Humane Insider - August 2023

HUMANEINSIDER

FEATURED ARTICLES

A Boozy Beverage Garden, Food Trucks, a Doggy Fashion Show and More at Paws in the Park Presented by Amazon

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Join Us for the Return of Our Summer 50/50 Raffle!

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Toronto Humane Society in the News

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Volunteer Updates

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Volunteer Spotlight of the Month

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Upgrade Your Wardrobe with Our New Shirts!

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Emphasizing the Life-Changing Work We Do to Help Animals Like Kola

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Dolly Finds Her Doggy Wonderland!

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Staff Announcements & Career Opportunities

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Making an Impact with Our First Inner-City Outreach Clinic

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Celebrating Recent Accomplishments of Dr Jacklyn Ellis

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Plastic-Free August Challenge

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Calendar of Events

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A Boozy Beverage Garden, Food Trucks, a Doggy Fashion Show and More at Paws in the Park Presented by Amazon

Event Details

Date: Saturday, August 12, 2023

Time: 9:00am until 4:00pm

Location: Woodbine Park

Tickets: Free, donations are welcome

Are you ready for some summer fun? Paws in the Park presented by Amazon wraps up everything you love about summer into one outdoor event. Food? Check Drinks? Check Shopping local? Check Hanging out with your dog while spoiling them with treats and accessories? Double check!

Here are just a few things you can expect at Paws in the Park presented by Amazon on August 12th at Woodbine Park.

Tons of Shopping

With over 25 food and shopping vendors, there is something for everyone

Vegan Sol, Eat Nabati, and Chau Toronto are just a few of the food trucks in attendance that’ll be cooking up plant-based goodness for everyone

From smash burgers, jerk chicken, falafel wraps, and Asian-inspired tacos, your taste buds are in for a treat!

There will also be vendors in attendance with a wide variety of goodies such as Toronto Dog Mom’s cutest shirts and accessories, handcrafted and ethically made artisanal goods from Savannah Africa Collections, or candles and precious stone jewelry from TSP Wellness. And, of course, there are tons of goodies for dogs too. Bark N’ Bakery has treats and accessories, Jumping Jake Co sells adorable doggy bandanas, and Chance K9 goods has leashes and collars crafted by Indigenous women. Click here to see a full list of vendors.

A Boozy Beverage Garden

Nude is here to help quench your thirst at the beverage garden.

The Most Adorable Doggy Fashion Show

Fashion has gone to the dogs – literally! All dogs in attendance are welcome to dress up and participate in the cutest fashion show to ever hit the runways

A Fun Kid’s Zone

We promised fun for everyone – and that includes the kids! They’ll have an area of their own with massive board games, colour pages, and more

Join Us for the Return of Ou le!

Our Summer 50/50 raffle is back and better than ever! Officially launched on August 1st, this raffle has plenty of opportunities for you to win big! The guaranteed prize of $9,999 will continuously grow as more tickets are purchased, so be sure to check the current amount daily by visiting the lotto website!

The first Early Bird on August 15th will be a draw for $1000.

The second Early Bird on August 29th will be a draw for $500.

The final draw will take place on September 12th.

Don’t miss your chance to win it all!

torontohumanesocietylottocom

Please note that staff and the Board of Directors, along with their spouses, children, and childrenin-law, are prohibited from purchasing tickets and are not eligible to win. However, volunteers and foster parents are allowed to purchase tickets and are eligible to win

So, what are you waiting for? Act now and secure your tickets for a shot at the grand prize! Head to our lotto website today and purchase your winning ticket!

The raffle is licensed by AGCO Lottery Licence #RAF1302302 BUY

YOU WIN. PETS WIN.

Toronto Humane Society in the News

In June, Toronto Humane Society was mentioned in over 127 media clips and reached over 92 million readers, listeners, and viewers! 63% of our earned media came from television, 32% from online news articles, and 5% on the radio Here’s what Toronto Humane Society news was buzzing in the media last month.

Protecting Pets from Wildfire Smoke

In June, wildfires and their impact on air quality was a major concern for people across Canada –resulting in major media interest on this topic Toronto Humane Society proactively issued a press release to let pet parents know how to protect their pets from wildfire smoke. Approximately 90 clips and 55 million impressions resulted from this media release Major outlets include; Toronto Star, CityNews, CTV National News, and Global News

Keeping Pets Safe from Fireworks

Just before Canada Day, Toronto Humane Society released a press release on how to keep your pets safe from fireworks This story earned 10 media clips and reached over 3 million people. The story continued to pick up coverage throughout Canada Day weekend and reached millions of more people in early July Major outlets covering this story include; CityNews, CP24, CTV National News, Toronto Star and five other PostMedia publications.

June Media Stats:

Mentions: 127

Impressions: 92,746,296

Adoption Highlights

Throughout the month prominent media outlets such as The New Classical FM, Zoomer Radio, Global News, Toronto Sun, and Toronto Guardian

Other Media Hits:

“Travel tips for flying with your pet” - CTV News

“New cat contraception method using gene therapy could help manage feral populations” - CBC Radio

“Toronto Humane Society treats shelter doggos to an ice cream extravaganza” - NOW Toronto

“Pet pantries, food banks see growing demand amid 'difficult time' for pet owners”CBC News

Thank You Hazel and Henry!

Hazel and

up a stand with

and

to support Toronto Humane Society. Their efforts paid off and they raised $72 for animals in need!

Thank you, Hazel and Henry, for supporting our life-saving work! We love seeing humane advocates take charge and support a cause they care about

Henry baked brownies

cookies and set

lemonade

Volunteer Updates

Anniversaries

Please join us in celebrating volunteers who are reaching a milestone anniversary this month! Thank you for all your hard work and continued dedication!

1 Year: 5 Years:

Nathaniel G., Special Species Care

Feline Care TalentLMS Trainings for All Feline Care Volunteers

Dominique H, Fundraising, Marketing and Photography

Brigitte H., Canine Care

Animal Care Team Huddles Update

Starting this week all Animal Care Volunteers will be asked to attend the following team huddles at the start of their shift:

7:00am Shifts - Meet your team in the lobby at 7:00am

10:00am Shifts - Meet your team in the Back Hall at 10:15am

2:00pm Shifts - Meet your team in the Back Hall at 2:00pm

6:00pm Shifts - Meet your team in the Back Hall at 6:00pm

If you miss the meeting please connect with a shelter supervisor before doing any animal enrichment.

We are implementing these huddles to try and improve communication with staff and volunteers and keep you informed of in the moment needs and important information. We will review how these are going in a few weeks so any feedback on this would be helpful.If you have any questions about this, please don't hesitate to talk to a supervisor onsite or contact Chris Buchner at: Cbuchner@torontohumanesociety.com

We now have new TalentLMS trainings for Feline Care Volunteers! These training sessions will be assigned to all Feline Care volunteers over the next couple of weeks They will be mandatory for any new volunteers or volunteers moving up levels moving forward, but we strongly encourage all of you to take them to help with your learning. If you are planning on moving up from level 1 to level 2, please email Chris before booking your training so he can add these courses to your TalentLMS account. It will be mandatory moving forward for all staff and volunteers to complete these trainings prior to attending their in-person session

Paws in the Park Presented by Amazon Event Volunteers

Paws in the Park is just around the corner, and we need your help to make it a success We are currently recruiting volunteers for various roles during the event, which will take place on August 12 at Woodbine Park If you're interested in getting involved, please get in touch with Tate Comptonat: tcompton@torontohumanesociety.com. We have multiple roles and shift times available, so when Tate sends you the list of the available opportunities, please select the ones you are available for. If you'reinterested in multiple roles, please informTate, so we can accommodate your preferences in case some positions are already filled

Volunteer Spotlight of the Month

We are so grateful for all our volunteers; we rely heavily on your support to meet our operational needs.We want to take time once a month to extend our thanks to a volunteer who has had a positive impact at Toronto Humane Society based on staff/volunteer feedback

This Month we would like to shine a spotlight on Catherine B.!

and has had an immense love for it ever since. As she puts it, “gardening is in my blood”.

When she joined Toronto Humane Society as a volunteer in 2014, Catherine wanted to find a way to help our mission of improving the lives of animals She noticed the long shelf of dirt in the back by the parking lot and she immediately knew how she could help Given her skills in gardening she figured “it’s the one thing that I can do to help [Toronto] Humane Society.” Eventually, when the planter boxes were added to the patio, she happily took on the task of growing and maintaining the plant life there as well.

If you’ve ever been on the patio or walked by the parking lot in the back, you probably noticed the beautiful planter boxes and lush plants and flowers growing out of them On the patio, we have an assortment of lettuces that we feed to our special species, various flowers, trees, shrubbery and, as of recently, pumpkins growing! In the back parking lot, there is a long shelf of flowers and shrubs growing beautifully These incredible plants take a lot of care, time, and love to maintain, and we have a wonderful volunteer to thank for that, Catherine B!

For nearly 9 years Catherine has spent well over 450 hours caring and tending to the plant life at Toronto Humane Society, but her love for gardening did not start here From a very young age, Catherine has been involved with gardening

Catherine’s devotion to gardening is truly inspiring, as is her philosophy behind it “I believe in what [Toronto] Humane Society is doing, and I think that my gardening contributes to the people who work here and the animals themselves.” She could not be more correct in that assessment! However, not only do the staff and animals get to enjoy the beautiful plants and flowers around our building, but they also serve bigger purposes. As Catherine explained, the shrubs help absorb water so that in the event of a rainstorm there is less of a chance of a leak in the building Furthermore, some of the plants attract wildlife to the building, such as monarch butterflies, which is truly incredible When asked what keeps her coming back after all these years, Catherine explained that she is the kind of person that once she gets involved in something will keep coming back for as long as she possibly can, and we are incredibly lucky for that She has been an incredible asset to Toronto Humane Society, and we cannot thank her enough for all of her help. Please join us in celebrating Catherine this month!

Upgrade Your Wardrobe with Our New Shirts!

Exciting news! We have just launched a fantastic new line of t-shirts that we’re proud to share with everyone Tell your friends, family, and anyone else who wants to add our app wardrobe!

New in stock is the collection of “I featuring dogs, cats, and rabbits! S love for these animals by wearing beautiful designs.

While you’re at it, browse our new watercolour paw print shirts These s print designs, infused with vibran colour, will make you stand out from the best possible way.

Treat yourself to these amazing shirts and more today! Don’t forget to spread the word about our retail store Happy shopping!

Emphasizing the Life-Changing Work We Do to Help Animals Like Kola

Kola’s life was in our hands Her story needs to be shared.

The urgency of Kola's story is a powerful reminder of the life-changing impact we make when we are backed by support to help animals in need But we can't do it alone – we need your help to highlight the workwedoasacommunitytosavetheseanimals.

When Kola arrived in our care, she was frightened, fatigued, and in pain. The underlying issue was a severe bone infection, endangering her life very quickly. But with the expertise of an orthopedic surgeonandthesupportofourcommunity,wesaved Kola’s life by amputating her leg and providing postsurgicalcare.

Herlifehasbeentransformed,butwithoutaquestion, there are countless other animals who need our help By sharing Kola's story with your friends and family, you can help us reach more people who may not yet know about our mission and the animals we need to save We can work together as a community to end theviciouscycleofsuffering

Spread the Word

You become part of the life-saving process by spreading the word Share Kola's story on your social media, talk about it during family gatherings, and let everyone know about our relentless passion to Improve the Lives of Animals. Your actions will inspire compassion in others and create a ripple effect of positive change

There is a clear and urgent need for our services, but without raising awareness about the life-changing work we do, many animals like Kola and Wilbur might never get the chance to see a tomorrow

Dolly Finds Her Do

Dolly was transferred to us from another shelter in Georgia, looking forward to starting a new life here in Toronto While she was sociable with dogs at her previous location, she had to go through a transfer quarantine period upon arrival, which limited her interactions with other dogs As a result, she became frustrated and started displaying reactive behaviour. Initially, we attempted to alleviate her stress with medication, but we knew Dolly needed more help.

Recognizing the need for a long-term solution, our training team stepped in to help Dolly with her reactivity. Despite struggling to adjust to the bustling city life of Toronto, she made significant progress under the guidance of our trainers Her unwanted behaviours, such as leash pulling and reactivity, improved over time, and she confidently strolled down the busy streets as if she owned the city!

Despite her improvement, given her true nature as a country girl at heart, we decided to find her a forever home better suited to her needs

fields and rolling in the grass, living a fulfilling life in the place that she truly feels comfortable in.

We’re happy to share that Dolly has found her new home! A staff member in Georgia shared this update with us,

“I am delighted to announce that she was adopted two weeks ago and is doing exceptionally well in her new home!"

We are overjoyed to hear this update and wish nothing but the best for Dolly

While we weren’t able to handpick her forever home ourselves, our training team worked with Dolly to get her to where she is today By earning Dolly’s trust, we became part of her journey, and we are so happy to have set her up for success! Dolly is such a great example of how far we'll go to help animals find their forever homes!

Staff Announcements & Career Opportunities

Staff Announcements

Toronto Humane Society is continually growing! Here is a list of new staff members that joined our team in July

Career Opportunities

Toronto Humane Society is committed to promoting the humane care and protection of all animals and to prevent cruelty and suffering Our team of talented, dedicated staff work to support this mission.

If you are interested in joining our dedicated team please forward your resume to our Human Resource Department via email at hiring@torontohumanesociety.com.

Please note: We currently do not have any job openings available

Alanna Michael – Client Service Agent

Tate Compton – Volunteer Programs Intern

Making an Impact with Our First Inner-City Outreach Clinic

Our First Inner-City Outreach Clinic held at The Bond on June 20th, 2023, was an event filled with heartwarming moments and a strong sense of community. The impact it had and the relief it provided on the lives of both pets and their parents wasimmeasurable

The clinic's focus on preventative care and support was made possible by the dedication of several individuals who selflessly contributed their time and effort Neil Reilly, Program Manager, Support, Supply and Retail, and Sam Jones, Division Manager, Public Programs, played a crucial role in preparing and donating essential supplies such as food, ensuring thateachanimalreceivedthecaretheydeserved

Dillon Dodson’s, Senior Manager, Social Work effective communication and outreach efforts helped spread the message to the community, enabling pet parents to access the much-needed services Alison Campbell's, Assistant Manager, Public Veterinary Service, behind-the-scenes coordination and collaboration with Charmaine from Dixon Hall ensured the smooth operation of the event, making it aresoundingsuccess

During the clinic, During the clinic, Cynthia Minter, DVM and Telka Mallory, Supervisor, Public Veterinary Service. Their presence reassured pet parents, offering them peace of mind that their beloved companions would be protected against preventable diseases and parasites

The positive impact of the clinic extended beyond the event itself. An email from Charmaine Farquharson of Dixon Hall expressed heartfelt gratitude for the support received The residents at The Bond were delighted, and the success of the First Inner-City Outreach Clinic exemplifies the power of collective efforts and compassion

Celebrating Recent Accomplishments of Dr. Jacklyn Ellis

We are honoured to share that our very own Dr. Jacklyn Ellis, Director, Behaviour, has been making a significant impact in promoting animal welfare through her recent presentations Her dedication to our mission has led her to share her expertise in a professional and effective manner on several occasions

The first presentation took place at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine's Shelter Medicine Grand Rounds. The course's objective is to keep up to date with published literature and review best practices in Shelter Medicine by participating in virtual presentations given weekly throughout each semester by national and international leaders in the field. Through Dr. Ellis’ well-researched paper, students learned and reflected on key concepts for the practices of Shelter Medicine.

In yet another remarkable achievement, Dr. Ellis was invited as a guest speaker at the prestigious 2023 ASPCA Cornell Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Conference Her expertise shone through as she delivered two one-hour sessions, focusing on Environmental Enrichment for Shelter Cats and Behaviour Assessments for Shelter Cats These topics are essential in ensuring the well-being and proper treatment of shelter animals

By participating in these events, Dr. Ellis not only showcased her knowledge and expertise but also extended our reach to a wider audience Through her presentations, we connected with professionals and animal welfare advocates alike, fostering a collective pursuit of Improving the Lives of Animals

Let’s Keep the Green Momentum Going: Plastic-Free August!

Cutting out plastics during the month of July was a fun challenge, so let's keep the momentum going by incorporating lasting changes in our daily routines to promote a plastic-free lifestyle year-round! We've seen how our efforts in July have already sparked positive change, and now, we're eager to take it to the next level. Whether it's saying no to single-use plastic bags, opting for reusable alternatives, or minimizing plastic waste in creative ways, every action counts!

These little changes add up over time that contribute to a greener planet and happier faces!

Here are a few changes you can make that have a big impact:

Bring a reusable bag

Ditch the straw altogether

Swap to a reusable coffee cup

Bring reusable food containers

Buy in bulk to minimize plastic packaging

Remember, it's not just about one monthly challenge; it's about making conscious choices every day to protect our planet and preserve its beauty for generations to come. To learn even more tips on how to make greener choices, click here You can also visit Plastic Free July and LastObject for more information on how to reduce plastic consumption.

Let’s make greener choices for a healthier planet!

Calendar of Events

Emancipation Day

August 1st

A day to mark when slavery was abolished in Canada and other British Colonies in 1834

Hiroshima Day

August 6th

A day to promote peace politics against war through remembering the losses from the bombing of Hiroshima at the end of World War II.

Civic Holiday

August 7th

The August Civic Holiday is known by a variety of names across Canada and is celebrated according to local municipal traditions and history

International Cat Day

August 8th

A day to celebrate and raise awareness about cats

Paws in the Park

August 12th

A day to raise awareness about Toronto Humane Society through our largest fundraiser and adoption event.

Obon (Bon Festival)

August 13th - August 16th

A day to honour and remember ancestors through visiting and cleaning their graves while their spirits revisit household alters

International Homeless Animals Day

August 19th

A day to raise awareness surrounding animals who needs homes and the overpopulation of pets

Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

August 28th

A day to honour and remember the lives of past animal companions

Raksha Bandhan

August 30th

A day to celebrate the relationship between a brother and sister where sisters tie a Rakhi (talisman/amulet) around their brother’s wrist to protect them and receive a gift from their brother in return.

Click here to read more dates that we are acknowledging this month