Search Results for: Rabbits
A Breath of Life
Before the pandemic, we had annually hosted March Break Camp for kids in our education centre. Having children exploring the adoption centre, learning about animals and how to care for them, and just having fun and being kids was a breath of life after winter’s doldrums.
We’ve had to cancel our in-person March Break Camp for the past two years, and I know I sorely missed the energy and liveliness that came with it.
But for the first time in two years, kids are back for March Break Camp at the OHS, and in many ways, it feels like waking up from a long, long hibernation. Curious faces watch Ottawa’s animals with awe, questions that only a child could ask fly every which way and the education centre is piled with crafts — it’s wonderful.
We were able to run many of our programs online during the pandemic, but it feels good to step away from the screen and get back to teaching the next generation of animal advocates right here, at the OHS.
As excited as we are to have camp back on-site, we are still cautious and have a smaller camp group than usual, and other safety precautions are in place to keep everyone healthy. Despite this, the return of campers is a huge leap forward and has everyone at the OHS excited for more programs to come in the year.
We’re not the only ones thrilled to have campers back, here’s what we’ve heard from some of our campers:
Sefton, age seven, said his favourite part of camp is “meeting a hamster because she was rolling everywhere [in an exercise ball].”
Zane, age 10, enjoyed visiting the cat condos because he “was able to play with cats.”
Mia, age six, loved meeting “the doggy because she was cute” – referring to one of our lovely volunteer’s dogs, named Camie.
Manuela, age eight, learned that “when bunnies are happy, they do a spin in the air.”
Noah, age seven, was shocked to discover that some cats have six toes.
This week is also packed with a few fun surprises for the kids. We had a guest speaker from the Wild Bird Care Centre who led the kids through owl pellet dissections. An experienced rabbit owner shared what it’s like to live with pet rabbits. And a professional OHS dog trainer joined us with her dogs to give an agility demonstration, and have the kids guide the dogs to perform some impressive tricks.
This week has been so much fun, and we are already preparing for this year’s Summer Camp. If your kids love animals, we hope they will join us this summer. Save the date, Summer Camp registration opens Friday, March 25 at noon!
Allie Burke
Director: Outreach & Community Services
It Starts at Any Age
This week, we hosted a special “Help the Shelter” March Break Camp for kids. These children come to our camps with a fierce love for animals, so showing them how we can better enrich the lives of our pets has been a rewarding experience for everyone involved! These young, but dedicated campers read stories to our shelter rabbits to support their socialization, helped find families for our animals by designing adoption posters, and crafted frozen treats for our shelter dogs as we head into the warmer months.
Camps and other programs for kids are cornerstones of our efforts to build the next generation of people who care about animals. These are people who will adopt a pet, volunteer to help homeless animals, get involved in a career of veterinary care, or may even be inspired to join the OHS team.
This week is also packed with a few fun surprises for the kids. We had a guest speaker from the Wild Bird Care Centre lead the kids through owl pellet dissections. A member of our adoption team demonstrated the importance of finding the right matches for animals through a storytelling session and interactive game. And a professional OHS dog trainer joined us with her dog to give an agility demonstration, and had the kids guide the dog to perform some impressive tricks.
Kids are excited about animals and we couldn’t be happier to open this wonderful, caring world to them. A love of animals starts at any age.
Jazzlin Rose Carr
Supervisor: Programs
The Only Way to End a Tragic Cycle
Spay/Neuter Awareness Month is coming to an end, but the importance of spaying/neutering our pets is something worth remembering year-round. This essential procedure is key to ending the tragic cycle of homeless pets in Ottawa. It also helps our pets live their best lives, preventing life-threatening illnesses like pyometra and addressing some common behaviour challenges.
Spay/neuter is a crucial service for our pets as a pet that is spayed/neutered will usually live a longer, healthier life. Spaying/neutering your pet can even make your pet less likely to roam.
All cats, dogs and rabbits adopted from the OHS have already received this essential procedure and through our Mobile Spay/Neuter Service, we offer low-cost operations for income-qualified cat owners in Ottawa — preventing even more homeless pets.
It takes the support of a community that cares, but animal homelessness is a problem we can fix.
Dr. Mary Thompson
OHS Veterinarian
Five New Year’s Resolutions that Will Change Your Pet’s Life
A new year is here, and I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to an excellent year for Ottawa and our community’s animals. I understand I might be somewhat alone in my optimism. Between the worries of pet owners who are concerned that finances may drive them and their pets apart, Ontario struggling to provide effective protections against animal cruelty and neglect, and surges of pets in need arriving at the OHS, it’s easy to be apprehensive about what’s to come in 2024.
The challenges facing our community and our pets are clear, but what’s also clear is that Ottawa is a community that cares deeply about animals, and is prepared to step up in a big way.
When the OHS was bursting with bunnies in the summer (we still have a lot, please adopt a rabbit if you can!) adopters opened their hearts and homes and close to 30 rabbits were adopted in just a few weeks — significantly easing a crisis. When we reached out to the community to learn more about how the OHS can best help pets and loving families, more than 3,000 people responded and provided valuable insight into what needs to be done. OHS camps, training classes, family events at our adoption centre, and more have people who care about animals coming in droves to show their support and invest in building an even more humane and compassionate community.
There’s a lot to be grateful about from 2023 and a lot to be hopeful for in 2024 — here are some resolutions for you and your pet that will make 2024 a year of progress, care and love.
Give your pet the enrichment they need.
We sometimes sweep playtime and stimulating our pets’ minds under the rug. And that enrichment plays a big role in keeping them healthy. Regular play with a cat wand, taking your dog out for fetch, and socializing with your rabbit are just as important as a full bowl of food.
Start saving for a pet emergency now.
An unexpected visit to the veterinarian sometimes forces families to give up their beloved pet. Pet insurance is a great option, but you could also open an account to put aside some money for a pet emergency on a monthly basis. A small regular contribution over time will go a long way and could make all the difference when disaster strikes. The OHS sees far too many animals surrendered by owners who were overwhelmed by the cost of pet care.
Give your pet a collar, tag and microchip.
These three items help a lost pet return home as soon as possible. It can be tempting to remove your pet’s collar when they’re at home, but if they slip out the door, getting them home becomes much harder. You can even get your pet microchipped at the OHS!
Learn about your pet’s behaviour and what they think about your behaviour.
One of the reasons a family may feel they are no longer able to take care of their pet is because of a challenging behaviour. We know that the way an animal acts can make it difficult to find a home. Our intervention services team plays a huge role in supporting pets’ behaviours and helping to prepare them for their forever home. Signing up for training or a webinar at the OHS is an excellent way to get started on better understanding your pet and building a great bond.
Stay updated on animal welfare issues.
Interest in animal welfare is heating up at all levels of government, and this is thanks to the persistence of people who care. The OHS publishes a regular newsletter exploring successes, setbacks, and developments in protecting animals everywhere. Signing up to receive the newsletter is an easy way to stay informed and stand up for the animals who need you most.
I’m certain 2024 is going to be a great year for Ottawa and the animals. With the support of caring people like you, there is no limit to what we can do to build an even more humane and compassionate community. Thank you for everything you do, as we work towards this.
Sharon Miko
President & CEO
An Unexpected Trend
When the pandemic struck Canada in 2020, the number of animals in our care severely dipped as we focused on ensuring we were available for animals who needed us urgently.
Since then, our population has been steadily climbing back to pre-pandemic numbers. Although we’re not there yet, we will be soon, and we have recently seen a trend in our intake that is concerning.
Since October, we have received several litters of puppies — possibly a result of breeders who may not have been able to find buyers for the dogs. The puppies themselves aren’t a serious issue. I say that because they have a very clear and quick pathway to adoption and it’s much better they come to us than the alternative — being abandoned outdoors.
The puppy we’ve pictured in this article is possibly a result of that alternative. Their mother, a great Pyrenees we’ve named Camilla, was found lost, alone and pregnant. Earlier this month, she gave birth while in our care. We don’t know all the details about what brought Camilla to us, but it is possible she came from a breeding situation. Fortunately for her, our team was here to give her the care she needed to safely deliver her babies, and a safe environment to care for them.
In the early days of the pandemic, demand for dogs was much greater than the supply and people were ready to buy a dog regardless of the cost to themselves or the animal. Since then, demand has cooled and adoptions across the country have slowed to a glacial pace, leading many shelters to levels of overcrowding they haven’t seen in years.
Over the past several years, there was a prevalent myth of “pandemic puppies” in the media. Essentially the story was families who acquired a pet during the pandemic were going to surrender their pets en masse as they returned to work. The OHS has not seen this wave of surrendered pandemic pets, but we have seen an influx of litters of animals; dogs, cats and rabbits alike.
Recently, Ottawa identified affordability as the greatest issue facing Ottawa’s pets and their people. I’m not surprised that people are being more cautious about where they are getting a pet from, and I’m grateful that we haven’t seen a decline in the number of people adopting animals from the OHS. We’re serious when we say adopting from the OHS is the best deal around.
I expect the OHS will continue to see this trend of litters of pets who need our help. With the support of the community, we are prepared to meet their needs.
Adopting, volunteering or donating are all great ways you can help Ottawa’s animals and make sure they have somewhere warm and safe to spend the holidays.
As I prepare for the holidays, I reflect on what I’m grateful for: a strong, competent team of workers and volunteers at the OHS who rally daily to ensure Ottawa’s animals have somewhere safe to be in their time of need; and a caring community that is committed to the welfare of Ottawa’s animals. Thank you for being there. Together, we are building a brighter future for the animals.
Sharon Miko
President & CEO
Ottawa’s Underground Network for the Animals
It’s actually not underground at all, but with how few people know, it may as well be top secret and confidential.
Let me fill you in. Animal welfare organizations, like the OHS, work together. These partnerships don’t all look the same, but they all have the same goal: doing more for animals in need.
A great example is our Partner Support program — piloted during the pandemic when the future was uncertain and each day brought new challenges and hurdles. We provide grants to our partners who help animals we aren’t equipped to care for. Farm animals, wildlife, wild birds and more — the program has supported more than 10,000 animals to date. These grants don’t just help provide day-to-day care, but support new and novel programs that result in more animals receiving more care.
Through our Partner Support program, we also regularly host sterilization clinics that have provided close to 300 essential spay/neuter surgeries for cats, dogs and rabbits in the care of our partners.
Animal transfer is a huge part of these partnerships as well. Different animal welfare organizations have different strengths and are better equipped to provide for different animals. For instance, we recently took in 17 kittens from a rescue in need. We have the capacity to provide for these animals, a veterinary team to get them health checked, sterilized, vaccinated and ready for adoption, and a robust, connected adoption program to find them perfect forever homes — and fast.
We also transfer animals to our partners to help even more animals in need. Haven, a one-year-old grey tabby, came to us with a mass in her chest. We suspected that the mass was benign, but she would need to be monitored for a few months to know for sure. With such a long stay, we decided her best route was with a partner who specialized in foster-based rescue. By working together, Haven found a foster spot with our partner, concerns with her mass were ruled out, and she found her forever family shortly after!
I’m not exaggerating when I say it takes a village to care for animals in need and build a more humane and compassionate community. Working together with our partners and our caring community, we can be there for more animals in need.
Ottawa’s full of people who care, and it’s something everyone needs to know.
Heather Hunter
Director: Outreach and Community Services
Iconic Ottawa Event has Pets and Their People Vibrating with Excitement
We’re close to two weeks away from the 35th annual Wiggle Waggle Walk & Run. It’s all anyone and any dog can talk about at the shelter.
There’s going to be walks and runs for kids, dogs, families and athletes a like.
There’s going to be a family fun zone with a bouncy castle.
There’s going to be a K9 fun zone with a dog agility course and other fun activities for you and your pup.
I don’t exaggerate when I say there is going to be a SEA of dogs. Turn left: dog. Right: dog. Down: dog. Up: dog.
On Sept. 24, Lansdowne Park’s Great Lawn is the place to be for pets and the people who love them. At the Wiggle Waggle Walk & Run, the community comes together in an incredible way for the animals. Right now, the OHS is packed with cats from kitten season, dogs who need a little extra love and attention and many, many rabbits.
When you sign up for the walk, you’re making a difference for animals like Dottie, a seriously cute black lab who came to us last year badly injured and pepper sprayed.
It’s thanks to the community’s support that Dottie got the emergency care she needed and has been able to take all the time she needs recovering in the care of a foster home.
Now Dottie is ready for adoption and would love to have a family to take her to the Wiggle Waggle Walk & Run.
Do it for Dottie and many more homeless animals just like her. I can’t wait to see at Lansdowne Park’s Great Lawn on Sept. 24.
Stephen Smith
Manager: Communications
Chance
WWWR Spokesdog
The End of Chemical Testing on Animals
Animal welfare in Canada took a huge step forward this week. Bill S-5 passed the Senate, amending the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and creating a clear path for Canada to phase out the cruel and unnecessary practice of chemical testing on animals.
More than 40 countries worldwide have already banned chemical testing on animals, and Canada is committed to joining their ranks.
Cosmetic products tested on animals can range from makeup, perfume, lotions, hair products, nail polish, shaving creams, deodorant and more. Millions of rabbits, rats, guinea pigs and mice in Canada are subject to this cruelty every year — often causing the animals extreme distress, discomfort and pain.
Alternatives to animal testing are already available and in use, and Canada’s plan will involve prioritizing these alternatives and their wide-spread application.
Make no mistake, this is a victory for animals, but I’m only letting myself be cautiously optimistic. Plans are good and key in affecting change, however drafting the plan is often the first step — the follow through is just as important.
We deserve a moment to celebrate this momentous occasion, and the animals need us to maintain our fervor. I hope you’ll join me in closely following the plan for phasing out chemical testing on animals and continue to be an incredible advocate for those in need.
Your voice is making a difference, and right now is the perfect opportunity to push harder than ever before for the animals.
Sharon Miko
President & CEO
Spay it Forward
Today, we celebrated World Spay Day. I had the honour of helping to provide spay/neuter surgeries to animals in the care of some of our local partners. Thanks to the incredible support from our community, at the OHS clinic, we spayed/neutered 34 cats, 3 dogs and 3 rabbits in need.
Let me introduce you to a couple of the animals our community helped out today:
Lexie is a sweet, six-month-old cat who we spayed.
Blaze is a handsome six-month-old dog who we neutered.
Spay/neuter is a crucial service for our pets as a pet that is spayed/neutered will usually live a longer, healthier life. Spaying/neutering your pet can also address some common behaviour issues and make your pet less likely to roam.
Most important of all, spaying/neutering helps prevent pet overpopulation — reducing the number of homeless, unwanted animals in our community. It takes the support of a community that cares, but animal homelessness is a problem we can fix.
Dr. Shelley Hutchings
OHS Chief Veterinarian
A Little Help for Our Friends
As I write this, it’s February 23 — World Spay Day. How are we marking the date? Through service to our community. Today, our staff are sterilizing 44 animals — 36 cats, five dogs and three rabbits in our clinic. The animals aren’t “ours,” they are in the care of six other local rescue groups who are having trouble obtaining surgeries during the pandemic.
Before the pandemic, the OHS had rolled out more than a dozen new programs for animals and our community. It has been sad to see many of them put on hold because of the health crisis. But the pandemic has led us to move some plans forward more quickly. The first was an emergency pet food bank, the second, better support for other local groups. In addition to emergency financial and other support, we have been offering our surgical skills. In fact, since the outset of the crisis last March, the OHS has hosted six spay/neuter days for our friends, and 101 animals have been sterilized here at the OHS clinic, all while practicing physical distancing and other COVID-related restrictions.
The health crisis has put a tremendous strain on everyone over the past year. Local charities like the OHS and our local partners are no exception, but we know there is only one way forward: together. We know that we’ll get by, with a little help from our friends.
Bruce Roney
President & CEO