Promise to prepare: the Ontario SPCA urges people to include pets in emergency plans
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Stouffville, ON (May 6, 2024) – This week is Emergency Preparedness Week and the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society and the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC) are asking you to promise to prepare and have an emergency preparedness plan in place that includes your furry family members.
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 our 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 at home to let first responders know there are pets inside. In the event of an emergency like a fire, it can help the chances of firefighters being able to rescue your pets. Drop by your local Ontario SPCA animal centre this week to get yours.
“We’re asking everyone who has a furry family member to promise to prepare,” says Jennifer Bluhm, Vice President, Community Outreach Services, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society. “By having an emergency plan and the necessary emergency supplies to shelter in place, you will be in a better position to help the ones you love, including your pets.”
“The Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC) is very pleased to join forces with the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society in observing, and raising awareness around Emergency Preparedness Week this May,” says Deputy Chief Rob Grimwood, President, OAFC. “As a non-profit organization committed to fire and life safety and the well-being of our community, we understand the critical need for readiness in the face of potential emergencies and disasters, including those that may impact our furry friends. By working together with the Ontario SPCA, we aim to increase awareness and advocate for preparedness strategies that protect both human and animal lives during emergencies. This partnership is a testament to our shared dedication to safeguarding lives, including those of our beloved pets, and highlights our proactive approach to ensuring, and safeguarding, our community’s well-being.”
For emergency preparedness resources, and to promise to prepare, visit ontariospca.ca/ep
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MEDIA CONTACTS
Ontario SPCA and Humane Society
Media relations
905-898-7122 x 375
Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs
Karthik Swaminathan
Communications Strategist
905-426-9865 x.1222
karthik.swaminathan@oafc.on.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.
Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs
The Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC) is a non-partisan, non-profit association that represents the Chief Fire Officers of the 437 fire departments in the Province of Ontario. The 437 fire departments are divided into 32 career fire departments, 43 composite fire departments and 362 volunteer fire departments. There are approximately 30,716 firefighters in Ontario, including about 18,281 volunteer firefighters, 11,971 career firefighters and 464 part-time firefighters.
These Chief Fire Officers are ultimately responsible, by statute, for the management and delivery of fire, rescue, and emergency response to the 15 million residents of Ontario. We are the trusted advisor to government when it comes to public and firefighter safety. The OAFC supports initiatives designed to improve the fire and life safety of our members and all who reside in Ontario.