Your plan should include a survival kit equipped with the essentials for the initial 72 hours. 

Some items to include in your pet’s emergency survival kit:  

• 72- hour food and water supply  
• Blankets/towels, cleaning supplies, waste bags and a litter box  
• Toys   
• Leash, muzzle, harness or collar    
• Pet carrier for each animal   
• Medications, medical records and your veterinarian’s name and contact number  
• A pet first aid kit  
• ID tags and microchip number   
• Current photo of your pet along with their name, address and brief description, including unique markings that would help identify them  

For a full list of items to include, see ‘Promise to Prepare’ below.  

Store emergency kit supplies in a waterproof container that’s easily accessible and transportable, such as a sealable plastic bin. Remember to check and update your kit twice a year, replenishing any items that have been used. Keep it stocked with fresh water, food, medication, and other essentials for your family’s safety. 

Promise to Prepare 

Promise to Prepare by visiting ontariospca.ca/ep and you’ll be entered in a draw to win a pet first aid kit and receive our free digital 72hr Emergency Preparedness Workbook outlining everything you need to include when assembling your pet’s survival kit.  

Prepare your evacuation plan 

Prioritize your pets:  

Ensure the safety of your pets by taking them with you when evacuating, provided it’s safe to do so. The Ontario SPCA emphasizes the importance of having a well-prepared evacuation plan in place. This plan should include arrangements for a secure location for your furry companion and a reliable method of transportation to safety. 

Explore evacuation options: 

Check with your municipality for information on evacuation centre locations and pet-related policies. Reach out to hotels and motels outside your immediate area to confirm their policies on accommodating animals during emergencies. Additionally, consider asking friends or relatives outside your vicinity if they could provide shelter for your pets during an emergency. 

Early evacuation: 

In the face of an imminent emergency, such as a tornado or other natural disasters, evacuate early. Avoid waiting for mandatory evacuation orders, which can complicate the process of evacuating with pets. Departing before conditions worsen not only ensures everyone’s safety but also helps reduce stress levels for both you and your pets. 

Don’t forget your survival kit:  

Remember to pack your survival kit to ensure you have all the essential supplies needed during evacuation.

As we observe Emergency Preparedness Week, now is the perfect time to prepare. Having an emergency preparedness plan that includes our companion animals is essential. So, let’s promise to prepare, explore evacuation options, and embrace early evacuation if necessary, knowing that we’ve done everything possible to protect our cherished furry family members.  

For more emergency planning resources, and to take the promise to prepare, visit ontariospca.ca/ep 

The post Does your emergency preparedness plan include your pets? appeared first on Ontario SPCA and Humane Society.

Sit, stay and learn on Monday, May 6 from 6-7 p.m. at the Pembroke Fire Department at 200 International Dr. in Pembroke. Participants will learn how to plan for their pet’s safety, including creating an emergency plan that includes their furry family members. The one-hour session will include considerations when planning an emergency escape route and what to include in an emergency survival kit containing everything your family, including your pets, will need to get through the first 72 hours of an emergency.

During Emergency Preparedness Week, promise to prepare by visiting ontariospca.ca/ep and you will be entered in a draw to win a pet first aid kit, plus you will receive a free digital Emergency Preparedness Workbook outlining everything you need to include when assembling your pet’s survival kit.

The Ontario SPCA is also giving away free emergency decals this week for anyone who has pets to let first responders know there are pets inside the home. In the event of an emergency like a fire, it can help the chances of firefighters being able to rescue your pets. Decals will be available during the May 6 learning session or drop by the Ontario SPCA Renfrew County Animal Centre this week to get yours.

For emergency preparedness resources, and to promise to prepare, visit ontariospca.ca/ep  

##

Media Contact

Heather Jobe

Ontario SPCA Renfrew County Animal Centre

(613) 602-0760

hjobe@ontariospca.ca

The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society

The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is a registered charity that has been changing the lives of animals for 150 years. The Society provides care, comfort and compassion to animals in need in communities across Ontario. It values all animals and advocates to treat them with respect and kindness. The Society strives to keep pets and families together and do so through a variety of community support services, such as sheltering and adoptions, including emergency sheltering, feral cat management programs, animal transfers, food distribution, humane education, animal advocacy, and spay/neuter services.

The Ontario SPCA does not receive annual government funding and relies on donations to provide programs and services to help animals in need. To learn more, or to donate, visit ontariospca.ca. Charitable Business # 88969-1044-RR0002.

The Ontario SPCA Renfrew County Animal Centre is situated on the traditional, unceded and unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin people. We also recognize the enduring presence of all First Nations, Métis & Inuit peoples.

The post Sit, stay and learn about how to protect your pets at Emergency Preparedness event appeared first on Ontario SPCA and Humane Society.

During this busy time at Ontario SPCA animal centres across the province, our staff and volunteers are focused on helping these tiny feline friends and their moms thrive. It can sometimes mean sleepless nights, round-the-clock bottle feeding, veterinary appointments and all the usual care that comes with keeping cats and kittens happy and healthy.   

Kitten season might begin in the spring, but it doesn’t typically peak until the late summer months. That’s when the number of kittens coming into Ontario SPCA animal centres can double or even triple monthly intake numbers compared to earlier in the year.   

Foster families save lives   

When a pregnant cat comes into our care, we try to place her in a foster home wherever possible. This gives mom a quiet, comfortable space to have her babies. As her kittens grow, that one-on-one time with their foster family in a home environment helps socialize them and prepare them for the day when they will be adopted into their loving home.  

Fostering kittens is a big job, especially when it comes to caring for orphaned kittens who need constant care and feeding. Without a mother, they depend on their foster family for everything.   

To help set our foster families up for success, we send them home with all the supplies they will need to care for their feline family. Our animal centres are in regular contact with the foster families to help ensure things go smoothly. The kittens come back to our animal centres every two weeks to be weighed, and so we can administer any de-worming or vaccinations needed at that time.   

Learn more about becoming a foster volunteer   

Teaching social skills  

 It is much easier to socialize kittens born to a socialized mom.. Like all baby animals, they take their cues from their mothers. Still, they need to be handled regularly once they are old enough to get them used to being touched – important prep work for the day they are old enough to be adopted into a loving home!  

Sometimes kittens are born to under-socialized or community cat moms who come into our care. These kittens need extra socialization away from their mom. If she’s fearful of people, she passes that fear along to her kittens.   

Once the kittens are past the most fragile period of their development, we begin to separate them from their mom for short periods of time to pick them up and handle them. As they get older, we spend longer periods of time with them, playing with them and letting them explore. The goal is always to make every interaction as positive as possible to help prepare them for life with a family in a loving home.   

Our animal care team also tries to expose kittens to as many things as possible. One day could include bringing an umbrella to work to let them see new objects; another day could be wearing a hat while working around the kittens. They even go so far as to play real-life sounds like thunderstorms or household noises to familiarize the kittens with common sounds.   

Preventing kitten season  

Spaying and neutering animals is the key to reducing the number of homeless cats and kittens that come into our animal centres. To put it in perspective, one female cat is capable of producing as many as 120 kittens in her lifetime!   

You can help reduce pet overpopulation by speaking to your veterinarian about having your cat spayed or neutered. To learn more about the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society’s spay/neuter services, visit ontariospca.ca/spayneuter 

Already have your pets spayed or neutered? Thank you! Please consider “Spaying it forward” by making a donation to cover the cost of a spay or neuter surgery for an animal in our care.   

Adopt a cat or kitten  

If you’ve been thinking of welcoming a furry friend into your family, visit our adoption page at ontariospca.ca/adopt to see cats and kittens available for adoption. Animals adopted through the Ontario SPCA are spayed or neutered, microchipped, de-wormed, up to date on vaccinations, and they go home with food from Royal Canin to help ensure a smooth transition into their new home.  

The post It’s happening meow: Animal centres gear up for kitten season appeared first on Ontario SPCA and Humane Society.

Being in an animal centre setting was stressful for Jagger. He became reactive whenever he was unsure, worried, or fearful. It was soon clear Jagger would benefit from the additional resources at the Ontario SPCA Provincial Dog Rehabilitation Centre in Peterborough. 

“Basically, he just had really big feelings and he didn’t know where to put them,” says Kassie Dickson, Animal Behaviour Coordinator, Provincial Dog Rehabilitation Centre. 

Kassie says Jagger’s behaviour was mostly based around fear and frustration, so they began doing desensitization and counterconditioning training with him.  

“He essentially was re-learning how to learn without fear of a consistent reprimand or an aversive being introduced if he got it wrong,” says Kassie. 

Over time, Jagger learned to wear a harness, and was given space to decompress where he could explore an environment with reduced triggers.  

“What we started to see was a much more confident and comfortable dog that was willing to try more things, do more things,” says Kassie. “He really came out of his shell.” 

The team knew the importance of finding the right family for Jagger. Jagger had been in our care for four months when Sarah, who is a retired Registered Veterinary Technician, and her partner, Anton, came along. They seemed to be a perfect fit and brought him home on a two-week trial. 

“In the end we fell in love with him. I mean, I was sold day one,” says Sarah. 

Sarah and Anton were encouraged to treat Jagger as if he were a puppy and everything was new to him. They also needed to help him continue decompressing by providing opportunities to explore safely.  

“It was like his brain was going 100 miles an hour and everyone else was going 10 miles an hour, and he couldn’t figure out why everyone else was behind,” says Sarah. 

In time, they began a five-week foundations class to teach Jagger the basics, and then started an agility course. Sarah says they’ve seen Jagger grow in confidence and become less reactive.  

“Honestly, he’s just amazing,” says Sarah. “We could not love him more.” 

Want to help dogs just like Jagger find their loving home? You can donate to the Ontario SPCA Provincial Dog Rehabilitation Centre and support this life-changing work. 

The post Ontario SPCA Provincial Dog Rehabilitation Centre helps Jagger find a loving home appeared first on Ontario SPCA and Humane Society.

Adjusting feeding and sleeping schedules 

The internal clocks of our animal friends can be thrown out of whack with the shifting hours of sunlight. Just like us, they might need a bit of time to adapt to the new rhythm of the day. You can try adjusting their feeding and sleeping schedules gradually to align with the changing daylight.  

Outdoor exploration and new stimuli 

With longer days come more opportunities for outdoor adventures! Your furry friend might find themselves introduced to a whole new world of stimuli – from intriguing scents to fellow critters frolicking in the sunshine. While this can be an exciting time, it’s essential to keep an eye on them, especially if they’re being introduced to a new outdoor environment. If your little companion is easily stimulated, you may want to introduce them to the new setting gradually and in short increments, so they don’t get overwhelmed. 

Protecting against potential dangers 

With the bloom of spring flowers and the lush greenery of summer come a lot of potential dangers hiding in your garden or neighborhood park. Some plants can be toxic to our furry friends, so it’s crucial to know what’s growing in your pet’s stomping grounds and keep them away from anything that could spell trouble.  

Check out our blog on Poisonous Plants and Flowers to know what to look out for. 

The other important thing to consider with the changing season is vaccinations! Ensuring your companion animal is up to date on their vaccinations is critical to safeguard against diseases prevalent during the warmer months.  

Let’s not forget about those tiny terrors: fleas and ticks. As the temperature rises, these critters come out to play, ready to hitch a ride on your furry friend and set up camp in their cozy fur. Regular grooming and preventative measures like flea and tick treatments are a must to keep your pet itch-free and healthy all season long. 

It’s important to stay attuned to the ways in which seasonal shifts can impact our furry companions. By staying informed, proactive, and attentive to their needs, we can ensure that our animals thrive in every season, enjoying the delights of outdoor exploration while staying safe and healthy. With a little vigilance and a whole lot of love, you and your furry companion can weather any season together. 

If this information was helpful, please help us continue to educate about pet health and well-being by making a donation. 

The post Seasonal shifts: How they can have an impact your furry friend appeared first on Ontario SPCA and Humane Society.

Whitby, ON (April 26, 2024) – To help prepare for kitten season, a time when animal shelters typically see an increase in the number of tiny felines coming into their care, the Humane Society of Durham Region is hosting a “kitten shower” tomorrow. 

Drop by the animal centre on Saturday, April 27 between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. to meet animals available for adoption, learn more about volunteer opportunities, and discover the many community programs and services offered by the Humane Society of Durham Region. Animal lovers are encouraged to make a donation, drop off items such as towels and blankets, or purchase some much-needed items from the animal centre’s kitten wish list. 

“We want to be prepared to care for the many cats and kittens we anticipate could arrive in our care over the coming months,” says Blair Budgell, Events Coordinator with the Humane Society of Durham Region “We are so thankful for our community’s support and we look forward to welcoming our friends to the animal centre for this fun event.” 

The Humane Society of Durham Region is a registered charity that does not receive annual government funding and depends on the generosity of donors to help change the lives of animals in need.  

For updates on the kitten shower, follow HSDR on Facebook and Instagram @HumaneSocietyofDurhamRegion  

Learn more about the Humane Society of Durham Region by visiting hsdr.org  

# 

Media Contact  

Blair Budgell 

Events Coordinator, Humane Society of Durham Region  

bbudgell@ontariospca.ca 

289-355-0399 

The Humane Society of Durham Region    

 The Humane Society of Durham Region is a registered charity. For over 30 years, the HSDR has been dedicated to protecting and providing compassionate care for unwanted and abused animals in Durham Region until they find their forever homes. Committed to improving the lives of animals, HSDR provides education and resources to the community.  

 As part of the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society, the HSDR works collaboratively to strengthen and grow the programs and community support services it provides to help animals and the families who love them.  

The Humane Society of Durham Region acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, which is covered under the Williams Treaties. The HSDR is situated on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, which includes Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. 

The post Humane Society of Durham Region hosts kitten shower to help prepare for feline influx appeared first on Ontario SPCA and Humane Society.

Barrie, ON (April 25, 2024) – To help prepare for kitten season, a time when animal shelters typically see an increase in the number of tiny felines coming into their care, the Ontario SPCA Barrie Animal Centre is hosting a “kitten shower” on Sunday, April 28. 

Drop by the animal centre between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to meet animals available for adoption, submit kitten name ideas, take part in kids colouring and crafts, learn more about volunteer opportunities, and discover the many community programs and services offered by the Ontario SPCA.  

Animal lovers are encouraged to make a donation, or purchase some much-needed items for the kittens from the centre’s wish list. Not only will you be helping animals in need, but you will also be entered in a draw to win a cat or dog-themed gift basket. 

“We want to be prepared to care for the many cats and kittens we anticipate could arrive in our care over the coming months,” says Shannon Laflamme, Community Outreach Coordinator with the Ontario SPCA Barrie Animal Centre. “We are so thankful for our community’s support and we look forward to welcoming our friends to the animal centre for this fun event.” 

The Ontario SPCA Barrie Animal Centre is a registered charity that does not receive annual government funding and depends on the generosity of donors to help change the lives of animals in need.  

To learn more, or to see the animal centre’s kitten shower wish list, visit ontariospca.ca/barrie 

# 

Media Contact  

Shannon Laflamme            
Community Outreach Coordinator,
Ontario SPCA Barrie Animal Centre
(705) 791-4957  
slaflamme@ontariospca.ca 

The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society   

The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is a registered charity that has been changing the lives of animals for over 150 years. The Society provides care, comfort and compassion to animals in need in communities across Ontario. It values all animals and advocates to treat them with respect and kindness. The Society strives to keep pets and families together and do so through a variety of community support services, such as sheltering and adoptions, including emergency sheltering, feral cat management programs, animal transfers, food distribution, humane education, animal advocacy, and spay/neuter services.  

The Ontario SPCA does not receive annual government funding and relies on donations to provide programs and services to help animals in need. To learn more, or to donate, visit ontariospca.ca. Charitable Business # 88969-1044-RR0002. 

The Ontario SPCA Barrie Animal Centre is situated on the traditional land of the Anishnaabeg people. The Anishinaabeg include the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Pottawatomi nations, collectively known as the Three Fires Confederacy. 

The post Ontario SPCA Barrie Animal Centre hosts kitten shower to help prepare for feline influx appeared first on Ontario SPCA and Humane Society.

Giardia is a parasite that can live in water, and can cause diarrhea and cramping in animals. Some animals have this parasite, and don’t have any signs, but they can pass it on to people, especially children and immunocompromised people.  

Leptospirosis is a serious and potentially life-threatening bacterial disease that can affect many mammals (including humans). This bacteria can thrive in water and there is the potential that animals can become infected through damaged, broken or thin skin when swimming and playing in contaminated water. Clinical signs can vary, but may include fever, lethargy, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, liver and kidney damage.  

Blue-green algae, specifically, can endanger the life of your animal. This algae forms on or near bodies of water during warm weather months. It can be found in ponds and lakes, fresh water, backyard fountains, or even on rocks.  

Your dog can be affected if they drink from or swim in contaminated sources.  

Signs of blue-green algae toxicity in stagnant water include:  

• Seizures  
• Panting  
• Excessive drooling  
• Respiratory failure  
• Diarrhea  
• Disorientation  
• Vomiting  
• Liver failure  
• Death  

Don’t allow your animals to drink from stagnant ponds, lakes or other bodies of water that have bluish-green scum on the surface or around the edges.  

The cells of the blue-green algae can also latch onto your furry friend’s fur, which can be ingested when they clean themselves. This is why it’s important to wash your dog after they have been in contact with any body of water.  

For more information on blue-green algae, visit ASPCA’s blog. 

Learn more pet safety tips on our blog and consider making a donation to help us continue to educate about pet health and well-being 

The post Stagnant water can be life threatening to your pet appeared first on Ontario SPCA and Humane Society.

Stouffville, ON (April 25, 2024) – After travelling more than 1,600 kilometres for an opportunity to be adopted, 42 Northern cats arrived at Ontario SPCA animal centres across the province this morning.

The cats came from the Second Chance Pet Network in Dryden and will be placed up for adoption at Ontario SPCA animal centres in Orillia, Barrie, Durham, Brockville, Orangeville, Sudbury, and Stouffville. Cats adopted from the Ontario SPCA are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped and they go home with food from Royal Canin to help them transition into their new home.

To help even more animals, the Ontario SPCA delivered 960 lbs. of donated cat food on this trip, which will provide more than 3,800 meals to animals in the North.

A lack of access to basic animal wellness services, such as veterinarians and spay/neuter services, has contributed to an increase in animal populations across Northern Canada. The Ontario SPCA and its partners work alongside communities to deliver much-needed resources, such as food and mobile wellness services, and to manage animal populations through spay/neuter and re-homing initiatives.

“In many Northern communities there are more adoptable animals than there are homes, which is why we work with our partners to bring animals to areas of the province where there are families waiting to adopt,” says Arista Wogenstahl, Regional Manager, Northern Outreach Services, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society. “One organization can’t do this work alone, which is why these partnerships are so valuable to change the lives of animals.”

Interested in adopting? Visit the Ontario SPCA’s adoption page at ontariospca.ca/adopt to meet animals available for adoption.

##

MEDIA CONTACT

Media Relations

Ontario SPCA and Humane Society

905-898-7122 x 375

media@ontariospca.ca

The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society 

The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is a registered charity that has been changing the lives of animals for over 150 years. The Society provides care, comfort and compassion to animals in need in communities across Ontario. It values all animals and advocates to treat them with respect and kindness. The Society strives to keep pets and families together and do so through a variety of community support services, such as sheltering and adoptions, including emergency sheltering, feral cat management programs, animal transfers, food distribution, humane education, animal advocacy, and spay/neuter services.

The Ontario SPCA does not receive annual government funding and relies on donations to provide programs and services to help animals in need. To learn more, or to donate, visit ontariospca.ca. Charitable Business # 88969-1044-RR0002.

The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Provincial Office sits on the traditional territory of the Wendat, the Anishinabek Nation, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Mississaugas of Scugog, Hiawatha and Alderville First Nations and the Métis Nation. This territory was the subject of the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Iroquois Confederacy and the Ojibwe and allied nations to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. The treaties that were signed for this particular parcel of land are collectively referred to as the Williams Treaties of 1923.

The post Ontario SPCA animal centres welcome 42 Northern cats in need of loving homes appeared first on Ontario SPCA and Humane Society.

By working together with like-minded organizations and Indigenous communities, the Ontario SPCA is giving Northern animals the second chance they deserve. We’re providing sustainable resources to the North and helping animals to find loving homes. 

Cub’s journey 

Cub had been waiting for a loving home at the Thunder Bay Animal Services for nine months before being transferred into the care of the Ontario SPCA to find a loving home. It wasn’t long before he was adopted. 

“We cannot thank you enough for bringing Cub into our lives,” his adopters wrote in a thank you card. “Cub is truly perfect and gives us more love than we could have imagined. Thank you, again, for all that you do, and for bringing us all together.” 

2023 Northern successes 

We are proud to announce that in 2023, the Ontario SPCA completed eight Northern animal transfers, covering 24,307 kilometers. Through these efforts, we brought 232 animals to our animal centres where they found loving homes. Additionally, we distributed an astounding 232,432 lbs of pet food and supplies to 30 Northern communities, providing over 567,838 meals to furry friends in need. 

Looking ahead 

This year, the Ontario SPCA has plans for additional transfers to help Northern animals, like Cub, find loving families. These animals needing homes will be brought to areas of the province where there are families waiting to adopt. We will also be hosting two spay/neuter and wellness clinics to provide further aid to Northern communities in need of veterinary care for their beloved companion animals. 

 Learn more at ontariospca.ca/communitysupport 

Join our efforts 

The Ontario SPCA does not receive annual government funding and relies on donations to provide programs and services to help animals in need.   

Your donation will help us find loving homes for animals in need, as well as support our ongoing efforts to provide pet food, supplies, and spay/neuter and wellness clinics to underserved Northern communities. To contribute and make a difference, please visit please visit ontariospca.ca/donate 

The post Northern dog gets a second chance thanks to re-homing partnership appeared first on Ontario SPCA and Humane Society.