Adoption Awareness Month with The Kawartha Haliburton Children’s Aid Society this November

The Kawartha Haliburton Children’s Aid Society recognizes November as Adoption Awareness Month, raising awareness about the role that everyone can play in helping children and youth achieve permanency and lifelong connections through adoption.

File photo.

They are committed to finding families that have the strengths and skills to support children who may have siblings, complex needs or open adoption relationships with their family of origin, as it can be challenging to find families who are able to meet the needs of older children, large sibling groups or those with complex medical, developmental and behavioural needs.

Adoption is one of several permanency options that children’s aid societies consider when looking for life-long connections for children in care. Kinship, customary care, legal custody and adoption are all options that are considered.

“The benefits of maintaining lasting family connections are numerous and all young people, including those in care, deserve those benefits. These changes offer a more consistent and responsive adoption experience for children, youth and families,” says Karen Kartusch, manager of the Regional Adoption Program for Highland Shores Children’s Aid, Kawartha-Haliburton CAS and Durham CAS. “Our goal is to find the right families for children and youth, and connect them as quickly as possible.”

The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) continues to prioritize the government’s strategy to redesign the child welfare system by focusing on the needs of children and youth and by creating solid foundations to support strong families.

According to the Kawartha Haliburton Children’s Aid Society, children living with their own families, in their own culture and in their home communities is the priority. However for some children living with their kin may not be an option, and when it is not, the child deserves a family that is a good fit for them.

The number of children and youth in society care and available to be adopted has steadily decreased over the last five years because the primary goal of children’s aid societies is focused on supporting children to live safely in their own homes.

Learn more about adoption by visiting the Central Adoption Intake Service via the Adoption Council of Ontario website www.adoption.on.ca.

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Lakefield Animal Welfare Society Hosting Kitten Adopt-A-Thon

The Lakefield Animal Welfare Society is hosting an adopt-a-thon on Sunday, in hopes to find homes for the kittens currently in foster homes through the agency.

Photo courtesy of Lakefield Animal Welfare Society.

There will be approximately ten kittens of all different ages, genders and colours up for adoption on Sunday.

The kittens are currently living in foster homes, and will be ready to go home with a new family immediately after the event. It is suggested that those attending come with a cat carrier.

There is a $150 charge to adopt a kitten, but $50 of that will be returned after the kitten is spayed or neutered (they are currently too young to do so).

“Sometimes the kittens become available all at once, like this, and it’s easier to have all of the foster parents bring the kittens here all at once,” said Dee Hargreaves, staff at LAWS.

Hargreaves notes that during Sunday’s event only kittens will be available for adoption.

To book an appointment for viewings call 705-652-0588.

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Local Man Celebrates Family Reunion Anniversary After Early Separation

Local realtor and paralegal Colin Elsby went through most of his life without knowing his biological family but marked his two-year anniversary of reuniting with his sisters on Thursday.

During their first reunion, the siblings cooked and played board games as their first activities together at the Airbnb. Photo courtesy of Colin Elsby.

He found his sisters through social media three years ago citing his biological aunt as a mutual friend that made the connection. He only had first names and birthdates as his only clues of his sisters.

“I did some digging and everything popped up. My sisters found the same aunt (we had) on Facebook 10 years prior to me finding her,” said Elsby. “ We didn’t know each other aside from first names and birthdates. I honestly never thought I’d meet and find them.”

He first connected with them when he saw a friend request from his sister on Facebook.

The 24-year old met his sisters for the first time at an Airbnb in Leamington, Ont. — since one sister lives in Windsor and the other in Tilbury, Ont. — where the experience was so overwhelming that the actual meeting was the opposite according to Elsby.

“It was such a calming and natural connection,” he said. “There was a possibility that we may not have clicked but it was surprisingly natural and it wasn’t super eventful, to be honest.”

Fran Reaume (left), Jennifer Reaume (middle) and Colin Elsby (right) all share the same biological mother. Photo Courtesy of Colin Elsby.

The three often keep in contact with each other especially with the distance between their towns, the pandemic and busy lives. Both his sisters have children of their own and work in healthcare which occupies a lot of time says Elsby.

He was taken into the care of Children’s Aid Society (CAS) at five months old and officially adopted when he was three. He was born in Toronto, adopted in Cobourg and has been living in Peterborough for the past 15 years.

He is a realtor for EXIT Realty Liftlock Brokerage and a paralegal. Elsby is a board member for the Kawartha Haliburton Children’s Foundation for over two years.

He went to high school at Adam Scott Collegiate Vocational Institute before attending Fleming College to be a paralegal, graduating in 2019. He studied to be a real estate agent while getting his paralegal diploma. He currently is studying online at the University of London for his Bachelor of Law (LLB) to become a lawyer.

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Local Woman Leaves $741,000 Toward Peterborough's New Animal Care Centre

A Peterborough-area woman, Cynthia (Cyndy) Richards, has left a generous estate gift of $741,000 to the Peterborough Humane Society. The donation will be used towards Our Pet Project, the building campaign for the Humane Society’s new Animal Care Centre.

Richards grew up in Peterborough. She spent most of her life working as an X-ray technician, working briefly in Toronto before leaving for Edmonton, Alberta where she lived for most of her career. Living primarily in the country, Richards owned both horses and cats. In 2000, she returned to her family home in Peterborough, bringing both her two horses and cats with her. All of her cats were rescues.

Photo of Cynthia (Cyndy) Richards courtesy Peterborough Humane Society

“Her whole life she had a deep love for animals,” says Pat de Villiers, a long-time friend and Richards’ power of attorney.

Richards was an avid volunteer at the Peterborough Humane Society. "She would come into the shelter, take her coat off, say hi to everyone before starting her day and then she would spend all her time with the cats,” says PHS Animal Care employee, Susan Lashmar, who has worked at the shelter since 2002. “She’d snuggle them, help groom them and loved every minute of it. She would come in as often as she could".

Rendering of new Animal Care Centre courtesy Peterborough Humane Society

Richards’ legacy and love for animals will live on as the Centre’s Cat Adoption Program, which will be named the Cynthia Richards Cat Adoption Program in her memory. Her name will also be memorialized with signage in the Cat Adoption areas and on the Centre’s Donor Wall in the Adoption and Education Centre’s lobby. Thanks to Richards’ support, the new Centre will provide each cat with more space and natural light.

The Peterborough Humane Society still needs support to cross the finish line and build its new Centre. Community members interested in learning more on how to leave a gift in their will or making a donation to help build the new Animal Care Centre are encouraged to contact Alex Tindale, Campaign Manager, at a.tindale@ptbohs.com.

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Nexicom Commits $126,000 To Our Pet Project Campaign To Build New Animal Care Centre

Nexicom has announced its commitment of $126,000 to Our Pet Project, the Peterborough Humane Society’s campaign to build the new Animal Care Centre, and will sponsor the Centre’s Adoption Technology Hub.

“2020 has been a rough year for all of us but one thing that stands out is the impact our pets have on our lives—whether it’s keeping us fit through daily walks or being that constant companion that provides unconditional love and improves our mental health,” says Julie Howe, Sales & Marketing Manager at Nexicom. “We’re so proud to be partnering with the Humane Society and we challenge other businesses in town to think outside of the box of how they can help to build this Animal Care Centre for our community.”

Photo from announcement at future site of Animal Care Centre courtesy Peterborough Humane Society

Designed by Peterborough firm, Lett Architects, the Humane Society’s new Animal Care Centre will sit on nearly 20 acres of land at 1999 Technology Drive. It will be home to the Humane Society’s Adoption and Education Centre that will serve as a community hub, and allow for expansion of their outreach, education and advocacy programs.

The Adoption Technology Hub, powered by Nexicom, will provide in-person and online visitors the opportunity to view animals available for adoption and to complete their adoption application online. Computer terminals will be located in the main lobby of the facility’s Adoption & Education Centre.

The new Centre will also be home to the region’s only High Volume Spay and Neuter Clinic providing accessible services to our community, and Canada’s first Provincial Dog Rehabilitation Centre in partnership with the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society.

“The new Peterborough Animal Care Centre will set a new standard for animal wellness in Canada and we are excited to have amazing corporate partners, like our friends at Nexicom, who share our vision for the future of our community and its pets.” says Shawn Morey, Executive Director at the Peterborough Humane Society.

Our Pet Project, the campaign to build the new Peterborough Animal Care Centre, has raised over $7 million towards their $10 million goal and is looking for local businesses and animal lovers to help them cross the finish line and get their Centre built.  

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Mobile Animal Units In Peterborough Prevented 2,000 Potentially Unwanted Pets

In just three days in Peterborough from August 16th to 18th, a mobile unit partnership spayed and neutered 48 animals—preventing close to an estimated 2,000 potentially unwanted kittens and puppies, and provided wellness examinations to 42 animals who may not have otherwise received the care.

In partnership with the Peterborough Humane Society, the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society’s SPCA Mobile Animal Wellness Services unit and the Niagara SPCA and Humane Society’s Mobile Wellness Unit were in Peterborough for this special event. The two state-of-the-art mobile units were stationed at the Peterborough Sport & Wellness Centre.

Photo of mobile unit courtesy Peterborough Humane Society

“The Peterborough Humane Society is incredibly thankful for the support provided by our friends at the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society and Niagara SPCA and Humane Society to bring mobile wellness services to our community this past weekend,” says Shawn Morey, Executive Director, Peterborough Humane Society.

Photo of mobile unit courtesy Peterborough Humane Society

The mobile units have been traveling across the province this summer in a collaborative effort to reduce pet overpopulation and reach underserved pet owners. Only five percent of pet owners who brought their pet to the mobile clinic in Peterborough had a regular veterinarian.

“Many people accessing these services don’t have a regular veterinarian for routine care,” says Daryl Vaillancourt, Chief, Humane Programs & Community Outreach, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society. “These mobile clinics ensure pets receive basic care and give us an opportunity to talk to pet owners about pet care and the importance of establishing a relationship with a local veterinarian for regular checkups.”

Left to right: John Greer, Shawn Morey & Daryl Vaillancourt

“This is a great example of the collaborative effort of like-minded humane societies,” says John Greer, Executive Director, Niagara SPCA and Humane Society.

“With our mobile efforts we are able to reach into communities and provide services that they would not otherwise be able to receive, making for healthier animals and communities.”

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Peterborough Humane Society Has 8 Adorable Potcake Puppies To Adopt

The Peterborough Humane Society has eight healthy, happy and busy potcake puppies that are now available for adoption.

These adorable pups from the Bahamas have been in the care of the Peterborough Humane Society for the past six weeks and are now ready to go to their forever homes. Puppies are not often available, so this is a wonderful opportunity for the community and the team at the PHS to enjoy the wonder of cute, wiggly puppies.

There has been much interest in these puppies—Embrace, Destra, Happy, Welcome, Beta, Alpha, Delta and Friend. The cost to adopt a puppy is $500. They have received their Rabies vaccine, are spayed or neutered, and have been microchipped. 

The puppies are a variety of mixed breeds but will all grow to become medium sized dogs. 

An application must be presented to the team at the shelter (385 Lansdowne Street East) in person between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Thursday, January 31st.  (Note: No applications over the phone or email will be accepted.)

All applications will be reviewed by their Operations Manager to ensure that they find these beautiful pups their new forever home!

The Peterborough Humane Society advocates for the welfare of animals by improving their lives, alleviating suffering, rescuing, providing shelter, healing, facilitating adoption and reducing pet overpopulation.

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15 Rescue Dogs Saved From A South Korean Meat Farm Have Arrived At Peterborough Humane Society

UPDATED (April 14th): The 15 dogs rescued from the Korean Meat Farms through the great work of Humane Society International have arrived at Peterborough Humane Society and are currently being vetted by a team of highly trained volunteers led by Veterinarian Dr. Bruce Robertson.

Photo courtesy Susan Dunkley, Peterborough Humane Society

Before being put up for adoption, the dogs will be settling into the shelter over the weekend so that they can properly be assessed and full medical assessments can be completed to ensure that they are ready for placement in their new forever home. 

No dogs will be available for adoption this weekend, and PHS will be making an announcement when they are. An adoption application will be required for each interested family, ensuring that people who are considering an adoption of these lovely animals are aware of the implications of their breed and the special needs they will have due to their living status up until a month or so ago.

Photo courtesy Susan Dunkley, Peterborough Humane Society

“This is a small example of the great work that our Peterborough team can do, especially once we are in our new facility and will have increased potential to provide the best in animal welfare both locally and globally,” says Shawn Morey, Executive Director of the Peterborough Humane Society.

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ORIGINAL POST (April 13th)

Peterborough Humane Society sent a dedicated team of staff and volunteers and three trucks to Montreal on Friday (April 13th) to pick up 15 dogs rescued from a Korean Meat Farm that were brought to Canada through Humane Society International.

Peterborough Humane team and volunteers that worked together on dog transfer

Humane Society International have worked in South Korea for the past three years and have permanently closed down 10 dog meat farms, transporting more than 1,200 dogs to safety in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Here is one of the rescued dogs being loaded onto a Peterborough Humane Society truck...

Photo courtesy Susan Dunkley, Peterborough Humane Society

“Weeks ago, these dogs lived a life of severe deprivation, crammed in barren wire cages and chained to stakes in the ground on a South Korean dog meat farm," says Rebecca Aldworth, executive director for Humane Society International/Canada.

"They had no protection from the cold and were denied even the most basic of their needs, such as proper food, veterinary care and socialization. But thanks in large part to the generosity of the Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation, HSI was able to rescue these deserving dogs and bring them to safety here in Canada. We are forever grateful to the Peterborough Humane Society, and all of our incredible placement partners, for working to find forever homes for these wonderful dogs.”

One of the rescued dogs from Korea: Photo courtesy Susan Dunkley, Peterborough Humane Society

Eighty dogs from Korea were flown into Montreal, and 15 of them will be heading to Peterborough later on Friday. They will eventually be ready to find their forever homes once they have been given a full bill of health and been spayed or neutered.

Rescue dog from Korea: Photo courtesy Susan Dunkley, Peterborough Humane Society

“We are extremely excited to be establishing this relationship with the team at HSI in an effort to find these beautiful dogs deserving homes in our community," says Shawn Morey, Executive Director of the Peterborough Humane Society.

"These wonderful dogs are all between eight months and a year old and did not have a favourable future ahead of them. With the support of many staff and volunteers willing to help, we are making a very positive difference in animal welfare."

Rescue dog from Korea: Photo courtesy Susan Dunkley, Peterborough Humane Society

Peterborough's Mike Swift, Canadian and Olympian Hockey star from the Korean Hockey team, will be on hand to greet the dogs when they arrive in Peterborough: “Being a dog lover, and having been in Korea for the past seven years, it seemed like a great fit to support yet another great endeavour by the PHS team and its volunteers," he says.

Check back to this post for more photos of the rescued dogs coming to Peterborough as we get them.

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