Thunder Bay & District Humane Society to join forces with Ontario SPCA and Humane Society
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Merger strengthens animal welfare services in Northern Ontario
Thunder Bay, ON (May 15, 2025) – The Thunder Bay & District Humane Society (TBDHS) and the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society are pleased to announce a new chapter in their longstanding partnership. TBDHS will be joining forces with the Ontario SPCA to enhance support for animals and the people who care for them across the Thunder Bay District and Northern Ontario.
This merger builds on decades of collaboration between the two organizations, both dedicated to improving animal welfare. The merged organization will operate with the same dedicated staff and volunteers and gain access to expanded provincial resources and administrative support through the Ontario SPCA. This integration will increase capacity to care for animals in need and expand local programming.
Recognizing the unique animal welfare needs in Northern Ontario, the Ontario SPCA has long worked in partnership with TBDHS, First Nations communities, and local rescues to deliver vital services. These joint efforts have included providing food supplies, offering mobile spay/neuter and wellness clinics, relocating animals to other regions of Ontario for adoption, and supporting the development of local community animal management strategies. Together, these initiatives have strengthened communities and advanced animal welfare in meaningful ways.
“The Thunder Bay & District Humane Society’s Board of Directors believes in the mission of the organization and is excited that we can lead our Society to this new level of support for the district. I am pleased that two of the TBDHS Board Directors will now sit on the Ontario SPCA Board of Directors to provide a voice for the North and communities across Ontario,” says Chris Bliznikas, President & Chair of the TBDHS Board of Directors.
To ensure that Northern voices continue to shape the direction of the organization, TBDHS Board Directors Ryan Venn and Derek Noyes will now serve on the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Board of Directors. The Ontario SPCA Board will govern both organizations until the merger is finalized in January 2026.
“This is a significant and meaningful milestone for the Thunder Bay & District Humane Society. It’s a step forward for animals and the people who care for them in the Northern community. Our team is excited for the future and to have access to these great resources,” says Shawna Beaulieu, Executive Director of TBDHS.
“The Thunder Bay & District Humane Society staff and volunteers are doing a wonderful job providing care and resources to the animals of the Thunder Bay District. The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is pleased to work together to offer support to leverage and continue expanding their programs and community support services,” says Renata D’Innocenzo, Chair, Board of Directors, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society.
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Media Contacts
For more information or media inquiries, please contact:
Thunder Bay & District Humane Society
ed@tbdhs.ca
Ontario SPCA Media Relations
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 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.
The Thunder Bay & District Humane Society
The Thunder Bay & District Humane Society (TBDHS) is a 100% not-for-profit established as a corporation in 1994; TBDHS does not receive any government funding and relies solely on donations, fundraising, and adoption income. They are dedicated to providing care and shelter to animals in need.