iAdopt 4 the Holidays

The Ontario SPCA launched its first annual holiday adoption campaign at the beginning of November which aims to educate the public about the importance of choosing pet adoption as their first option when brining home a new family member. 

Ontario SPCA branches across the province are participating in the iAdopt 4 the Holidays campaign, which will run from 1 November to 31 December 2013. With more than 400 animals adopted in the first three weeks, OSPCA senior manager of Animal Welfare and Operations says the goal for this year is to adopt more animals than a similar campaign held in 2012 in which 1,280 animals found homes for the holidays.

In an OSPCA Animal's Voice podcast interview, senior manager of Animal Welfare and Operations Tonya Martin said that while the campaign is heavily weighted with Ontario SPCA branches, she hopes it will be come a cross-Canada movement. 

"This is our first year, we definitely want to see it move every year and grow and grow," she said. "The more animals to get homed the better." 

The iAdopt 4 the Holidays program will run every year from November 1 to December 31. By way of education and outreach, iAdopt 4 the Holidays encourages those considering a pet, to adopt from their local animal organization. 

This campaign is open to SPCAs and humane societies across Canada.

iAdopt 4 the Hoildays

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OSPCA demonstrates exceptional Community Compliance

Eric Coulson (Pets Plus Us) and Tonya Martin (OSPCA)

Nearly five years ago, the Ontario SPCA opened its first high volume spay/neuter clinic in Newmarket, Ontario. Later that year following unprecedented demand, it opened its second in Barrie. Right away, the clinics received hundreds of calls daily as the pet-owning public sought a low-cost, high quality option to sterilize their animals. 

When demand continued to rise, the OSPCA opened another clinic in Lincoln County in December 2012. As a group, the three clinics have sterilized more than 44,000 animals since 2009 and succeeded in reducing province-wide cat intake by 18%. 

For their successes, the Ontario SPCA was invited to speak during the 2013 Central Regional Conference's Regional Innovation Showcase. From there, delegates nominated the presentation to share at the 2013 Summit for Urban Animal Strategies. Additionally, the Ontario SPCA was awarded a 2013 Summit Award for Community Compliance which recognizes efforts to increase the overall level of compliance in a community from the development of best practices or codes of ethical conduct in the area of licensing, identification, spay/neuter, wellness, recreation, breeding or standards of care. 

"Pet overpopulation is a community problem. Each year, tens of thousands of dogs and cats end up on the streets, where they fall victim to neglect and abuse, or in shelters in search of new homes. Spaying and neutering can reduce shelter intake and euthanasia in your community," Alison Cross, Ontario SPCA 

Tonya Martin, senior manager of Animal Welfare and Operations at the OSPCA, was presented with the award during the 2013 Summit Award Tour by award sponsor Pets Plus Us. Clinic stakeholders are confident this measure can help reduce and possibly eliminate the cat overpopulation crisis affecting many Ontario communities.