|
April 2017
|
|
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!
|
|
|
|
Don’t
miss out on the joys of adopting a senior pet
Older dogs, cats and other senior pets are
often overlooked in our centres, but an older pet can make a purr-fect
companion for many reasons.
With a senior pet, what you see is what you
get; an older pet has an established temperament and personality, unlike a
puppy or kitten that will go through many phases as they develop. Plus, most
senior pets are already house or litter-trained and, in the case of dogs, know
basic leash manners and commands.
Adopted senior pets also seem to be
grateful for your kindness. Many new owners form a close bond very quickly with
their senior dog or cat, because the pet shows them a level of attention and
devotion that is unique to older adopted animals.
If you decide to open your heart and bring
home a senior pet, it is important to give your new family member time to
adjust to his or her new surroundings. You will also need to observe your new
pet to get familiar with their personality, likes, dislikes and to see how they
are communicating with you.
For those reluctant to consider a senior
because the possibility of a painful loss seems closer, remember that life
offers no guarantees. Quality of time together matters so much more than
quantity. The privilege of loving a senior pet can make every day special for
both you and your senior pet.
|
Keep
pets safe during the Easter holiday
With Easter just around the corner there is likely more candy and chocolate
treats in our homes. Please remember these treats are not safe to share with
our pets. Chocolate is dangerous for dogs, but did you know it is also unsafe
for cats, birds and small animals?
Chocolate contains a substance called
theobromine. Different types of chocolate contain different amounts of
theobromine. The more theobromine in the chocolate, the more toxic it is for the
animal. When
an animal ingests chocolate it can stimulate the central nervous system,
cardiovascular system, and increase blood pressure.
The potential side effects of theobromine ingestion in
dogs, cats and other pets may include:
- digestive problems (including
diarrhea and vomiting)
- increased urination
- muscle twitching
- excessive panting
- hyperactive behavior
- whining
- dehydration
- seizures
- rapid heart rate
If you suspect your dog or cat has ingested chocolate
and is experiencing any of the above symptoms, contact your veterinarian
immediately.
For easy, pet-friendly, treats that you can make at home, visit
the Ontario SPCA blog.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thank
you to our dedicated volunteers!
Ontario SPCA animal centres will be joining Canadians from coast to coast
April 23-29 in celebration of National Volunteer Week.
Volunteers are truly the backbone of this organization; people we need,
trust and value. Each and every one of you brings something special and unique
to our centre and the Ontario SPCA as a whole. We could not do what we do
without you!
National Volunteer Week is a time to recognize, celebrate and thank our
volunteers for their hard work. The dedication of our volunteers is an
inspiration to us all. Your selfless commitment and efforts do not go
unnoticed. The animals in our care, our staff and our community appreciate you
more than words could ever express.
To the outstanding and remarkable people who
have chosen to dedicate their energy, passion and time to supporting the
Ontario SPCA Huron County Animal Centre, we salute you!
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pet Brand Survey: The results are in…
Thank you to
everyone who participated in our Pet Brand Survey earlier this year.
Congratulations to Cathy of Gravenhurst who was the winner of a $100 MasterCard
gift card.
Here are a
few fun things we learned about you and your pets thanks to your participation
in the survey:
- 41%
have both a cat AND a dog in their household
- The
most common pet name (across all types of animals) was Bella
- 11%
of responders spend 3+ hours per week watching animal videos online (we won’t
tell your boss, we promise!)
- The
most popular toy brand was Kong
The overall sentiment was that all pet suppliers
and brands should support the Ontario SPCA and other animal welfare
organizations – so thank you for that ringing endorsement!
|
Cupcakes
come to the rescue to support animals in need
Thanks to bakers and
supporters across the nation, close to $530,000 – and counting – was raised for
National Cupcake Day™ for SPCAs & Humane Societies in 2017! To date,
the campaign has raised nearly $2.38 million, proving that Canadians have a
sweet tooth for cupcakes, and a love of animals.
The average cost to care for
a shelter animal is $568, which means that over 900 animals were helped with
the success of this year’s National Cupcake Day. The wonderful success of the
day showed that animals in need across Canada can have their cupcake (pet friendly, of course!), and eat it too!
Set your baking timers now
for the 2018 National Cupcake Day taking place on Monday, Feb. 26.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Subscribe here to get your monthly Newshound right to your inbox.
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 Huron County Animal Centre 48 East St., Goderich, ON N7A 1N3 Charitable Business #88969-1044-RR0002
Phone: (519) 440-0250 Fax: (519) 440-0449 Email: huroncounty@ospca.on.ca
© Copyright 2016
|
Unsubscribe | Legal Disclaimer | Privacy Statement
|
Need Help? 1-888-668-7722
|
|
|
|