In case you haven’t heard, Ottawa is facing a pet affordability crisis. That rang through loud and clear when we consulted with our community early this fall to find out their thoughts on the biggest challenges facing pets and their people today. In fact, more than half of the 3,000 respondents cited cost of pet food and veterinary care as the biggest issues facing pet owners.
It’s actually not underground at all, but with how few people know, it may as well be top secret and confidential.
Let me fill you in. Animal welfare organizations, like the OHS, work together. These partnerships don’t all look the same, but they all have the same goal: doing more for animals in need.
It’s no exaggeration to say each day at the OHS is unique. We never know exactly what kinds of animals will need us, how many will come through our doors, or what care they will need to get their much-deserved second chance. I’d also guess that the animals are just as surprised as we are. Take Maurice for example. He’s a sweet Chihuahua who came to us with two broken legs.
We had a sweet litter of puppies in our adoption centre this week — all adopted within a couple of days, of course. Puppies are wonderful, and I had to sneak in a quick cuddle with them while they were here. It’s very obvious why puppies and kittens have no trouble finding forever homes, however I really want to tell you about the pets who are so overlooked, it’s shocking. I’m talking about senior pets.
For Remembrance Day this year, I plan to visit the Animals in War Memorial in Confederation Park to honour both the people who fought and sacrificed their lives in combat and the animals who were used to support them. Throughout the ages, people have used animals in conflict in many ways: horses and mules for transportation; pigeons to deliver messages; dogs for bomb detection, search and rescue, medical aid, and more; and all kinds of animals have provided companionship and comfort during wartime.
In just a few hours, my colleagues and I will be burning the midnight oil to provide spay and neuter surgeries and dental procedures for animals in need. We’re all volunteering our time and many of us have already been working throughout the day. By the end, we’ll be completely exhausted, but it will all be worth it.
If you have been a supporter of the OHS for many years, you’ll have noticed that our messaging around pets in costumes has shifted. Our previous hard line on “no costumes” has softened somewhat, to advocate for “costuming with caution.” Why is that?
It’s no secret that we need foster homes all the time. We’re also fortunate that there are folks who regularly step up in the community to become foster volunteers.
Fosters take in animals of all types, shapes and sizes. But there is one type of animal who is regularly stuck waiting for a foster home, and they’re also the animals who would benefit the most.
Today is National Feral Cat Day — dedicated to raising awareness and support of feral cats and ending the cycle of cat homelessness through compassionate means like trap, neuter and release programs and community education.
It’s important to know that true feral cats are distinct from semi-socialized cats who roam outdoors.
It’s a question I’m asked often, and the answer is mostly straightforward:
Forever homes ready to care for a pet for their entire life;
Volunteers to support animals at the OHS and to provide foster homes in the community;
Advocates for responsible pet ownership and better protections for pets; and,
Donations to provide life-saving and day-to-day care for homeless animals, and support community programs that help keep pets and their people together.
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