News

The Ottawa Humane Society is inviting the community to leap into spring with Ottawa’s animals. On Saturday, May 11, Petals and Paws, a sweet event for the whole family, is happening at the OHS. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., lots of family fun is planned for the day including:

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Yesterday, 25 cats, 18 of which were kittens, were admitted to the Ottawa Humane Society. The majority of the cats were found outdoors as strays and brought to the OHS by members of the public.

“Spring and summer are some of the busiest seasons at the OHS,” said Dr. Shelley Hutchings, OHS Chief Veterinarian. “The warmer weather signals to cats that it’s time to breed and this leads to an influx of kittens and mother cats in our care.”

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I’ve already talked about how much I love plans, so it’ll be no surprise that I am beyond thrilled to share our new five-year strategic plan! Our focus: saving more animals by helping at both ends of the leash.

Last fall, Ottawa shared with us what’s needed to help pet owners and better support all animals in our community. It’s clear that in our current times of rapid change and uncertainty, we must be able to adapt nimbly and quickly, to meet our shifting environment and help more animals and the people who love them.

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Silence is a killer of animal welfare, and silence is what Ontario introduced last year with Bill 156, the so-called Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act. Thinly veiled as a means to protect biosecurity on farms, the bill targets people who report animal abuse in the farming industry — slashing transparency and accountability for how these businesses treat their animals.

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The Ottawa Humane Society has removed the adoption fee for all cats seven years of age and up. The OHS expects removing the fee will help these often overlooked pets find loving forever homes even faster.

“Historically, older cats are the pets who have the hardest time finding their perfect match,” said Carley Davidson, OHS Senior Manager: Operations. “We want these cats to spend their golden years with a family who loves them.”

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The OHS is approaching its busiest season of the year, and is turning to the community to help support the thousands of animals who will need its care this spring and summer.

Donations made towards the Ottawa Humane Society will be doubled today to provide shelter and care for these many animals.

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The past week, the sun has been shining, birds have been singing, people have been walking around in shorts and t-shirts, and at the OHS, we’re getting ready for a busy spring and summer. In early 2024, the OHS had already seen an unusually high, but not surprising number of animals in need. Just today, close to a dozen puppies were being scheduled for surgery! I’m expecting this trend will continue into the warmer months, with pets of all kinds needing life-saving shelter and care at the OHS.

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From April 14 to 20, we are celebrating National Volunteer Week and the contributions of close to 800 volunteers who give their time, effort and heart to Ottawa’s homeless animals.

There is no question, without the support of our volunteers, the OHS would not be able to care for thousands of animals each year. 

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For National Volunteer Week, the Ottawa Humane Society will be celebrating the contributions of its close to 800 volunteers.

“Our volunteers are lifesavers,” said Heather Kotelniski, OHS Manager: Volunteers. “They are involved in everything the OHS does, from caring for the animals, providing loving foster homes and even some administration tasks.”

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The Ottawa Humane Society is advising the community to be wary of spring hazards for their pets.

As temperatures rise, cat owners living in apartments may be tempted to let their pets onto their balcony. Cats often seek out perches in high, dangerous places and if watching a bird, cats have been known to become so focused that they will step out onto thin air — a sometimes deadly phenomena known as High-Rise Syndrome.

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