The Ontario SPCA expands Pawsitive Packs program into Durham Region to keep pets and people together

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Whitby, ON (March 26, 2026) – The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is expanding its Pawsitive Packs initiative into Durham Region, helping to support pet families facing financial hardship or housing insecurity with essential supplies to care for their animals.

The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Durham Region Animal Centre distributed 25 Pawsitive Packs, including 200 lbs of pet food, through Back Door Mission in Oshawa. The packs, which were supported by a $2,000 grant from Companies Who Care, contain essential pet care items such as collars, leashes, portable bowls, toys, treats and dog coats to help ensure animals remain safe and cared for during challenging times.

The Pawsitive Packs initiative is part of the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society’s Community Support Services programming, which aims to keep pets with the people who love them by providing resources to families who may be struggling. The goal of the initiative is to help prevent unnecessary pet surrender by ensuring families have access to basic supplies.

“Through the Pawsitive Packs program, we are able to provide a helping hand to pet families in Durham Region and help remove some of the barriers they may be facing in caring for their animals,” says Kayla Montes, Community Outreach Coordinator, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Durham Region Animal Centre. “For many families, these supplies can make a meaningful difference during difficult times and help ensure beloved pets can remain where they belong – with the people who love them.”

Since its launch in York Region in 2024, the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society’s Pawsitive Packs initiative has grown to serve communities across Ontario, including Cornwall, Orillia, and now Durham, helping keep pets with the families who love them. To date, close to 400 packs have been distributed through partnerships with food banks, shelters, warming centres, and social service organizations.

This program is part of the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society’s broader commitment to keeping pets and families together. In addition to Pawsitive Packs, the organization distributed more than 485,000 lbs of pet food to food banks in 2025. The charity also provides accessible veterinary services through its community clinics to support families who may not otherwise be able to afford routine care.

To learn more, or to make a donation to help keep pets with the families who love them, visit ontariospca.ca

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Media Contact

Kayla Montes
Community Outreach Coordinator,
Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Durham Region Animal Centre
289-894-3404
[email protected]

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 does 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 Durham Region Animal Centre, formerly 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.