News

The OHS Wiggle Waggle Walk & Run is a lot of wonderful things: a great day out, a fun time with your family and your dogs, a chance to see breeds of dogs you never see anywhere else, and a chance to mingle with other caring and committed people in Ottawa. The run is all that and an opportunity to set a personal best.

Read More

Like everyone else, the Ottawa Humane Society had to adapt and change on the fly throughout the public health crisis. As things cool down and we’re starting to get a handle on just what life after COVID might look like, we’ve decided to continue with our method for adopting out animals.

That is, adoption by appointment.

Read More

Today is a happy day for me. Film is being installed on the windows at the OHS. I know that sounds pretty boring, but to me it’s exciting. You see, this particular film is going to protect wild birds. Let me explain.

Read More

We’re so excited. We are just a month away from the Wiggle Waggle Walk & Run.

It’s been three long years since Ottawa has been able to come together in-person, in real life, for a day of fun and excitement.

It’s been three years since we’ve been able to get together with our family and friends to help animals in need.

Read More

Many people have asked me over the years, “What is the difference between a humane society and an SPCA?” The answer is, today, functionally there is no difference. Most humane societies and SPCAs do similar work and have similar missions and mandates. Best I can tell, the names are different for historical reasons; SPCAs were founded solely to protect animals, while humane societies were founded with a broader mandate of protecting animals and children.

Read More

Pre-COVID, the OHS might have had 800 or more animals in our care at any one time. Our shelter capacity is in the neighbourhood of 350. We do not euthanize for space.

So how do we accommodate all these animals? In three ways: managed admission, the Pet Adoption Location (PAL) program, and most importantly, fostering.

Read More

More than 40 animals are currently waiting for foster homes at the Ottawa Humane Society, and some have been waiting for more than a month.

“The summer is when our need for foster homes is the greatest,” said Kestrel Wraggett, OHS manager: volunteers. “We’ve never seen wait times like this before. Usually it only takes an animal about three to five days to find a foster home.”

Read More

Like many charities, the Ottawa Humane Society envisions a future in which we aren’t needed anymore. For us that means a compassionate future where every animal leads a happy and healthy life, and pets are cared for in a committed and responsible home.

The OHS is still needed, but you can help put us out of business by being a responsible pet owner and encouraging others to follow.

Read More

As Canadians, we generally view our country as the refuge for Black Americans escaping slavery in the U.S. via the Underground Railroad. While that is true, we tend to ignore our own vile history of slavery. For more than two hundred years, slavery happened in Canada too. 

Read More

Last night, seven rabbits were found abandoned on the shared yard of an apartment building near McEwan Avenue in Ambleside and brought to the Ottawa Humane Society.

The OHS had recently declared the week of July 24 to 30 as Rabbit Week in an effort to find homes for the more than 20 rabbits already in its care.

Read More