February 2017 Mmm! It's that time of year again when we satisfy our sweet tooth with the many cupcakes that are being baked around the region in support of our animals. We’re very excited to be partnering with local businesses as they get involved with hosting their own National Cupcake Day™ parties. Please let us know about your Cupcake Day party plans so we can stop by for a visit!
Tips to make the most of your Family Day Tails are wagging at the mention of Family Day, which is coming up on Monday, Feb. 20. Family Day isn’t just for your two-legged family members though. Fluffy and Fido would also love to spend time with you. Whether you’re snuggling up in front of the TV, heading out for a walk, or spending the day away visiting family, Family Day is the perfect opportunity to spend some quality time with your two and four-legged family members. If you’re travelling with your pets, check out the fact sheet on Travelling Safely with Your Pet to help make the most of your trip. Looking for ideas on what you can do to keep busy and have a fun day this Family Day? We’ve got a few ideas that you and your pets are sure to love!
Time is running out to register for National Cupcake Day™ National Cupcake Day™ for SPCAs and Humane Societies is Feb. 27. If you haven't yet registered to host a Cupcake Day Party, there's still time to get involved and bake a difference in the lives of animals in need. We want your Cupcake Day experience to be a sweet one for you and your guests, which is why we asked celebrity chef Anna Olson to share a mouth-watering cupcake recipe that is sure to win over even the toughest critics. Visit our blog to see Anna Olson’s Chocolate Peppermint Cupcake recipe. Have friends with dogs? Another fun alternative or addition to a Cupcake Day Party is a Pupcake Party. Your event will go to the dogs – literally – when you offer Fido and his friends a canine-friendly cupcake. To help inspire you, we wanted to share this great “pupcake” recipe from Anna Olson. Definitely worth a try! Now in its fifth year, National Cupcake Day is presented in partnership by the Ontario SPCA and BC SPCA and is a collaborative event to support local SPCAs and humane societies across the country. To participate, visit nationalcupcakeday.ca to register to host a National Cupcake Day party and invite co-workers, friends and family. Guests donate to the participating animal welfare charity of the host’s choice in exchange for a cupcake, raising critically-needed funds for animals that are abused, abandoned, neglected or no longer wanted. Visit nationalcupcakeday.ca to register, bake and donate
Rats make great pets Rat-a-tat-tat! Hundreds of rats were surrendered into the care of the Ontario SPCA in December. They were dispersed amongst animal centres and humane societies across the province to find new homes. Our centre here in Brockville was part of the transfer and received a group of rats, five of which were pregnant females. On Dec. 28, our first female, Snickers, gave birth. The remaining females gave birth in the following weeks, expanding our growing community of rats here at the centre. By the end of January, the juveniles and adults were ready for adoption and were sent to PetSmart® locations to find loving homes during a rat adopt-a-thon, sponsored by PetSmart Charities®. Did you know rats make excellent pets? These little guys are extremely social animals. They are friendly, intelligent and can even be trained to learn tricks. They are easy to care for and when properly socialized, some may even sit on your shoulder and hang out with you. Don't be shy, stop by the Leeds & Grenville Animal Centre and meet our little critters today!	Volunteers wanted: Our felines need a friend Do you consider yourself an animal lover? Have a few extra hours on Thursday mornings? Want to help out the animals in our centre but aren’t sure how to get involved? We are currently seeking a volunteer for cat care and enrichment on Thursday mornings. This means you will assist with both cleaning and feeding, as well as socializing the cats in our care. Cats crave both mental and physical stimulation, which you can provide in a number of ways. Some cats and kittens enjoy active playtime with a variety of toys. Other cats, such as felines who are shy or senior, prefer quiet cuddle time or a few minutes of brushing. Even bringing along a book and reading to the cats is a great idea, as this can get some of our less socialized companions used to the sound of a human voice. If you are comfortable handling cats and kittens, if you’re eager to increase your knowledge of cats and if you have a genuine compassion for animals and welfare philosophies, visit our website and fill out a volunteer application today!
Share your thoughts on Ontario SPCA merchandise We want to hear from you! We’re going to be introducing some new Ontario SPCA merchandise and we want you to help us determine what makes the cut. We want to know what you’d be most interested in purchasing from a new online store available through our website. Our goal is to offer Ontario SPCA-branded merchandise that animal lovers like you need and want. Please take a minute of your time to answer our poll question to tell us about the type of products that you value as a pet owner.  Thank you for sharing your valuable opinion with us.	Support animal rescue and adoption with a visit to TSC Drop by your local TSC Store (The Incredible Country Hardware Store) starting on Feb. 24 to participate in the Paws & Hooves Program supporting the Ontario SPCA and our Affiliate Communities. For every $2 donation, you’ll receive a paper paw or hoof of your choosing to be displayed in the store showing your support. More than $228,000 has been raised to date through the Paws & Hooves program to help animals in your community and across Ontario. Please visit your local TSC Store to participate in the Paws & Hooves program and help make a difference in the lives of animals in need.
Do you know the signs  of hypothermia? Winter is far from over and there are still many cold days ahead. If your pet enjoys being outside and thrives on fresh air and exercise, they could be at risk of hypothermia. Would you recognize the signs if your pet was suffering from hypothermia and would you know what to do? Prevention is half the battle when it comes to keeping your pets warm and safe. For some pets, their fur coats  can protect them to a certain extent outside, but only when there’s no breeze. If the breeze is enough to lift the fur, their vulnerable skin is exposed to the cold. This is why it’s critical to listen to weather reports to hear not only the temperature, but also the wind chill values. If your pet is outside, they need to have ready and accessible access to a proper shelter so they can get out of the wind when they need to. Visit our blog for more prevention tips and to learn more about the signs of hypothermia and how treat it.	Meeka found her match Meeka came to us on Dec. 7 from the Ontario SPCA Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Animal Centre where she was surrendered because her owner couldn’t afford the veterinary costs after she was hit by a truck. While in Cornwall, staff noticed she had a lot of anxiety in her kennel and they were having a hard time finding her a new home. She was transferred to our centre and right away she excelled with the use of our outdoor kennels and fenced-in yard. It only took three days here at Leeds & Grenville before Meeka was adopted. Lucie and her family came from the Ottawa area to meet Meeka after they saw her on our Meet Your Match website. She also brought her German Shepherd down to meet Meeka and they hit it off right away. Lucie’s family fell in love with Meeka and she’s been a great addition to their home ever since! Congrats to Meeka and her new “forever” home. All the best to her and her family from the Leeds & Grenville staff!

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Newshound is a free electronic newsletter published monthly by the Ontario SPCA to inform our supporters and friends of animal welfare about Ontario SPCA Community initiatives, programs, events and experiences. Contents of Newshound may be reproduced with appropriate credit.

Ontario SPCA Leeds & Grenville Animal Centre
RR#4 800 Centennial Road, Brockville, ON K6V 5T4
Charitable Business #88969-1044-RR0002

Phone: (613) 345-5520
Fax:  (613) 345-2169
Email: leedsgrenville@ospca.on.ca

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