May 1, 2026
The Ontario SPCA celebrates official grand opening of new Durham Region Veterinary Clinic
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Whitby, ON (May 1, 2026) – The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society officially celebrated the grand opening of its Durham Region Veterinary Clinic on April 30, marking an important milestone in expanding access to spay/neuter services for pet families in Durham Region.
The ribbon cutting ceremony was attended by Oshawa MPP Jennifer French, Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy, and Whitby Councillor Victoria Bozinovski, along with a representative from the office of Whitby MP Ryan Turnbull, and representatives from the Whitby Chamber of Commerce.
Mayor Roy presented a commemorative certificate on behalf of Regional Chair John Henry, with additional certificates and congratulatory scrolls provided by MPP Jennifer French, the offices of Ryan Turnbull and Whitby MPP Lorne Coe, and the Whitby Chamber of Commerce.
Following opening remarks, Ontario SPCA representatives led behind-the-scenes tours of the facility.
The celebration highlighted the clinic’s role in helping address the growing need for accessible veterinary care in the community. Previously dedicated to providing care exclusively for animals in the Ontario SPCA’s care, the clinic welcomes publicly owned dogs and cats for spay/neuter surgeries. It follows the Ontario SPCA’s high-quality, high-volume model operating successfully in Barrie, Stouffville and Sudbury.
The clinic expansion was made possible thanks to the generosity of donors, including the Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation, Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, the Durham Community Foundation, the Town of Whitby, and private donors.
“The official opening of the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Durham Region Veterinary Clinic represents an important investment in the health and well-being of animals in our community,” says Shannon Stephenson, Operations Manager of the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Durham Region Veterinary Clinic. “We are proud to provide accessible spay/neuter services that support pet families and help reduce pet overpopulation.”
Spay/neuter services play a critical role in preventing unplanned litters, reducing the number of animals entering shelters, and helping families care responsibly for their animals. By increasing access to these services, the clinic is helping keep animals with the families who love them.
The opening of the Durham Region clinic is part of the Ontario SPCA’s broader commitment to increasing access to veterinary services across Ontario and strengthening the human-animal bond through proactive, community-based support programs.
To learn more or to book a spay/neuter appointment at the Durham Region Veterinary Clinic, visit ontariospca.ca/spayneuter
##
Media Contact
Media Relations
Ontario SPCA and Humane Society
905-898-7122 x 375
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.