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.
The smog was obviously top of mind this week. After waking up Tuesday morning to a red sky and air thick with the smell of burning pine, it was hard to think about anything else.
As forest fires threaten to affect Ottawa’s air quality throughout the week, the Ottawa Humane Society is urging pet owners to take caution.
“Smog can irritate a pet’s eyes and respiratory tract,” said Dr. Shelley Hutchings, OHS chief veterinarian. “Older pets and pets with heart or lung conditions may be at greater risk.”
“There is no power greater for change than a community discovering what it cares about.” ― Margaret Wheatley
Earlier this month, I found myself in a room with hundreds of other animal welfarists, talking about the future for animals in our country. This was the Humane Canada annual conference, and as a movement, we have many reasons to be proud!
The OHS is struggling to care for 16 stray rats brought to its care over the Victoria Day long weekend. The rats – all male and predominantly juvenile — were found in a cage outdoors in the Britannia Park area. Many of the rats are underweight and in poor health; one has already died.
Surrendering a pet is a tough and personal decision. We’ve shared before some of the reasons that would bring a pet to the OHS and how we’ll do whatever we can to keep a pet with a family who loves and cares for them.
There is a unique story behind every animal who comes to the OHS, but we have noticed a common thread over the past year. One of the most frequent reasons owners need to surrender their pet is that they simply have too many.
They roam your house, use a litter box, are best kept indoors, should be spayed/neutered, and their homeless population has been exploding.
Sound familiar? Well, I’m not talking about cats, but rabbits.
Around September 2021, we declared our rabbit population a burgeoning crisis. Rabbits were coming to us in entire litters, easily cruising into the double digits. It was a bunny-palooza.
High temperatures forecasted for Ottawa this week pose a great danger to pets left alone in cars, warns the Ottawa Humane Society.
“Dogs die in hot cars,” said Sharon Miko, OHS President & CEO. “Temperatures in vehicles rise extremely quickly — even with windows open. Pets can overheat, leading to brain damage and even death.”
It’s that time of year when we start to see a rising number of kittens and momma cats who need our help. During the winter months, we were taking in somewhere between 150 and 200 cats each month. During the spring and summer months, this increases by more than 100 cats monthly.
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