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You always hear about the first robin of spring, but I prefer measuring the change of seasons by the swell of people out in the community with their dogs. I’m definitely enjoying the spring with my pups, Reggie and Winston, and it reminds me of something I’m always so grateful for: Ottawa is a pet-friendly city.
As Ottawa’s local animal shelter, it’s not uncommon for people to assume that taking in animals, caring for them, and finding them new homes is all the OHS does. Don’t get me wrong, that work alone is an enormous task, but we’re up to a lot more, and the impact it has for the animals is staggering.
Kitten season is the time of year when many kittens are born — too often outdoors with no one to care for them. In Ottawa, this typically begins in April, when the weather starts to warm, and continues through October.
Animal welfare has changed a lot in the last 20 years, and these changes have almost always been for the better.
But one thing that’s remained stubbornly the same is attitudes toward surrendering a pet. Too often what is one of the most difficult and heart-wrenching decisions a pet owner could make is wrongly seen as callous — a choice made out indifference, not compassion.
March 10, 2026 — The 50/50 jackpot in the Ottawa Humane Society’s For the Love of Animals Lottery has reached $25,000 and continues to grow, giving supporters across Ontario the chance to win big while helping animals in need.
