April 2017 Spring seems to finally be here! Now that nicer weather has arrived, it’s the perfect time to get outside and start getting ready for the Friends For Life! Walk ™. This year’s event takes place on the last weekend of September. We're looking forward to seeing you there!
Meet Your Match® through the Ontario SPCA You could be gazing at the animal of your dreams, but you just can’t tell what they’re thinking behind that cute little furry face. What if you knew a little something about their personality and habits before you moved in together? Get ready to find a pet that suits your needs – get ready to “Meet Your Match!” A program of the ASPCA, Meet Your Match® is the only method in existence that evaluates an animal’s behaviour and interests and matches them to an adopter’s preferences so that you take home a pet you can really click with. The Meet Your Match program won’t let you go home without knowing who’s in that carrier or on that leash. Watch our video to learn more about this innovative program and see the matches it has made. Already have the pet of your dreams? We want to hear your adoption story! Enter the #IMetMyMatch video contest. For your chance to win, upload a video of your story telling us what made your pet perfect for you, or post your video on Instagram using the hashtag #IMetMyMatch and then claim your entry. The contest closes April 17, so don’t delay! The randomly selected winner will receive a $50 credit for PawsandGive.ca, our online giving catalogue, and an Ontario SPCA swag bag.
Nominate your veterinarian today for this year’s Got A Pet? Get A Vet!™ Award Help us recognize local veterinarians and their staff who go above and beyond to provide excellent care for pets and their families. From May 1 to May 21, we want to hear from you! Submit your favorite veterinary clinic for the 2017 Got a Pet? Get a Vet!™ Award and encourage friends and family to go on the gotapetgetavet.ca website to vote for the winner.  Got a Pet? Get a Vet!™ is an annual education campaign by the Ontario SPCA, in association with the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA) and participating SPCAs and Humane Societies across Canada. It promotes and educates owners about the importance of annual veterinary checks. Just one checkup a year will help protect your pets against a variety of potentially life-threatening diseases, detect health problems sooner and help you avoid unexpected costs.
Paws & Give: Better than a chocolate bunny! Spring is finally here and Easter is just days away. If you’re looking for something fresh and meaningful to give, we have Easter and spring-themed “animal-grams” for you!  Donate just $10 through Paws & Give, our online giving catalogue, and send an eCard to your friends and family to celebrate the season, all while helping animals in our care. Or, choose a Rocky & Friends plush adoption to give in place of a basket of chocolate or trinkets. The little ones in your life will be cuddling a soft plush dog, cat or horse while you’ll have the warm, fuzzy feeling that animals in need are safe and cared for, all because of you. You can be a hero this spring!
Maddy needs your help Sometimes the animals that come through our doors need a little extra love and care. Maddy is one of those animals. The six-year-old Bichon/Poodle mix was brought to the Ontario SPCA when his owners were unable to continue caring for him. During his intake exam, we discovered he had two stones in his bladder that needed to be removed.  Thanks to the continued support of our community, Maddy received the crucial surgery he needed. It has been a trying few weeks for Maddy and it’s not over yet, which is why we need your support to help recover the costs of his surgery and care while he recuperates.  Please make a special gift today to help Maddy, and animals like him, get the life-saving care they require.	Volunteers needed for outdoor maintenance Did you know that National Volunteer Week is April 23 to April 29? Here at the Barrie Animal Centre, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers who take the time to help out at our centre. We cannot thank you enough! We have lots of new volunteers starting, but with spring coming, we are still in need of assistance with outdoor maintenance. Do you have a passion for gardening? Do you love the outdoors? This is the opportunity for you! Visit our website to view volunteer opportunities.
National Volunteer Week celebrates unsung heroes Ontario SPCA animal centres will be joining Canadians from coast to coast April 23-29 in celebration of National Volunteer Week. Volunteers are the backbone of every not-for-profit organization, and the Ontario SPCA relies on hundreds of volunteers across the province to help keep our animal centres running smoothly. From walking dogs and socializing cats, to driving animals to appointments and helping out at events, our volunteers dedicate their time to helping animals in need. National Volunteer Week is a time to recognize, celebrate and thank our volunteers for their hard work. This is the seventh consecutive year the Ontario SPCA, together with Volunteer Canada, has celebrated this important week. During National Volunteer Week, we will honour those who have volunteered their time to Animal Welfare and improving the lives of the animals in our care. Each animal centre will be hosting celebration events to thank volunteers, and their families, who help shape our communities. Volunteers are vital to our animal centres and we can’t thank them enough. If you would like to get involved and be part of our team, visit our website for more details.	Meet Smiley the blind therapy dog Despite abuse suffered at a young age, you’ll never find this Golden Retriever without a big smile on his face. We recently welcomed a very special guest to join us on our Animals’ Voice Pawdcast: Smiley, the blind therapy dog. Smiley the blind therapy dog, as he’s become widely known on social media, was born without eyes and spent two years living in a puppy mill, where he suffered attacks from other dogs. Even after being rescued, Smiley struggled to find a loving home to care for him. Nobody wanted him because of the challenges they thought would come with owning a blind dog. From those traumatic beginnings, Smiley never lost his calm and gentle personality. After some time adjusting to his new home, he became a certified therapy dog with St. John Ambulance. He now visits schools with his owner, Joanne George, who shares with children how Smiley was bullied for being born blind. It’s a powerful story to explain to children why bullying is wrong and hurtful. To hear Smiley’s story and the challenges of raising a special needs dog, listen to our podcast with this incredible dog and his dedicated owner.
Luna is proof that regular veterinary care is critical Luna came to the Ontario SPCA Barrie Animal Centre when a change in circumstances resulted in her owner surrendering her. Our centre staff was quick to notice an infection on one of her feet and took her to a local veterinary clinic for a better diagnosis and plan of action. The infection is currently being treated with antibiotics and seems to be healing, but Luna is not out in the clear yet as there is a potential for this to be a cancerous growth. The animal centre will be in constant contact with the veterinary clinic to ensure Luna continues on the road to recovery. We are grateful for our partnership with local veterinary clinics, which provide our animals with such amazing care. Regular veterinary care is critical to ensure your four-legged friends stay healthy and happy their entire lives. Don't have a veterinarian yet or want to find out more about the importance of that relationship? Visit gotapetgetavet.ca today!	Seb’s story has a happy ending Seb was found as a stray running through the streets of Barrie. Fortunately, a concerned member of the public was able to call him over and was kind enough to bring him to the animal centre to try to find his home. His owners could not be located, but there is a happy end to this tale. After no one came forward to claim him, Seb was put up for adoption.Less than a day after he became available for adoption, Seb was adopted by an amazing family who understands his high energy and is looking forward to their adventures together. What a great match!  Our success with adoptions has been, in part, due to our Meet Your Match® program. A program of the ASPCA, Meet Your Match is the only method that evaluates an animal’s behaviour and interests and matches them to an adopter’s preferences so that you can take home a pet you can really click with. To take the adopter survey and learn more about Meet Your Match, visit www.meetyourmatch.ontariospca.ca.

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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 Barrie Animal Centre
91 Patterson Road, Barrie, ON, CANADA L4N 3V9
Charitable Business #88969-1044-RR0002

Phone: (705) 728-7311
Fax: (705) 728-7243
Email: barrie@ospca.on.ca

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