How to Report Animal Cruelty or Neglect

To report a suspected situation involving an animal that may be abused or neglected, and in distress, please contact us at 613-725-3166 ext. 224 or email us and provide the following information:

  • Your name, address and telephone number for our records.
  • The date, time and place (address) of the offence.
  • The registration number and description of any vehicle involved.
  • The investigator will need to ask you questions about the animal(s) involved to establish the full situation (i.e. the basic who, what, where, when, and why if possible). These will relate to what you have seen in relation to the animal's environment and its body condition.

It is OHS policy to treat all complaints in the strictest confidence. Your name will not be disclosed without your permission, but the OSPCA investigator will need to contact you if they need additional information. All information is kept confidential but may be used in the event that a search warrant is required or if an offence has been committed and a charge recommended to Crown Counsel, in which case you may be called to give evidence.

The Ottawa Humane Society always aims to prevent cruelty through education and opts for court proceedings only as a last resort.

Hours of Operation

Adoption Centre >

Municipal Animal Shelter & Lost and Found >

Owned Animal Admissions >

How to Find Us >

Donation Office

Open for donations
9:00am-5:00pm
Mon - Fri

broken_leg

Recent Completed and Pending Cases

Completed Case

Debra MacDonald: Charged in November 2010 under the OSPCA Act with permitting cats to be in distress and failing to provide adequate food and water after OHS inspectors executed a warrant and discovered two adult cats and a kitten alive, and three dead kittens. A veterinarian determined that the three dead kittens appeared to have died from dehydration and starvation. Ms. MacDonald pled guilty on December 9, 2010 and was sentenced to one year probation, fined $200, and ordered to pay restitution of $710 to the OHS. Ms. MacDonald is also prohibited from having any new pets for the duration of the probation period and must allow regular inspections during the probation period to ensure compliance.

Pending Case

Sylvie Belanger: Charged on May 20, 2010 with four counts of animal cruelty against a number of cats. Further charges were laid on July 14, 2010 stemming from neglect of two cats in her care, including one that died after allegedly being stepped on, and another that drowned in the bathtub. First court appearance was July 29, 2010. Trial is set for February 22, 2011.

Although legally mandated to enforce the animal cruelty provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada, the OHS does not receive any government funding or funding from any animal welfare group to perform this essential work.

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