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Take the No Hot Pets Pledge
“I wasn’t going to be gone
long.” “I left the window down for him.” The Ontario SPCA has heard it all as people continue to put their pets
at risk by leaving them in vehicles during the hot summer months.
Parked cars can quickly
reach deadly temperatures – even on relatively mild days with the car parked in
the shade and the windows slightly open. Dogs have a limited ability to sweat;
even a short time in a hot environment can be life-threatening.
Let’s work
together to eradicate this issue in Ontario. Visit nohotpets.ca and take the
pledge vowing to never leave your pets unattended in a vehicle. You can also do
your part to raise awareness by using #nohotpets on social media.
Join us on May 23 by visiting nohotpets.ca for the official launch of our 2017 No Hot Pets campaign!
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Enter the Got a Pet? Get a Vet!™ Contest
Time is running out to enter the Got a Pet? Get a Vet!™ contest. Nominate your favourite veterinarian
or veterinary clinic by May 21 for the 2017 “Got a Pet? Get a Vet! Award”
and encourage friends and family to go to the gotapetgetavet.ca website to vote
for the winner.
If you have a pet, it’s
important to build a relationship with a veterinarian. 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.
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 checkups.
To enter the contest,
or for more information, visit gotapetgetavet.ca
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Do you know which
plants are safe for your pets?
Spring
is in full swing and many of us are getting ready to plant our gardens, or
admiring all the flowers peeking up from last year. But which plants are
hazardous for your pets? Below is a list of common plants that are pet-friendly
and those to avoid for your pet’s safety.
Pet-friendly
Petunia
Spider Plant
Sunflower
Lavender
Gerbera Daisy
Thea Japonica
Marigold
Orchid
Tickseed
Snapdragon
Pincushion Flower
African Violet
Impatiens
Rose
Zinnia
Non-Pet Friendly
Aloe Vera
Delphinium
Morning Glory
Baby’s Breath
Gladiola
Oleander
Begonia
Hosta
Rhododendron
Carnation
Hydrangea
Tomato Plants
Chrysanthemum
Ivy
Tulips
Daffodils
Lilies
Cocoa
To learn
more and see an extensive list of toxic and non-toxic plants, visit the ASPCA’s
website.
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It’s time to talk tick
prevention
As we
celebrate the arrival of warmer temperatures, it’s time to start thinking about
tick prevention. Ticks are most active in the summer months, but can be found
at any time of the year when the temperature is above freezing.
Ticks are
common parasites that can be found almost anywhere: from the deep woods, to urban
parks, and even your own backyard! In addition to the “ick” factor, some ticks
can carry a variety of diseases, including Lyme disease. It is important to
protect both yourself and your pets from ticks.
Ticks are
attracted to three things: body motion, body heat and the carbon dioxide that
people and animals exhale. Ticks climb tall grass or shrubs and attach onto you
or your pet as you brush by them.
This means ticks can be found on the body
parts of your pet that are closest to the ground. This could be the neck, head,
around the ears, or the front or the underside of the chest. It’s important to
get in the habit of checking yourself and your pet every time you come in from a walk.
If you find
a tick on your pet, safely remove it and have it tested by your veterinary
clinic or health unit for Lyme disease.
A new Pet Tick Tracker surveillance program has also been
launched by the University of Guelph and allows pet owners and
veterinarians to enter information about ticks that they find on dogs, cats,
horses or other domestic animals.
To minimize
risk to your pets, speak to your veterinarian to discuss tick prevention
measures. Visit the Ontario SPCA blog to learn more about how to protect your
pet.
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Are your pets prepared
for an emergency?
May 8-12 was Emergency Preparedness Week and the Ontario SPCA took the opportunity to remind pet owners of ways to keep pets safe during emergency situations.
First, develop a family emergency response plan. This includes setting a primary and alternative meeting point away from the home in case of evacuation, listing emergency telephone numbers where all family members can find them (including the name and number of your pet’s veterinarian) and putting together a family emergency survival kit. Next, create a pet emergency survival kit for quick and easy access.
It is also important to bring your pets indoors at the first indication of an emergency. If you must evacuate your home, take your pets with you if it is safe to do so. In case you have to leave your pets behind, place a Rescue Alert Sticker by your front door. To get your free emergency decal to place on your front window or door, visit www.ontariospca.ca/ep
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Let your love live forever
with a
gift in your Will
Did you know
a gift in your Will can ensure the work of helping animals in need continues
into the future? At the Ontario SPCA, even a small gift in your Will goes a
long way. Bequests of any size allow us to carry out lifesaving rescue work and
move forward with ambitious animal welfare initiatives in close to 50
communities and animal centres across Ontario.
A gift in
your Will allows you to make an even larger impact than you might otherwise
have been able to, and make a bigger difference for the animals you love.
Today, we
hope you’ll think about taking the next step towards including the Ontario SPCA
– and the precious animals who need you so desperately – in your Estate Plan.
We can help you along in the process by sending you our free Legacy Giving
Guide and Will Planner Workbook.
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Will you walk for animals
in need?
It's time to dust off your sneakers (and furry friend’s paws) because the 2017 Friends for Life!™ Walk presented by Pedigree® is happening across Ontario on the weekend of Sept. 23-24.
Join thousands of animal lovers across the province and help raise critically needed funds to care for animals that are abused, abandoned, neglected, or no longer wanted.
Take
that first step. Register today for a walk in
your community! Be sure to register early, as the first 30 people to register across the province will receive a FREE Friends for Life! Walk swag bag full of treats for you and your four-legged friends to enjoy!
Let's change animals' lives together, one step at a time!
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Celebrating
our dedicated volunteers
National Volunteer Week was April 23-29 and the
Ontario SPCA Huron County Animal Centre held celebrations in honour of our
volunteers.
It was our pleasure to host these events in
appreciation of our volunteers’ dedication and commitment, and to present each
volunteer with a special gift selected just for them. Many laughs were had and many memories made.
Every day we are thankful for our volunteers and everything they do for us, but
it is wonderful to have a week dedicated to specifically celebrating them.
To our volunteers, thank you for everything you do for the
animals at our centre!
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