The Ontario SPCA brings Pawsitive Packs program to Barrie to keep pets and people together

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Barrie, ON (April 16, 2026) – The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is expanding its Pawsitive Packs initiative to Barrie, helping support pet families facing financial hardship or housing insecurity by providing them with essential supplies to care for their animals.

Thanks to a $1,500 grant from the Kempenfelt Rotary Club, the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Barrie and District Animal Centre is distributing 12 Pawsitive Packs through the Busby Centre and S.H.I.F.T. Support and Hope. Filled with essentials like collars, leashes, portable bowls, toys, treats and dog coats, the packs help ensure pets stay safe and supported 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.

“Pawsitive Packs is one way we can support pet families and help reduce some of the barriers they may be facing,” says Shannon Laflamme, Community Outreach Coordinator, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Barrie and District Animal Centre. “Access to these supplies can go a long way in helping pets stay happy, healthy and 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, Durham and now Barrie, helping keep pets with the families who love them. To date, over 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 375,000 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 donate to help keep pets with the families who love them, visit ontariospca.ca/barrie

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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]

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.