currently seeking Foster Homes for the four dogs involved in the April Pilot Session. For more information about Fostering or about V.A.P. in general please contact Kim or Christine @ ext. 235. March Break Teens Workshop Our 6th Annual Petsitting Workshop will be offered for Grade 9-11 (13 years & up) students during the March Break. The workshop gives students the opportunity to prepare themselves for caring for pets of neighbours and/or friends on a short or long term basis. Different pets are studied each morning and students are encouraged to bring in their own pets on appropriate days. Watch for more details. Dates: March 15 - 19 1999 Times: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon Place: Humane Society Cost: $12.00 per morning or $50.00 for 5 mornings Animals' Quest This monthly student newsletter is available to teachers (free of charge) for use with their students Grades K-6. Each monthly newsletter contains information about Shelter events as well as games, student letters, poetry and stories, It's a dog's life... write in column, animal jokes, interesting pet facts or tips, and many other student and teacher oriented articles and/or activities. Currently, Animals' Quest is being faxed and/or mailed (faxing preferred) to 40 schools in the Ottawa-Carleton area at the beginning of each month. If you are interested in receiving Animals' Quest please call Kim @ ext. 235. Petiquette Dean continues to help our cause and prevent many ‘problem dogs' from re-entering the Shelter. Petiqeutte is fun for the dogs and has proven to be an extremely helpful program for the owners. This year Petiquette has added Lynn Young as a teacher and is presently offering Petiquette out of the Routhier Center. For $50.00 you can attend 5 one hour sessions. Call Christine or Kim for information about upcoming sessions of Petiquette @ ext. 235. Thank you to both Dean Verger and Lynn Young for their time and effort! Next Petiquette class will be held: Place: The Routhier Centre Cumberland and St. Patrick Time: Saturdays, April 10th - May 8th 10:00 am - 11:00 am A second level class will be offered to dogs with a least 5 weeks basic training Place: The Routhier Centre Time: Saturdays: April 10th - May 8th 11:15 am - 12:15 pm Dog and Baby Seminar: Lynn Young will also be offering a "Dog and Baby" seminar on Tuesday April 6th, 1999 at Chapters Bookstore (Pinecrest Mall) Essay Contest If you are aged 5 - 12 years and would like to enter the 1999 Essay Writing Contest here are the details: Theme: If I worked at the Humane Society of Ottawa-Carleton... If I worked at the Humane Society of Ottawa-Carleton what would I do for the animals? How would I help them? How would I make their lives better? How would I help them to find a new home? How would I feel about all of the abandoned animals that I see coming through the shelter each day? What would I say to people about responsible pet ownership? Length: Between 100 and 300 words in length (less than 100 words is O.K. for Kindergarten/Grade 1 individual submissions). Entries: Both class and individual submissions are welcome. Teachers please remember to include your name, the name and address of the school, the student's name, and the grade level on each submission. Deadline for submissions: April 1, 1999 (No foolin') Winners will be notified in May 1999 during "Be Kind to Animals Week" (May 2-8). Mail entries to: H.S.O.C. Essay Writing Contest Humane Education Department 101 Champagne Ave. South Ottawa, ON  K1S 4P3

"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." - Immanuel Kant Be Kind to Animals Week May 2 - 8 1999. We have many exciting things in store for this week: - Winners of the 1999 Essay Writing Contest will be announced and prizes will be awarded. - Results of the Viscount Adoption Project will be in the works (the final Pilot Session is scheduled for April) - Look for more details in Animals' Quest Volunteer News Submitted by Linda Dryer, Manager of Volunteers In November I received a request for feral cat shelters to be constructed. We needed a handy person for this project. I wrote what I hoped would be a successful ad to the Citizen, entitled "Animal-Lovin Toolman. Are you out there?". As good fortune would have it, I mistakenly faxed this ad to Peter Gauer, a devoted Companion Animal Team Leader volunteer. By the time I returned to my desk there was a message from a bewildered sounding Peter who informed me that I still needed to fax the Citizen, but by the way, he was handy. As it turns out, Peter was the only response I received to that catchy ad. He has proven himself most handy and invaluable to this project. Under his leadership, Jim Roberts (Dogwalker) and Gilles Arsenault (Cat Friend volunteer), 6 cat shelters with insulated halls and inner chambers are under construction. Two have been completed and placed for our neighborhood cat colony which Cat Friend Muriel Pigeon has been tending for almost two years. Peter has made some contacts with a construction company who will allow him to pick up their chipboard remains for future projects. Notre Dame high school has donated a room to be used by the volunteers who are building the cat shelters. Thank you to Mary Hart, co-op teacher at the school for arranging this for us. We also have plans for the construction of a dog house to demonstrate proper construction and/or for use in the summertime for dogs with kennel cough. I hope there might be some interest in constructing a second cat kennel for use spring through fall to allow shelter cats some fresh air and exercise. Crafty Lady If you were to call Elvie Betts a crafty-catty woman she may not mind. She is a one-woman craftperson who has been instrumental in producing dozens of cat pillows for cats. The cat cages at the shelter have only steel perches that are lined with newspaper for sanitation purposes. Using donated fabric Elvie designed and produced pillows to fit the perches. As well Elvie makes the pillows the cats sleep on for the bottom part of the cages. If you are interested in making these pillows please call 725-3166 Ext. 231 and request our Kids and Adult craft sheet for the dimensions and instructions. Cat Rescue The rescue of older cats has been made possible through the will of the staff and some notable volunteers. Almonte Veterinary Services has donated two operations per month for those cats requiring surgery. After the surgery the cat recovers in a foster home until ready for adoption. The funds necessary to cover costs for this on-going project are raised by a committee of three- Elvie Betts, Lucy Dawson and Linda Dryer. As well throughout the year volunteers and staff worked together on several joint projects to raise funds for the S.A.V.E. Fund, Cat Rescue and Dog Rescue. For Pet's Sake The Humane Society of Ottawa-Carleton will be hosting its first Bachelor, Celebrity and Silent Auction called "For Pets' Sake ‘99" on Saturday, May 8th, 1999 in the West Block of Parliament Hill. While we are proud of our success at uniting shelter animals with loving families, the number of animals brought to the shelter is often so overwhelming that adequate facilities to accommodate them is a challenge. Our "For Pets' Sake '99" Auction will raise needed funds for the shelter and promises to be a fabulous event. Approximately 250 people who are animal lovers and care about their local shelter will attend. This event will consist of a Bachelor, Celebrity, and Silent Auction. Some local confirmed celebrities are Leanne Cusak, Derek Millar and Carolyn Waldo from CJOH, Pierre Theberge from the Art Gallery, Holly Larocque from Under The Umbrella Tree and Rob Clipperton from CBC, just to name a few. Some of our confirmed bachelors are from the OPP, RCMP, Ottawa-Carleton Regional Police, local firefighters, ski patrol/chemist, high tech businessmen…and don't forget, all bachelors and celebrities come with individual packages! The event will begin with a complementary cocktail hour at 6pm.,and local jazz and blues singer, Laura Hillary will entertain our guests throughout the evening. The Humane Society of Ottawa-Carleton has been in this community for 110 years and the support of the community is crucial to us. We care for over 12,000 sick, injured and abandoned animals annually, and although many happily find homes through the shelter, a staggering number cannot be helped. Tickets will be sold for $75 each or 2 for $100 of which a portion will be tax deductible. For more information or to purchase a ticket please contact Sue in the fundraising office at 725-3166 ext.237.