The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society receives $65,000 grant from PetSmart Charities of Canada to prepare more pets for adoption during National Adoption Week

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Local PetSmart stores will host adoptable pets March 23-29 as part of PetSmart Charities of Canada’s National Adoption Week.

Barrie, ON, (March 19, 2026) – Thanks to a new grant from PetSmart Charities of Canada®, the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society will help more pets in Barrie get healthy, adoption-ready, and into loving homes. The $65,000 grant will support National Adoption Week events taking place at the PetSmart at 33 Mapleview Dr. W. in Barrie from March 23-29, 2026.

Thousands of animals find themselves in shelters across Canada each year, adding strain to many already coping with stretched resources. Funds from PetSmart Charities of Canada help provide care and shelter to animals in need at the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Barrie and District Animal Centre.

“This partnership provides additional opportunities for the animals in our care to meet potential adopters,” says Janna Handiak, Operations Manager, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Barrie and District Animal Centre. “Our goal is to help animals find loving homes as quickly as possible, and events like this are a wonderful way to introduce the community to animals who are waiting patiently for their second chance.”

“Our animal welfare partners in local communities are determined to keep pace with the need, and deserve support,” says Aimee Gilbreath, president of PetSmart Charities of Canada. “We’re proud to work alongside the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society and appreciate the critical steps they take to advocate for the animals that come through their doors in need of love, safety, care and nutrition. Please consider supporting their lifesaving work through volunteering, fostering, adopting, or by donating.”

PetSmart Charities of Canada National Adoption Week is a special time during the year. Neighbourhood PetSmart stores will host adoptable pets to meet and cuddle in spacious areas, and staff and volunteers are ready to make introductions and answer questions. Potential pet parents can also learn about the products and services they’ll need for the best possible start with their new family members. 

Ontario SPCA animal centres in Barrie, York Region and Muskoka will be participating in the March adoption event, as well as additional National Adoption Week events taking place July 20-26 and Oct. 19-25.

To view animals available for adoption at the Ontario SPCA, visit ontariospca.ca/adopt

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Media Contact

Shannon Laflamme            
Community Outreach Coordinator,
Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Barrie and District Animal Centre
(705) 791-4957  
[email protected]

24-Hour PetSmart Charities Media Line
623-587-2177

About 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 Barrie and District Animal Centre is situated on the traditional land of the Anishnaabeg people. The Anishinaabeg include the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Pottawatomi nations, collectively known as the Three Fires Confederacy.

About PetSmart Charities of Canada

PetSmart Charities of Canada is committed to making the world a better place for pets and all who love them. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart stores across the country, PetSmart Charities of Canada has helped over 400,000 pets find loving homes. PetSmart Charities of Canada also provides grant funding to support organizations that advocate and care for the well-being of all pets and their families. Our grants and efforts connect pets with loving homes through adoption, improve access to affordable veterinary care and support families in times of crisis with access to food, shelter, and emergency relief. Each year, thousands of generous supporters help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities of Canada directly at PetSmartCharities.ca, while shopping at PetSmart.ca, and by using the PIN pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities of Canada efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in Canada, granting more than $40 million since its inception in 1999. PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered Canadian charity. To learn more, visit PetSmartCharities.ca.