I tend to get credit for a lot of the good things that the Ottawa Humane Society does and the organization that it has become. While that is very flattering, I know it takes a lot of people to make an organization work. At the OHS, it’s a slightly magical combination of a professional staff, committed volunteers, a progressive board of directors, and a supportive community.
The Ottawa Humane Society is a long-time advocate of keeping cats indoors, unless safe in a “catio” or on a leash with her owner. At the OHS, I regularly see the sad reality for cats allowed to roam: frostbite; disease; accidental, or even intentional injuries. I always tense up when I see a cat loose, picturing what could happen to her.
It’s more than a bit depressing that we have marked two celebrations — Easter and Passover — twice now under COVID restrictions. Even though better times appear to be on the horizon, the sheer length of the pandemic has been stressful and wearying for everyone. Like many difficult times, I have relied on gratitude to keep going and not succumb to depression and despair.
Over the years, the Ottawa Humane Society has thankfully seen the admission of fewer dogs. Boxes of unwanted puppies are largely a thing of the past. But while fewer dogs need our care, the extent of the care they need has increased hugely.
Those boxes of the past were full of dogs that just needed to be vaccinated and sterilized and little more. They would be adopted in days.
There are a lot of things putting me in a good mood lately: an early spring; brighter evenings; and, an end to the pandemic in sight. Another thing that puts me in a good mood is an unexpected dog. By that, I mean meeting a dog in a surprising place: a restaurant patio, a store or a hotel. It just makes me feel warm and content, like everything is right with the world. Unexpected cats make me happy too, but for some reason they are only found in small bookstores, antique shops and the occasional feline-themed café.
For many, planning an estate and writing a will are “someday” tasks. There’s no shame in it — estate planning can be challenging. But, if you need an extra nudge, maybe your pet can help you find the will to get started.
No matter what the future holds for you, the best way to provide your pet with loving care is to record your wishes for your pet in your will.
A quick look online tells me something has changed. Today on Kijiji, there are miniature dachshund puppies for sale for $4,500. While that is a high, almost all the puppies for sale are priced at over $2,000. These are not show dogs. Many are not purebred. A quarter of the ads aren’t for puppies and dogs for sale — they are posted by people looking for a dog.
Despite strict public health measures in place across Ontario, animal rehabilitation centres, like the Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre, have kept their doors open throughout the pandemic. In fact, 2020 was a record-breaking year with more than 4,300 birds from 158 different species being admitted. Typically, winter is the slowest season at the Centre, but 2021 is proving to be even busier with double the intake compared to last year.
As I write this, it’s February 23 — World Spay Day. How are we marking the date? Through service to our community. Today, our staff are sterilizing 44 animals — 36 cats, five dogs and three rabbits in our clinic. The animals aren’t “ours,” they are in the care of six other local rescue groups who are having trouble obtaining surgeries during the pandemic.
In late January, Prescott, Ontario Town Council voted to make cats equal to dogs. The way they have done it is perhaps not the way that you think. You see, council updated the town’s 1994 animal control bylaw and now, owners can be charged $110 if their dog or cat is running at large and owners also could be fined if either species of pet is not licensed or not wearing its tag. The poop-and-scoop law will also apply to cats as well as dogs under the new bylaw. Owners can face a $210 fine if they don’t pick up after their animal on other people’s property or in public spaces.
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