Latest News - Ottawa Humane Society

If you Care, Leave Them There

As the summer temperature soars, wildlife becomes more active. Humans go outdoors more and the wildlife/people conflict begins to heat up too. The most obvious sign is the carnage on our roadways that we begin to witness. The sign here at the OHS is the influx of wild animals.

Jul 10, 2020

Ottawa Humane Society Launches its First Online 50/50 Raffle, Raising Money for Animals in Need

The Ottawa Humane Society (OHS) has launched its first ever OHS 50/50 Raffle to help raise money for the animals in its care.

Because of COVID-19, the OHS has had to cancel its major fundraising events for 2020.

Jul 09, 2020

Coyote Panic and Co-existing with Wildlife

There has been a great deal of coverage in the media regarding a string of attacks by one coyote in the Riverside South area. Scary-sounding headlines such as ‘’aggressive coyote problem has gone on too long’’ and ‘’coyote strikes again’’ rob us of having meaningful discussions around making communities safe while coexisting with wildlife.

Jul 02, 2020

Canada Day during COVID-19 Could Pose an Increased Risk to Pet Owners, says Ottawa Humane Society

The Ottawa Humane Society (OHS) is preparing for a possible spike in lost dogs, as individual firework displays are likely to be more prevalent because of COVID-19 physical distancing measures.

Jun 30, 2020

The First Deadly Consequence

When I was young, I didn’t believe politicians actually led. I didn’t believe that legislation was a particular source of change. I thought that change happened mainly in societies and later changes that were already happening were codified into law. Later, I came to understand what politicians said mattered and that laws could affect change that was not occurring in broader society.

Jun 25, 2020

Ottawa Humane Society Cancels Annual Wiggle Waggle Walk and Run, Shifts to Online Fundraising

The Ottawa Humane Society (OHS) has made the difficult decision to cancel its annual Wiggle Waggle Walk and Run for 2020 due to the ongoing public health crisis.

Jun 23, 2020

The Pandemic Puppy “Problem”

A few weeks ago, I started receiving a lot of media calls. Almost all of them were about the pandemic puppy “problem.” I think I disappointed some of them, because I don’t think there is a pandemic puppy problem. If you haven’t followed the story, it boils down to this: thousands of people who are bored and lonely during the lockdown are rushing out to buy or adopt puppies, and when the health crisis is over, all these puppies and dogs are going to be dumped in animal shelters.

Jun 18, 2020

Caring for Animals Like we Cared for Each Other

Ottawa has begun to open up because of the extraordinary measures that we have taken as a community to protect not only ourselves, but also other people. A lot of the people I know are excited about getting a haircut, going to the beach, or sitting on a patio. Small things, that, as Joni Mitchell put it, “You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.”

Jun 11, 2020

This Shameful Bill Should not Pass: Part Two

In January, I wrote a blog about the Ford government’s introduction of shameful and dangerous Bill 156, the so-called Security from Trespass and Animal Safety Act.

It appeared that the government had, sensibly, backed away from this terrible law, but this week, it decided to proceed to pass this legislation on June 15 without even a reasonable opportunity to hear the voices of Ontarians. Two days of consultations cannot seriously be considered consulting the public.

Jun 04, 2020

Ottawa Humane Society Helps Pet Owners Struggling to Afford Pet Food with Emergency Pet Food Bank

The Ottawa Humane Society (OHS) has recently launched its Emergency Pet Food Bank, helping pet owners who are struggling to afford pet food due to COVID-19.

One of the most significant effects of the public health crisis is loss of income due to surging unemployment.

Jun 02, 2020