Page 3 – Ontario SPCA

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ontario, Canada — April 1, 2026 — The Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) and the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society (Ontario SPCA) are launching a new partnership to support seniors and their pets by delivering pet food alongside Meals on Wheels deliveries.

This collaboration brings together community support providers and animal welfare services to address a practical challenge faced by many older adults – accessing pet food due to limited mobility, fixed incomes, or transportation barriers. By leveraging existing Meals on Wheels routes, volunteers can now also deliver pet supplies donated by the Ontario SPCA during their regular visits.

The initiative is being introduced through an initial pilot with a small group of participating providers, including Meals on Wheels Sudbury, and Meals on Wheels Cornwall, which has already completed its first pet food deliveries to local seniors.

“Meals on Wheels programs do far more than deliver food, they are a vital connection point into the community,” says Lori Holloway, CEO of OCSA. “This partnership reflects how organizations can work together to respond to real, everyday challenges seniors face. It’s a practical example of how community-based care supports the whole person, not just clinical needs.”

“Pets are family, and we know the positive impact they have on people’s mental and emotional health,” says Jennifer Bluhm, VP, Community Outreach, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society. “This partnership helps remove barriers so seniors can continue to enjoy the companionship of their pets.”

The program is already making an impact at the community level, with local providers seeing firsthand how small supports can improve quality of life for clients.

“Pets can play a powerful role in reducing the isolation many seniors experience,” says Tammi Lear, Executive Director, Meals on Wheels Sudbury. “Meals on Wheels Sudbury is excited to partner with the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society to help keep our seniors healthy, connected, and able to remain in their homes with their pets.”

“Meals on Wheels Cornwall is proud to be the first organization to pilot this program with the Ontario SPCA,” says Andree-Ann Morin, Meals on Wheels Coordinator, Glen Stor Dun Lodge. “This pilot program recognizes that food security doesn’t stop with the individual – it includes the pets who bring comfort and companionship. Thanks to the Ontario SPCA, we’ve already been able to help clients who were struggling with the cost, access, and special dietary needs of their pets. Even with just a few clients so far, we’ve seen how removing this worry can improve overall wellbeing.”

Evidence shows that pets can reduce loneliness and support mental well-being among older adults. Small, practical supports like this can play an important role in maintaining health, preventing more complex needs over time, and improving client outcomes.

This new partnership demonstrates the potential of cross-sector collaboration to better support seniors aging at home, while strengthening connections between health, community, and social supports.

OCSA and the Ontario SPCA will continue working together to explore opportunities to expand the program with additional community partners across Ontario.

Media Contact

Karla Sealy
Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA)
[email protected]
416-256-3010 / 1-800-267-6272 ext. 242

About the Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA)

The Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) is the leading voice for home and community care in Ontario, representing hundreds of not-for-profit organizations delivering both home care and community support services across the province. OCSA members provide essential services including nursing, personal support and therapies; Meals on Wheels, transportation, caregiver supports, and other programs that help people remain safely in their homes and communities. Serving over one million Ontarians each year, OCSA works with government and system partners to advance integrated, community-based care as a cornerstone of a sustainable health system.

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.

By Sonya Reichel, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society

Across Canada, animal welfare organizations are under increasing pressure, and the drivers are becoming more consistent year over year. Surrenders are rising, not because people care less about their animals, but because they are increasingly unable to afford to keep them. National data from the 2025 Hill’s Canada State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report shows that cost is now one of the most significant barriers to both having pets and adoption, with a majority of Canadians identifying veterinary expenses as a primary concern.

2025 Canada State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report

We’re seeing that reality play out in very tangible ways.

In Muskoka this past year, our team worked with three individuals who were each caring for large numbers of cats and no longer able to manage. In total, 129 cats were brought into care –but not all at once. The team worked with these individuals to create a structured intake plan that didn’t overwhelm them or the system, ensuring the animals could be cared for safely and responsibly.

Those intakes alone prevented the reproduction of more than an estimated 2,300 cats in the surrounding communities.

That is the reality of the current environment. It’s not a lack of compassion driving these challenges, but affordability pressures, limited access to veterinary care, and gaps in support services when they’re needed most.

The question, then, is not whether more animals need help. It is how we respond to that demand in a way that is responsible to both the animals we serve and the donors who make the work possible.

Over the past two years, we have seen meaningful growth in our ability to support animals. Intake has continued to rise, and adoptions reached 6,325 in 2025, representing a 10.3% increase over the previous year. At the same time, live outcomes reached 96.6%, and length of stay continued to decline. What is notable is that this progress did not come from significant expansion in infrastructure. It came from a deliberate shift toward optimizing how the system functions.

One of the clearest examples of this is the reduction in length of stay, which decreased from 23.6 days to 20.5 days in 2025. A three-day reduction may appear incremental, but in operational terms it represents a meaningful increase in capacity. When animals move through the system more efficiently, the same physical space can support more animals over time. This is increasingly reflected in Canadian shelter data, where efficiency of care –not just intake volume –is emerging as a defining factor in overall outcomes.

This focus on flow extended into intake practices. Rather than treating intake as a passive function, centres began aligning surrender scheduling with surgical availability and adoption demand. Animals entering care earlier in the week could receive necessary procedures mid-week and be ready for adoption during peak weekend periods, reducing delays and helping more animals find homes sooner. These are operational decisions, but they are also strategic ones, because they allow existing resources to go further.

At the same time, there has been a necessary shift toward earlier intervention. In 2025, 8,570 spay and neuter surgeries were completed, alongside more than 2,000 wellness appointments. This work is often less visible than adoption, but it is one of the most effective ways to reduce future demand on the system. The Hill’s Canada report reinforces this, noting that financial barriers to veterinary care are directly linked to both delayed treatment and increased likelihood of surrender. When access to care improves, intake pressure decreases.

Coordination across the system has also emerged as a critical factor. In 2025, external transfers increased, including a 64.9% rise in animals coming from Northern communities. In addition, the Ontario SPCA’s Provincial Animal Transfer Hub supported 330 animals in its first full year of operation. Coordinated transfer efforts allowed animals to be moved across regions within 48 hours, ensuring that they were placed in locations with the highest likelihood of adoption. This is particularly important in a province as geographically diverse as Ontario, where access to services and adoption demand are not evenly distributed.

In 2026, our clinical capacity expanded in a more direct and visible way with the opening of our Sudbury Animal Hospital, strengthening our ability to deliver care in Northern Ontario where access has historically been limited. This was not simply an addition of physical space, but a strategic extension of the model we have been building—bringing spay and neuter services, primary veterinary care, and urgent support closer to communities that need it most. The Sudbury clinic increases our ability to intervene earlier, reduce the need for long-distance transfers, and support both owned and shelter animals within the region. It also allows us to better align clinical services with intake and adoption flow across nearby centres, further improving system efficiency. In a landscape where access to veterinary care continues to be a key driver of surrender, expanding clinical presence in underserved regions is one of the most meaningful ways we can both respond to current demand and prevent future pressure on the system.

Equally important is our investment in training and workforce capability. In 2025 alone, more than 14,600 hours were dedicated to onboarding new staff, supported by ongoing training in animal handling, behaviour, and safety. Teams conducted 721 behavioural assessments and delivered 154 post-adoption support calls, reinforcing the role of behaviour programming as a core component of successful outcomes. As the complexity of cases increases –a trend also identified in national reporting –this type of investment becomes essential to maintaining both outcomes and staff safety.

Capacity has also been extended through community-based models. Volunteers contributed nearly 23,000 hours in 2025 –equivalent to 11 full-time staff –and the number of active foster homes increased by 56%. These are not supplementary programs. When structured intentionally, they function as an extension of the organization, increasing both capacity and quality of care without requiring proportional increases in cost.

Taken together, these shifts point to a broader conclusion. In a charitable environment, impact is often associated with expansion, but expansion is only one path, and it is often the most resource intensive. Optimization –how effectively we use the resources we already have –is equally important, and in many cases more sustainable.

This is ultimately a question of stewardship. Every donor dollar carries an expectation that it will be used thoughtfully and effectively. That means reducing unnecessary time in care, preventing avoidable intake, improving adoption outcomes, and ensuring that support reaches communities where access has historically been limited.

The pressures facing animal welfare organizations in Canada are not likely to ease in the near term. Economic conditions, housing challenges, and rising costs will continue to shape the landscape. What remains within our control is how we design our systems to respond.

Helping more animals is not simply a function of scale. It is a function of how precisely –and how responsibly –we use what we already have.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Whitby, ON (March 30, 2026) – To reach underserved communities and help keep animals with the families who love them, the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society hosted a wellness event at its Durham clinic over the weekend.

Held on Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29 at the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Durham Region Veterinary Clinic, the wellness event provided examinations, vaccinations and microchip services for cats and dogs in the region. A total of 32 dogs and 17 cats were seen over the weekend, with 79 vaccines administered to keep pets and communities safe.

“Access to basic veterinary care can make all the difference in keeping pets healthy and with the families who love them,” says Shannon Stephenson, Operations Manager, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Durham Region Veterinary Clinic. “These services are designed for families who may otherwise go without basic care for their pets. By providing preventative services like vaccines and wellness exams, we can help keep animals healthy and prevent more serious medical issues.”

Access to essential veterinary care in Durham Region took an important step forward earlier this month with the opening of the Durham Region Veterinary Clinic, which offers spay/neuter surgeries for publicly owned dogs and cats. It is one of five Ontario SPCA run high-volume spay/neuter clinics across the province. The Ontario SPCA is committed to increasing access to veterinary services, helping keep pets healthy and reducing the risk of homelessness for animals.

As a registered charity that is 100 per cent donor funded, the Ontario SPCA depends on the generosity of its supporters to make these community support services possible. To learn more, or to donate, visit ontariospca.ca/communitysupport

Media Contact

Kayla Montes
Community Outreach Coordinator,
Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Durham Region Animal Centre
289-894-3404
[email protected]

The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society

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.

Fleas

What are fleas?

Fleas are small, parasitic insects that feed by sucking blood from mammals and birds. All fleas are uncomfortable for your furry friend. Animals can experience skin irritation, itching, redness, swelling and sometimes suffer an allergic reaction from the bites. Fleas feed on your animal’s blood, so it is possible for your furry friend to become anemic (low red blood cell count). This can become a very serious condition quickly, especially in young puppies or kittens or in cases of heavy flea burden. It is also possible for your companion animal to become infected with tapeworm if they ingest fleas carrying a larval tapeworm. Fleas can also carry diseases that you and your furry friend can both get.

Flea season can be year-round, especially when the winters are mild. Fleas can be picked up anywhere, including dog parks, trails, or anywhere an infected dog has been. Though adult fleas feed off the bodies of animals, they jump off to lay their eggs and can move easily from animal to animal. There are cat fleas and dog fleas, but they are not host specific, so they can be passed from one animal to another.

How to prevent fleas

A good preventative program developed with your veterinarian is important for preventing fleas.

How to check for fleas

Using a flea comb, comb the hair against the fur to see the skin. Look for
“flea dirt” or spots of dried blood that look like black pepper. If you notice that there’s a lot of black peppery spots in the fur, that could be an indication of fleas. Check with your veterinarian first before using any flea products on your animal.

How to remove fleas

There are several life stages of a flea (eggs, larvae, pupae, adult). It is important to treat the animal andthe environment, as these life stages can survive for many months without a host. Consult with your veterinarian for proper treatment of fleas for your animal. Clean your home environment regularly and thoroughly to destroy life stages of fleas.

Ticks

What are ticks?

Ticks are members of the spider family and are strong biters. They are attracted to three things: body motion, body heat, and carbon dioxide. Ticks are ground dwellers that are found on low shrubbery and grass and latch onto your furry friend. They are usually found on the body parts of your animal that sit closest to the ground: neck, head, around the ears, the front part of the chest, and the underside of the chest.

Ticks can transmit several diseases including Lyme disease, a serious illness which can be spread by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. When a tick bites, disease transmission can start to happen within 24-48 hours. The longer the tick remains on the animal, the higher the risk of Lyme disease.

How to prevent ticks

There are ways to protect your animal from ticks. Speak with your veterinarian to learn about what products are best for your furry friends.

How to remove ticks

Removing ticks improperly can cause many problems. It is best to consult your veterinarian to ensure proper removal of the tick is done and to develop a preventative program for your companion animal. Some tick products kill ticks before they can infect your animal. There are also topical options. It’s important to consult your veterinarian to ensure proper usage.

Best practice for flea and tick prevention is to clean your home environment and examine your pet’s coat regularly. Don’t forget to consult with your veterinarian for safe flea and tick preventatives for your other furry family members to help break the transmission lifecycle.

If this information was helpful, please help us continue to educate about pet health and well-being by making a donation. As a registered charity that does not receive annual government funding, the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society depends on the generosity of donors to change the lives of animals in need.

Imagine you’re walking down the street with your pup, and you see someone else walking their dog ahead of you. Your dog sees them, too. He starts barking, jumping around, and performing other unwanted behaviours. What do you do?

Here are some tips to help calm your dog and reduce reactivity.

What you can do about leash pulling and reactivity:

The first step is to try and limit exposure to overly exciting situations, such as crowded streets, that exceed your dog’s ability to handle calmly. This will help keep your dog calm enough to learn new ways of behaving.

Keep your distance when you see an approaching person or dog. Leave enough space so your dog can remain calm, respond to cues, and eat treats.

Another tip is to try and walk during lower traffic times of the day and in less populated areas. Walking in areas with multiple route options so you can quickly change direction will also be useful.

Remove your dog from situations when needed or reduce the intensity of the situation to prevent your dog from engaging in unwanted behaviours like barking, pulling, or lunging.

Quick fixes:

Cross the street.

Do a U-turn and move back in the opposite direction.

Move off the main pathways until the human or dog distraction has passed.

If your dog looks like they might react, use an interrupter such as a treat, a cue for known behaviour or a handclap or light tap. Try not to scare your dog but simply break their focus.

Use visual barriers. Which can include a building, parked vehicle, tree, or bush. By blocking your dog’s view of the passing person or dog, it can reduce the intensity of the situation. Keep your dog busy by rewarding cued behaviours or giving them treats.

If your dog reacts, turn and move your dog far away so they can calm down. Reassess and see if the situation was too close or if there were any triggers that can be avoided next time.

Managing leash pulling and reactivity starts with setting your dog up for success by limiting overwhelming situations, creating distance from triggers, and using calm redirection techniques. With proactive planning, quick adjustments, and consistent positive reinforcement, you can help your dog feel more secure and build better walking habits over time.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mobile service reduces barriers to spay/neuter care while curbing pet overpopulation

Pembroke, ON (March 26, 2026) – The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society’s Neuter Scooter rolled into Renfrew County yesterday for the first trip of the season, providing accessible spay/neuter services to help reduce animal overpopulation in the community.

On March 25, the Neuter Scooter transported 22 cats from Renfrew County to a partnering high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter clinic in Trenton, helping to prevent an estimated 600 unplanned offspring.

To help reduce barriers to access spay/neuter services, the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society rolled out its Neuter Scooter pilot program in 2024. The service transports animals to partnering high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter clinics for surgery, then returns them to their waiting families at the end of the day.

“Programs like the Neuter Scooter play a critical role in making basic veterinary care more accessible, which in turn helps reduce pet overpopulation,” says Heather Jobe, Community Outreach Coordinator, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Renfrew County Animal Centre. “Every spay and neuter surgery helps reduce the number of animals in need of homes and supports healthier communities for both pets and people.”

In 2025, Ontario SPCA Neuter Scooters made 42 trips to communities across the province, providing 765 cats with spay/neuter surgeries and preventing more than an estimated 50,000 unplanned offspring.

The program is made possible thanks to dedicated volunteer drivers who give their time to transport animals to appointments. If you’re interested in joining the Ontario SPCA team as a volunteer driver in Renfrew County, please visit ontariospca.ca/volunteer to learn more and apply.

For more information about the Neuter Scooter and other Ontario SPCA community support services, visit ontariospca.ca/communitysupport ontariospca.ca/neuter-scooter

Media Contact

Heather Jobe

Community Outreach Coordinator

Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Renfrew County Animal Centre

613-602-5321

[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 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 and Humane Society Renfrew County Animal Centre is situated on the traditional, unceded and unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin people. We also recognize the enduring presence of all First Nations, Métis & Inuit peoples.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Whitby, ON (March 26, 2026) – The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is expanding its Pawsitive Packs initiative into Durham Region, helping to support pet families facing financial hardship or housing insecurity with essential supplies to care for their animals.

The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Durham Region Animal Centre distributed 25 Pawsitive Packs, including 200 lbs of pet food, through Back Door Mission in Oshawa. The packs, which were supported by a $2,000 grant from Companies Who Care, contain essential pet care items such as collars, leashes, portable bowls, toys, treats and dog coats to help ensure animals remain safe and cared for 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.

“Through the Pawsitive Packs program, we are able to provide a helping hand to pet families in Durham Region and help remove some of the barriers they may be facing in caring for their animals,” says Kayla Montes, Community Outreach Coordinator, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Durham Region Animal Centre. “For many families, these supplies can make a meaningful difference during difficult times and help ensure beloved pets can remain where they belong – 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, and now Durham, helping keep pets with the families who love them. To date, close to 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 485,000 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 make a donation to help keep pets with the families who love them, visit ontariospca.ca

Media Contact

Kayla Montes
Community Outreach Coordinator,
Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Durham Region Animal Centre
289-894-3404
[email protected]

The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society

Families with young children will “baby proof” their house with outlet plugs, baby gates and move breakable objects, but did you know there are many common household hazards for our furry friends too?

Garbage, plants and flowers, essential oils, and certain foods are all hazardous items for our furry friends.

Garbage

One of the most enticing areas to explore for our furry friends are the ones that smell a bit different, like food and bathroom waste in our garbage bins. To prevent exploration within the house, ensure your bins have closed lids or are placed on shelves.

Putting the lid on garbage hazards

Plants and flowers

A nice way to bring the outdoors inside is through plants and flowers throughout our homes. While they add colour and freshness to the home, there are some plants and flowers that can be deadly to our furry friends. Before bringing a plant or flower into your home, check that it does not have any poisonous properties for your furry friends. Read more about plant and flower hazards, including a list of the top 17 most common poisonous plants, below.

Poisonous plants and flowers

Essential oils

Stress relief and help to sleep are just some of the reasons people turn to essential oils. While they may be helpful to humans, they can be harmful to animals. With much stronger senses of smell, our furry friends can experience great discomfort from oils and diffusers and may even experience dangerous side effects depending on the oil.

Are essential oils safe to have around your pets?

Carbon monoxide

While a deadly risk for humans, carbon monoxide often affects our animals before humans, as they spend more time indoors and are closer to the ground where carbon monoxide builds. To read more about carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms in animals and how to prevent poisoning, read our blog at https://ontariospca.ca/blog/protecting-pets-from-the-silent-threat-of-carbon-monoxide/.

Protecting pets from the silent threat of carbon monoxide

Foods

While it may seem harmless to share a small snack with your furry friend or have them clean scraps off the floor, there is great risk in certain food items to both cats and dogs. Chocolate, grapes and dairy are just a few foods that are very dangerous to our furry friends. For a more comprehensive list, check out our other blogs below.

10 foods that are harmful to dogs

8 foods that are harmful to cats

As members of our family, our furry friends deserve to have a safe home. Keeping our homes clear of common household hazards ensures they can explore their surroundings without harm.

If this information was helpful, please help us continue to educate about pet health and well-being by making a donation.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Whitby, ON (March 24, 2026) – Access to essential veterinary care in Durham Region has taken an important step forward with the opening of the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Durham Region Veterinary Clinic, a high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter clinic that is open to the public.

Appointments are still available for March, with registration for April opening on Tuesday, April 7. To book an appointment, visit ontariospca.ca/spayneuter

Previously dedicated to providing care exclusively for animals in shelter care, the clinic now offers spay/neuter surgeries for publicly owned dogs and cats, following the Ontario SPCA’s high-quality, high-volume clinic model used successfully in Barrie, Stouffville and Sudbury.

Spay/neuter services play a critical role in preventing unwanted litters, reducing the number of animals entering shelters, and helping families care responsibly for their pets. Demand for these services in Durham Region remains high, with many pet parents facing barriers to accessing veterinary care.

“Expanding spay/neuter services in Durham Region is an important step in supporting both animals and the people who love them,” says Shannon Stephenson, Operations Manager of the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Durham Region Veterinary Clinic. “We encourage pet parents to book early as March appointments are expected to fill quickly.”

The opening of the Durham Region clinic is part of the Ontario SPCA’s broader commitment to increasing access to veterinary services across the province, helping keep pets healthy and reducing the risk of homelessness for animals in communities.

For more information, or to register, visit ontariospca.ca/spayneuter

Media Contact

Media Relations

Ontario SPCA and Humane Society

905-898-7122 x 375

[email protected]

The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cornwall, ON (March 24, 2026) – As warmer weather approaches, the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Cornwall and Region Animal Centre is preparing for “kitten season,” the time of year when animal centres typically see a surge in pregnant cats and litters of kittens in need of care.

Each year, kitten season places increased demand on shelters and the resources required to care for vulnerable young animals. To help prepare for the expected influx this spring, the Cornwall and Region Animal Centre is seeking foster volunteers who can provide temporary homes for kittens too young for adoption.

Those interested in learning more are invited to attend a foster volunteer open house on Saturday, March 28, from 10 a.m. to noon.

Attendees will:

Learn about kitten care, including bottle feeding and the needs of neonatal kittens
Hear firsthand from current foster volunteers about their experiences
Gain a better understanding of what fostering involves and the supplies provided
Learn how spay/neuter programs help prevent pet overpopulation

“Kitten season can be an extremely busy and challenging time for our small but mighty team, but we are preparing to ensure every animal gets the care they need,” says Candice Gordon, Manager, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Cornwall and Region Animal Centre. “We’re incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of our community. From fostering and adopting to donating, every act of support helps give vulnerable animals a second chance.”

The Cornwall and Region Animal Centre consistently sees one of the highest animal intakes among the Ontario SPCA’s 13 animal centres across the province, highlighting the growing need for the new 8,000-square-foot animal centre and veterinary clinic currently under construction.

Despite the high intake, the Cornwall centre also has one of the shortest average lengths of stay for animals in care, at around 11 days. While the centre offers community support services aimed at keeping pets with the families who love them, it also supports those who are no longer able to care for their animals. In 2025, the centre took in close to 550 animals that were surrendered by their families, which was up 30% from the year before.

To learn more about fostering, adoption, or how to support animals in need, visit ontariospca.ca/cornwall

Media Contact

Arianne Kirkey
Community Outreach Coordinator,
Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Cornwall and Region Animal Centre
(613) 937-7622
[email protected]

The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society

The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Cornwall and Region Animal Centre, formerly the Ontario SPCA Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Animal Centre, is located on the landsof the Akwesasne Mohawks and their ancestors. We also acknowledge the Algonquin, Haudenosaunee (Ho-den-oshow-nee) (Iroquois), Huron-Wendat (huron-wen·dat), and Abenaki who are neighbours and partners to the Akwesasne Mohawk.

Each spring, people often come across young wildlife and may assume they’ve been abandoned – and this year is no different. We want to ensure you have all the information you need to protect wildlife and help them if they are in distress.

Note: Whenever young mammals are found, an attempt should be made to reunite them with their parent(s). Parents provide the best care for young wildlife. When young are inadvertently removed from their parents, it decreases the likelihood that they will survive, even with expert human care. Each wildlife species has its own specific needs and requires specialized care to recover.

Wildlife rehabilitators

What to do if you find orphaned deer

A fawn should be left where they are found (unless injured) and you can check the site again within 24 to 48 hours. If the fawn is gone, the mother has returned and moved the fawn. If the fawn has moved from the spot, is crying or injured, or if the mother is known to be dead (i.e. the young deer is seen near the body of a nursing doe), call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator to advise you on next steps, before touching the fawn.

What to do if you find a baby squirrel or raccoon

If you’ve come across an orphaned squirrel, the first thing you should do is wait. Young squirrels should be given the opportunity to reunite with their mother if there is any chance that she is still available to care for them.

Unlike raccoons, mother squirrels will retrieve their young during the day, but not at night. Young squirrels should be placed in a shallow, open box with a heat source, such as a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel. A hot water bottle can be made from an empty plastic bottle, filled with warm water, wrapped in a towel and secured to the box with duct tape so it does not roll around.

It is easy to mistakenly think that young squirrels and raccoons have been orphaned when a parent is in fact, still caring for them. If the young are removed in these cases, they have essentially been “kidnapped.”

What to do if you find orphaned rabbits

It is not uncommon to find nests of young rabbits in your yard or garden. Despite popular belief, cottontail rabbits do not burrow to create dens, but nest on the surface of the ground. Typically, female rabbits will find a small depression or hollow in the ground. They will then line the area with fur to use as a nest. Often these nests are found in the middle of open areas such as lawns or playing fields. If you find a group of baby rabbits lying in such a space, they are in their natural nest and do not necessarily need assistance.

If you have identified injured or orphaned wildlife, the best thing to do is contact your nearest wildlife rehabilitator for assistance and next steps.

A chance discovery by a cottage owner closing up their island retreat for the season may have saved Isla’s life. The one-year-old dog was found abandoned on the island, which was only accessible by boat. The Good Samaritan reached out to the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society for help.

“Isla was very scared. She came in thin and covered in ticks from head to toe. Her coat was unkept and she had what appeared to be bite wounds,” says Candice Gordon, Manager, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Cornwall and Region Animal Centre. “She also looked like she may have either just delivered puppies or was just weaned off puppies.”

Treatment, trust and TLC

No puppies could be located on the island and Isla was transported to the mainland for care. She was seen by a veterinarian, who treated her wounds. Sadly, she also tested positive for Lyme disease and underwent treatment for the tick-borne illness. Through it all, her gentle spirit continued to shine through.

Like many rescued animals, Isla seemed grateful for the kindness and care shown by the animal centre team and volunteers. Trust came back in small, quiet moments — someone softly talking or reading to her, gentle grooming sessions, and the comfort of snuggling into a warm blanket.

“She was very timid, but she was a sweet girl who warmed up to the care team here quite quickly and learned to trust us,” says Candice.

A loving home to call her own

When it was time for Isla to find a loving family to call her own, she caught the attention of Thomas Soucy. He had recently said goodbye to his own dog and was missing the companionship of a canine friend. He saw the animal centre’s Facebook post about Isla and knew he needed to meet her. The two clicked immediately and Thomas brought Isla home, renaming her Mischief.

“Mischief is a great girl,” says Thomas. “We both rescued each other. She is doing great and we are both very happy.”

Help make second chances possible

The Ontario SPCA finds loving homes for thousands of animals each year. As a registered charity that is 100 per cent donor funded, we depend on the generosity of our supporters to give dogs like Isla the second chance they deserve. Please consider making a donation today.