Keeping pets and people together: Heather and Ginger’s story

Keeping pets and people together: Heather and Ginger’s story

For many people, pets are more than companions. They’re family, offering comfort, love and stability through life’s most difficult moments. For people experiencing homelessness, that bond can be especially important. At the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society, we recognize that helping animals often means supporting the people who love them.

For Heather and her dog, Ginger, that bond means everything.

The two are rarely apart. When Ginger became separated from Heather this summer, the importance of that bond became even more apparent.

Fortunately, Ginger was found and brought into the care of the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Cornwall and Region Animal Centre. The team recognized Ginger and worked to reunite her with Heather. When she arrived at the animal centre to claim Ginger, it was clear how much they love each other.

“The dog was crying, and she was crying, and they were hugging,” recalls Bonnie Bishop, Eastern Regional Manager, Community Outreach Services, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society.

Later that day, Bonnie spotted Heather and Ginger sitting together beneath a tree, enjoying being back in each other’s company.

“Heather is the whole world to Ginger, and Ginger is everything to her,” Bonnie says. “It’s her protector. It’s her family, her support, and her constant companion.”

Helping pets by supporting their people

Through the Ontario SPCA’s community outreach efforts, we’ve come to know Ginger and Heather well, helping provide the resources Heather needs to care for Ginger.

“Helping animals involves supporting the people who love them through difficult times,” says Bonnie.

For Heather, accessing veterinary care can present challenges. Recognizing this, the Ontario SPCA team wanted to ensure Ginger received the care she needed. With Heather’s blessing, we arranged to have Ginger spayed and microchipped at no cost. We kept her at our centre for a few days to help ensure a smooth recovery.

Keeping pets and people together

For Bonnie, the goal is simple: give people the resources they need to continue caring for their pets, even through challenging circumstances.

“These people want to provide for their pets,” she says. “They just need a little bit of help to be able to do it.”

For Heather and Ginger, that support means more than access to veterinary care. It means having the opportunity to stay together, where they belong.

Expanding support in Cornwall

Heather and Ginger’s story is one example of the essential care the Ontario SPCA provides to animals every day – and why a larger, modern facility is so important to the future of animal welfare in Cornwall and the surrounding region.

With the existing animal centre operating at capacity, the new Ontario SPCA Cornwall and Region Animal Centre and Veterinary Clinic will help expand access to essential services, including veterinary care and emergency boarding, for more animals and the people who love them.

Expected to open in 2027, the new 8,000-square-foot Cornwall and Region Animal Centre and Veterinary Clinic will replace the aging Ontario SPCA facility on Boundary Road. The new centre will increase animal intake and adoption capacity by approximately 30 per cent and will have room to care for up to 57 animals at a time — more than double the capacity of the current building.

The new facility will also feature a 1,400-square-foot charity-based veterinary clinic operated by the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society. The high-volume spay/neuter clinic will be able to perform as many as 3,400 spay and neuter surgeries each year, helping prevent an estimated 50,000 unplanned puppies and kittens each year. The clinic will also offer basic veterinary services, including vaccinations and dental care, helping improve access to care for families who may otherwise go without support.

The Ontario SPCA has now raised $6.2 million toward the $8-million project, with $1.8 million still needed to bring the new facility to life. The community is invited to lend a paw and help make this brighter future for pets and people a reality. To learn more about the Brighter Future for Pets and People campaign, visit ontariospca.ca/cornwall