Peterborough Humane Society’s Strutt Your Mutt Event Goes Virtual This Year

The Peterborough Humane Society’s Strutt Your Mutt event is going virtual this year. It is being re-branded as PTBO PAWlympics where participants are challenged to stay active and try new activities with their pets, all the while fundraising to support the Peterborough Humane Society.

To ensure the safety of the community during these uncertain times, the Peterborough Humane Society is challenging individuals and teams to set a walking goal of 50, 75, 100, 150 or 200 kilometres to achieve over the month of September.

Photo courtesy Peterborough Humane Society

This goal will help participants to stay active with their pet and explore Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Participants can choose a goal that suits them and take part in fun activities and weekly challenges with their pet along the way.

Those interested in accepting this challenge can register here. All participants will receive a toolkit to help them on their journey and to reach their fundraising goals. Prizes are available for participants to help reach their fundraising goals as well as great prizes for their top distance walked and highest individual and team fundraiser.

Photo courtesy Peterborough Humane Society

All funds raised will go directly to the Peterborough Humane Society to help them care for the more than 1,600 animals they help each year.

“We are thrilled to be able to run this fun and engaging PAWlympics event to encourage our community to safely get out, stay active with their pets, and discover some of the amazing places we have in Peterborough & the Kawarthas,” says Shawn Morey, Executive Director, Peterborough Humane Society.

Registration has begun, with the walking challenge taking place from September 1st through September 30th. More details including fun challenges, prizing, and sponsors will be announced soon. For more details, visit the Peterborough Humane Society website at peterboroughhumanesociety.ca.

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Urgent Animal Care Fund Launched By Ontario SPCA & Peterborough Humane Society To Support Pets During COVID-19 Crisis

The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society has set up an Urgent Animal Care Fund with the Peterborough Humane Society (PHS) and other SPCAs and humane societies in Ontario to help animal organizations in the province continue to care for animals and support pet owners during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following direction from the Government of Ontario and advice of health professionals, the Peterborough Humane Society and its partners in animal welfare closed their buildings to the public to help slow and stop the spread of COVID-19. Furthermore, many planned fundraising events, such as the Peterborough Humane Society’s annual FurBall Gala, have had to be cancelled.

Photography courtesy Peterborough Humane Society

With adoptions put on hold, many SPCAs and humane societies are facing growing costs as they continue to care for the animals who will now have to wait longer to be adopted. While adoptions are on pause, animals in shelters still need nutritious food, veterinary care, enrichment and daily attention to keep them healthy and happy.

“As Peterborough and the Kawartha’s only open admission shelter, the team at PHS continues to take in and provide care for stray, abandoned and emergency care animals,” says Shawn Morey, PHS Executive Director.

Photography courtesy Peterborough Humane Society

“We have a small animal care team on site daily to provide our animals with the love and enrichment they need and have amplified our enrichment programs to ensure that our animals remain healthy and happy during their extended stay with us,” Morey adds. “With so many owned pets entering the shelter on a day-to-day basis, it is not feasible to place all animals into temporary foster homes.”

“We know that the long-term costs of care for animals in shelters are adding up, and not just for us, but for other SPCAs and humane societies across the province, which is why the Urgent Animal Care Fund was established,” says Morey.

Photography courtesy Peterborough Humane Society

By supporting your local SPCA or humane society, you will help ensure that vulnerable animals in your community are fed, safe and cared for during these challenging times.

To donate to the Urgent Animal Care Fund, visit urgentanimalcarefund.ca.

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Peterborough Humane Society's New State Of Art Animal Care Centre Is Almost Shovel Ready

Our Pet Project, the Peterborough Humane Society campaign to build the new Peterborough Animal Care Centre, is much closer to being a reality. They have announced in an update letter that over $6.6 million has been raised to date. Riding a wave of momentum, over $400,000 was raised in the last few months alone.

“The Peterborough Animal Care Centre is a shovel-ready project with all planning approvals, permits and tender documents in place,” says Shawn Morey, Exective Director, Peterborough Humane Society. “Construction will begin once we have secured a minimum of 80 percent of the $10,337,000 required to build, which is a best practice in capital campaign fundraising. We are excited that we are on target to meet these goals.”

According to the building schedule prepared by Lett Architects, it will take 12 to 18 months to complete the project, and the goal is to start construction in the fall this year, with construction anticipated to be completed in winter 2021.

A feasibility study conducted demonstrated a significant need for an Animal Care Centre that acts as both a community hub and centre of excellence for best practice in shelter health and wellness, and accessible veterinary services for vulnerable populations. The new Centre will serve 946,666 people across the City and County of Peterborough and surrounding areas (Durham, Northumberland, Kawartha Lakes, & Haliburton).

In addition, the Centre will stimulate community economic development through increased tourism and the creation of 20 new, full-time equivalent positions, and positively impacting over 50 jobs throughout the design and construction phase.

The majority of new positions will be in the Regional Spay/Neuter Clinic, including veterinarians, registered veterinary technicians, animal care staff, and customer service specialists.

“This is an opportunity to create new learning opportunities to attract and retain talent in Peterborough and the Kawarthas, as the Centre will attract leaders in veterinary care and animal medicine research to the region,” Morey adds.

[Related: How The New Peterborough Humane Society Will Be A Gamechanger For Animal Welfare]

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Innovative Pet Licensing Solution Brings New Value To Mandatory Pet Tag Program

Peterborough’s pet licensing season is officially upon us, with renewals due by January 31st. Peterborough Humane Society is reminding the community that this year the licensing process is much easier thanks to its partnership with DocuPet, a social enterprise and the country’s leading provider of pet tag, lost pet recovery, and pet licensing services.

“Peterborough residents no longer have to visit the Humane Society to purchase their pet licences, as the whole process can now be done online by simply visiting peterborough.docupet.com or by calling 1-855-249-1370,” says Shawn Morey, Executive Director at Peterborough Humane Society.

Photo courtesy Peterborough Humane Society

Licensing dogs and cats is mandatory in the City of Peterborough. When licensing, pet owners can choose a standard city tag or, for an additional fee, they can select from any of more than 25 designer tag options. They can also choose to add their pet’s name and their phone number to each tag.

The fee for an annual pet licence varies, depending on whether the animal is a dog or cat, and intact or altered, as well as time of year the license was purchased. Senior discounts are also available for residents over the age of 60. Licences are valid until January 31st of the following year.

Photo courtesy Peterborough Humane Society

“Pet licences are really important for the provision of animal welfare and public safety here in Peterborough,” adds Morey. “Properly identified animals are five times more likely to be returned home safely, reducing the number of stray animals that enter our shelter and keeping families together.”

Photo courtesy Peterborough Humane Society

Peterborough pet owners can license their dog or cat online at peterborough.docupet.com, or by calling 1-855-249-1370 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday to Friday.

They may also visit to purchase a license in person. DocuPet will mail tags and an information package to pet owners within two business days, regardless of how the licence is purchased.

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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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Anonymous Donor Pledges $50,000 To Peterborough Humane Society's Our Pet Project Campaign

A Toronto-based donor who wishes to remain anonymous has pledged $50,000 to “Our Pet Project”, Peterborough Humane Society’s campaign to build a first-of-its-kind new Animal Care Centre in the community.

“When we heard that the Peterborough Humane Society is going to be building a new state-of-the-art facility, we jumped at the opportunity to help out,” the couple who made the donation say. “Like everyone on the planet, we love our pets! Our wish is that all pets should receive nothing but the best care and a loving home, and this centre will be a massive step toward that goal. We look forward to seeing the Peterborough Animal Centre becoming a reality."

Rendering of future home of Peterborough Humane Society

“This $50,000 gift gets us one step closer to building our greatly needed new Centre,” says Shawn Morey, Executive Director at the Peterborough Humane Society. “We, however, continue to need the support of individuals and our community to reach our goal and make this vision to lead the way in animal welfare, a reality. I encourage people to join us and make this their Pet Project.”

In addition to this gift, the Humane Society has received generous contributions from local families and businesses. There has also been a significant investment of $1.68 million from the City of Peterborough, and $2 million from the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society. This takes its Our Pet Project campaign well over the halfway mark in reaching its $10 million fundraising goal. 

Designed by Peterborough-based Lett Architects (see renderings in this post), the new Peterborough Animal Care Centre will sit on 20 acres of land on Technology Drive and will be a Canadian first, setting a new standard and raising the bar for animal shelters across the country.

Rendering of future home of Peterborough Humane Society

The purpose-built facility will house the Humane Society’s new Adoption and Education Centre, which is designed with animals’ well-being in mind—providing more space, natural light and less stress. The space will be open and inviting, serving as a community hub and allowing for expansion of the Humane Society’s outreach, education and advocacy programs.

The Peterborough Animal Care Centre will also be home to Canada’s first Provincial Dog Rehab Centre (in partnership with the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society), and the region’s only High-Volume Spay/Neuter Clinic. The Humane Society anticipates that more than 5,000 animals will benefit from this service each year, reducing the number of unwanted pets in the province, supporting other local rescue groups and helping animals become available for adoption sooner.

[Related: How the New Peterborough Humane Society Will Be Gamechanger for Peterborough; 5 Things You May Not Know About Peterborough Humane Society]

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Ontario SPCA & Humane Society 38-foot Mobile Spay/Neuter Unit Visiting Peterborough In August

The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society has rolled out its new SPCA Mobile Animal Wellness Services trailer to give pet owners across the province access to critical resources like spay/neuter services, and the trailer will be making a stop in Peterborough August 16th and August 17th. 

The 38-foot trailer, which was made possible because of a grant provided by the Pet Valu family of stores through its Giving Back Project, features two surgical tables where 20-30 spay/neuter procedures can be performed per day. The new mobile unit is part of the Ontario SPCA’s ongoing efforts to control pet overpopulation and help build relationships with pet owners and their local veterinarian.

Photo courtesy Ontario SPCA

The trailer will be visiting communities across the province, including Peterborough—its location in the city will be announced later this summer, Ontario SPCA tells us, keep an eye out here—reaching underserved areas to provide spay/neuter surgeries, wellness exams, microchipping and vaccinations. 

“It’s important that we spay and neuter as many animals as possible to reduce the number of unwanted animals who end up homeless on the streets trying to survive,” says Daryl Vaillancourt, Chief, Humane Programs & Community Outreach, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society. “This new mobile unit will also serve as an important educational tool to help pets live longer, healthier lives by educating pet owners about the importance of routine veterinary care with a local veterinarian.” 

Photo courtesy Ontario SPCA

Financial donations are needed to help stock the unit with medical supplies and cover operating costs, to ensure this mobile unit can visit as many communities as possible.

Any donations received by midnight on June 27th will be matched, thanks to a generous pool of Ontario SPCA supporters.

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Peterborough Humane Society Announces New Partnership With Halifax Humane Society

Peterborough Humane Society (PHS), in continuing with a commitment made to give each and every animal that comes into their care the best possible future, has established a new partnership with the Halifax Humane Society in Nova Scotia to find new homes for two pit bulls that have recently come into their care.

Pit bulls are a breed of dog that are banned in Ontario, and both of the dogs that have been transported fell under the Bill 132 of the Dog Owners Liability Act.
 
This transport with their new East Coast partner was made possible by the efforts of Officer Darryl Porter—a member of the PHS animal control team—as well as a PHS valued volunteer who travelled to Nova Scotia to deliver the dogs. 

Darryl Porter from PHS (at right) with woman from Halifax SPCA (photo courtesy PHS)

On the return journey, the transport picked up three new dogs that were part of the most recent rescue from the Korean Meat Market through Humane Society International (HSI). 

"By facilitating transport of these animals, it gives them the opportunity to live without restriction of breed, and enjoy life with new loving and caring homes," says Officer Porter. "I am proud to be a part of transport, and glad to see these beautiful dogs enjoy their new start.”

Jindo dogs photo courtesy PHS

“I am excited to see this great new partnership with Halifax Humane Society come to light, as it continues our focus of collaboration with our animal welfare affiliates from coast to coast," says PHS Executive Director Shawn Morey.

"We are very happy to have so many great partnerships established, and continue to develop opportunities to further expand our affiliations, both locally and abroad. Our mission is to provide care and compassion to every animal that requires our services," adds Morey.

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