HUMANEINSIDER
MARCH 2023 TORONTO HUMANE SOCIETY
FEATURED ARTICLES
Annual Employee Feedback Survey
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You’re Invited: Opal Bracelet Workshop
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Celebrating National Guinea Pig Adoption Month
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Our Biggest Sale Ever! 70% Off Clearance Items
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Spring 50/50 Raffle
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Toronto Humane Society in the News
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New Public Training Playgroup for Adolescent Dogs
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Volunteer Updates
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Staff Announcements and Career Opportunities
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Char’s Story
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Support For a Happier Tomorrow – The Pet Parent
Support Network
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Upcoming Events
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Annual Employee Feedback Survey
We want to hear from you! In our ongoing efforts to improve staff experience at Toronto Humane Society, we’re rolling out our annual Employee Feedback Survey to ensure that your voice is being heard.
All staff members will receive an email with instructions on how to complete the survey through HR Downloads
We want you to feel confident sharing honest and authentic feedback so our survey will be completely anonymous We hope that everyone can participate and ask you to encourage your colleagues and team members to share their insights with us as well!
Thank you in advance for your time and effort in making this initiative a success. If you are having issues accessing the survey or did not receive the email with instructions, please reach out to hr@torontohumanesocietycom
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You’re Invited: Opal Bracelet Workshop
Get ready to unleash your creativity and support a great cause with the Opal Bracelet Workshop!
Join Tingting, a full-time jewelry maker, on March 15th, 2023, from 7:00pm to 8:00pm at 75 Ontario St, Toronto, for a beginner-friendly class on jewelry making and learn the skills to create your own unique opal bracelet!
Your $4500 ticket includes a one-hour braceletmaking workshop, all the materials to create your own one-of-a-kind bracelet, a free jewelry pouch, a complimentary NUDE beverage for those aged 19+, and a tax receipt for $20.00. Plus, all proceeds help Toronto Humane Society to provide compassionate care and forever homes to animals in need
Please note that tickets are non-refundable, so don't wait to secure your spot Contact events@torontohumanesociety.com for any questions you may have. Staff discounts are not available for this event.
Purchase your tickets online today and help make a difference in the lives of animals in need!
Celebrating National Guinea Pig Adoption Month
Thinking of adding a furry friend to your family? March is Adopt a Guinea Pig month, so it’s the perfect time to consider making these adorable animals the newest additions to your family –plus, we’re offering 50% off guinea pig adoption fees all month long!
Guinea pigs, also known as cavies, are friendly and affectionate animals that can live for 4 to 8 years and have unique personalities that will quickly win you over. Their squeaks and chirps are sure to melt your heart, while their playful natures will provide hours of joy and entertainment But before you take the leap, here are some things to keep in mind while you prepare to adopt a guinea pig.
Choosing Your Guinea Pig
Every guinea pig has a unique personality, so it’s important to interact with a few guinea pigs before adopting one. If you’re looking for a more relaxed guinea pig, you may want to consider adopting an older cavy that may already be trained and is used to human companionship Younger guinea pigs may quire more patience and training, but they’re more likely to be full of energy and ready to play
Guinea pigs are naturally social animals and benefit from companionship, so adopting a pair of bonded guinea pigs, or adopting another guinea pig to bond with your current guinea pig, so that they’ll always have a companion, is a great option.
Preparing Your Home
Guinea pigs require a clean, safe, and comfortable environment to thrive You’ll need to create a space for your guinea pig in your home,
such as a cage or a pen The cage should be big enough for your guinea pig to move around comfortably, and it should be lined with bedding such as aspen wood shavings, recycled newspaper bedding, wood stove pellets, or hemp bedding
Never use pine or cedar shavings, corn cob bedding, regular newspaper, or clay/clumping kitty litter, as these products can be toxic to guinea pigs
Guinea pigs are social animals and love to play and explore. They need toys and activities to keep them entertained, such as tunnels, chew toys, and hiding spots It’s also important safety-proof your home for your guinea pig Guinea pigs do not have the ability to vomit, so anything they ingest must pass through their entire system. Be sure to provide safe food and toys and keep them away from potential hazards such as houseplants, wires, cords, loose carpet strands, and rubber bands
Caring for Your Guinea Pig
Guinea pigs require basic care to stay healthy and happy You’ll need to provide your guinea pig with fresh food and water daily, as well as a balanced diet that includes hay, pellets, and fresh vegetables You’ll also need to clean their cage regularly to keep it free from waste and odors
It’s important to keep an eye on your guinea pig’s health and well-being. Since guinea pigs are prey animals, they tend to hide their illnesses, so it’s important to schedule regular check-ups with a veterinarian who is experienced in treating guinea pigs.
Adopting a guinea pig is a rewarding experience that can bring joy and companionship to your life
To view a list of guinea pigs available for adoption at Toronto Humane Society, click here.
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Our Biggest Sale Ever! 70% Off Clearance Items
Animal lovers, get excited! Our online shop is offering a 70% off sale on select clothing items
From cozy hoodies to stylish t-shirts, these discounted items are the perfect way to show off your love for animals while also supporting a great cause
And the best part? Every purchase you make goes towards Toronto Humane Society's mission to Improve the Lives of Animals
But don't wait too long to shop - these items are limited in stock and once they're gone, they're gone Curbside pickup and shipping available Please note that the staff and volunteer discount cannot be combined with this sale.
Click here to shop our biggest sale ever!
Spring 50/50 Raffle
Toronto Humane Society’s Spring 50/50 Raffle is launching on March 13th, 2023! Last year, our Fall 50/50 winner walked away with $38,000 and we’re hoping that we can do even better this year
Although Toronto Humane Society Staff and Board of Directors, as well as their spouses, children and children-in-law are not permitted to purchase tickets and are not eligible to win, you can share the raffle with your friends and extended family to encourage them to participate. Volunteers and Foster Parents can purchase tickets and are eligible to win
Volunteers, Foster Parents, friends, and extended family of staff members can purchase 10 tickets for $10, 40 tickets for $20, or 200 tickets for $40
You Win, Pets Win.
Proceeds will go directly towards helping Toronto Humane Society achieve our mission of Improving the Lives of Animals – both within our facility and beyond.
Visit wwwTorontoHumaneSocietyLottocom when tickets become available for purchase on March 13th, 2023. The raffle will end on April 24th, 2023, at 11:59 pm with the final draw on April 25th, 2023
AGCO license number RAF1235419
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Toronto Humane Society in the News
As a leader in the animal welfare industry, Toronto Humane Society is often quoted as a professional source in the media. Which newsworthy topics were buzzing and trending in the animal welfare world? Here are our top three topics discussed during the month of January
Tips for New Puppy Parents
Many families decided to adopt during the holiday season Hannah Sotropa, Assistant Manager of Communications, shared some expert tips on CTV’s Your Morning for new puppy parents looking to become expert pet parents.
Felines in the Media Spotlight
Several news articles feature felines that are available for adoption at Toronto Humane Society, including Sabrina, a 13-year-old cat that loves music and sunshine, in the Toronto Sun
The Source of Pet Surrenders
In an interview with Global News, Hannah Sotropa shares that 30% of pet surrenders from 2016 to 2020 were related to the animal’s medical issues and the lack of access to proper veterinary care.
Other Media Hits:
Parks Canada urging to not dump unwanted pets at Rouge Park | CTV News
Parks Canada seeing 'three-fold increase' in abandoned pets at Toronto area park | 1045 Fresh Radio (1045freshradio.ca)
Abandoned pets being left in GTA park is a growing problem: Parks Canada | CityNews
Toronto
Cindy the cat is looking for a new lovely home in the Toronto area (torontoguardian.com)
Zoomer Radio Pet of the Week: Gyoza
Tiger the cat is looking for a new lovely home in the Toronto area (torontoguardiancom)
The New Classical FM Pet of the Week: RallyThe New Classical FM
FOREVER FAMILY: Bonded bunnies bring 'a lot of joy' to Toronto home (headtopicscom)
The New Classical FM Pet of the Week: Coal & Eli Hops - The New Classical FM
Gyu-Gyu the cat is looking for a lovely home in the Toronto area (torontoguardiancom)
January Media Stats:
Mentions: 85
Impressions: 59,152,243
New Public Training Playgroup for Adolescent Dogs
Did you know that dogs can enter a second fear period in adolescence between the ages of 6 and 18-months for a 12-week period? But, continuing to provide our dogs with positive experiences will help build confidence and mitigate potential problems as they reach social maturity And, of course, teenagers being teenagers, we need to ensure that our pets are receiving an appropriate amount of suitable enrichment as well
The Importance of Giving Your Dog the Choice to Opt-In or Opt-Out
For many dogs, playgroups provide a great opportunity to enjoy conspecific enrichment and can be a wonderful way for pet parents to provide their dogs with exercise. It’s important to note that not all dogs enjoy playgroups and that’s ok – there are other forms of enrichment that we can provide our best fur friends In fact, one of the most important concepts around healthy play is the notion of choice. According to Shelter Playgroup Alliance, an organization that provides guidelines and training around healthy dog play, providing choice and respecting the needs of each individual dog is a cornerstone of excellent animal care. Animals who are given the choice to opt-in or optout of inter-dog interactions, including play, develop more confidence and are more willing participants in activities
Empowering Pet Parents to Recognize Their Pets’ Choices
Busy pet parents love the convenience of taking their dog to a local dog park to run and play, but often worry about the potential for dog interactions that are less than fun or even sometimes downright dangerous for their pets –this is where Toronto Humane Society’s Adolescent Dog Drop-In Playgroups come in Our playgroups aim to provide a framework of knowledge to pet parents to help them recognize healthy play, learn how to interrupt play that might be getting out of hand by using positive reinforcement techniques, and most importantly, learn how to read their dog’s body language to interpret whether their dog is opting in or opting out. Of course, the dogs will get a great and enriching dog park visit too! The playgroups will be held in our private dog parks, which provide a safe and controlled environment for play and enrichment as pet parents learn to understand their dog’s behaviour
We’re excited to launch this service for our pet parent community. Interested pet parents can book this class or one of our many other services on our self serve booking page
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Join us in welcoming the new Volunteer Coordinator, Nathan Schwarz Nathan started his Toronto Humane Society journey as a special species volunteer in January 2022 and then got hired on as an Adoption Agent the following June Since day one he has brought such joy, positivity, and enthusiasm to the Adoption team and the potential pet parents he's worked with. Fortunately, now all the volunteers and departments get to experience that while he is in his new role supporting volunteer engagement across the organization. Nathan also brings extensive event planning, communication, and people management skills Congratulations!
135 Year Anniversary Volunteer T-shirts
Volunteer Opportunities
On Call Volunteer Drivers
We are looking for volunteers to sign-up to be oncall drivers for both our Foster and Clinic Teams The Volunteer Driver will work within these teams by driving Toronto Humane Society Vehicles for various pick-ups and deliveries, bringing animals to and from appointments, and/or delivering supplies to Foster Parents This volunteer roll will be an on-call basis and volunteers will be contacted when have a need for drivers. The Volunteer Drivers will possess and Ontario G license, carry their own insurance, and have a clear 3-year driver’s abstract If interested, please email nschwartz@torontohumanesociety.com
Volunteer 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:
3 Years:
We have a few extra 135 Anniversary t-shirts available for volunteers if you’d like a second t-shirt for free They are located next to the volunteer office, so if you’d like another shirt during your shift, please feel free to stop by. If you work remotely and do not have a fob to access the volunteer office you can still stop by to grab one, please email us and we can set out a size for you in the volunteer services area on the second floor Harish B, Canine Care
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Volunteer Updates
New Booking Process for All Animal Care Roles
If you are interested in being cross -trained to work with any species, we now have a new booking process that lets you see all available training being offered in the current month These booking links will also provide you with opportunities to be trained in the next level of Canine or Feline Care. We strongly encourage all volunteers to be cross trained to work with the animals onsite When using this new booking process please keep in mind the following:
Always email Chris at cbuchner@torontohumanesociety.com to let him know when you are booking your first training in any species so he can add the required TalentLMS trainings and/or send you the required documents.
If you already have a shift, you do not need to agree to another shift in order to work with the animals onsite. You can work with them whenever you have availability. If you have time to sign up for another shift that is okay too!
If you are moving up in level in Canine Care please read the attached document to ensure you have completed the required hours (check your Volunteer information Centre or ask Volunteer Services if you are unsure) and make sure you have completed the talentLMS trainings prior to attending your in-person session.
These links are updated with the next month's trainings during the middle of each month If you don't find a training time that works for you, check again near the end of the month to see the new dates and times added If you are a new volunteer, please make sure you are fully trained in your role you were selected for before being cross trained and signing up for any of these trainings
Canine Care Training Booking - Select Green/Pink Level Training if you will be new to Canine Care
Feline Care and Clicker Training Booking - Select Level one if you are new to Feline Care If you are interested in clicker training any volunteer can select that
Special Species Training Booking - Select any species, but Rabbits and Guinea Pigs is a good place to start as we have more of those onsite
As this booking process is new, we will be reviewing it to ensure its meeting the needs of the volunteers If you have any issues, concerns or questions please email Cbuchner@torontohumanesociety.com.
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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 January.
Holly Breen – Adoption Agent
Sasha Stevenson – Coordinator, Publications
Matthew Manganaro – Associate, Marketing
We've also had some members move into different roles.
Megan Whitney- Administrative Assistant, Shelter Programs
Nathan Schwarts- Volunteer Programs Coordinator
And a special congratulations to Matthew Pereira and Felicity Stroman who have passed their VTNE RVT exams and are officially Registered Veterinary Technicians!
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@torontohumanesocietycom
Current Job Openings:
Development Officer, Signature Events and Gaming
Data Analyst-Veterinary Medical Informatics
Char's journey to Toronto Humane Society has been filled with ups and downs, but we're so proud of how far she's come
Char was in the care of another animal welfare organization for over a year, with no other place willing to take her on due to her torn ACL Everyone who worked at the other animal welfare organization was so grateful and emotional that we agreed to take her into our care.
Although she's been through a lot, Char's bright spirit has never wavered Her amazing foster home has been providing her with the love and attention she deserves while we wait to hear back from a third source about whether Char will need amputation due to her injury
Char's story may not be over yet, but we're confident that she'll continue to thrive in the loving care of her foster family and eventual forever home We'll be cheering her on every step of the way.
Despite the uncertainty, we're thrilled to share that Char is already on hold for adoption We know that there's a loving family out there who will provide her with the care and attention she needs, no matter what, and are grateful to have been part of her journey
Char’s Story Page 12
Support For a Happier Tomorrow –
The Pet Parent Support Network
Six Centennial College post-grad public relations students who are passionate about animal welfare worked with our Marketing and Communication team to develop a campaign that highlights our life-saving program, the Pet Parent Support Network.
With the tagline “support for a happier tomorrow”, the 2-week campaign shares tips and tricks to help guide pet parents during challenging times to seek help from the Pet Parent Support Network.
Their digital campaign includes a social media challenge called #WelcomeBack. The challenge encourages pet parents to share photos or a video of their pet’s reactions when they return home The challenge reminds pet parents of their unique human-animal bond that they share with their pet We encourage you to join the challenge on Instagram, TikTok or Facebook and share that precious moment with us!
We’d like to extend a thank-you to the group of young women who put this campaign together Equipped with resources, our Pet Parent Support Network is ready to support struggling pet parents to help keep more pets where they belong – with their families
Upcoming Events
International Women's Day
March 8th
An international day to celebrate the social, cultural, political, and economic achievements of all women
Holi
March 8th
Holi was a festival to celebrate the beginning of Spring in hopes of good harvest and land fertility Today it is more so for representing and commemorating a legend from Hindu mythology.
Hola Mohalla ("Hola")
March 8th-10th
Sikh festival that consists of demonstrations of martial arts and sports, worship services and singing hymns, as well as the traditional parade
Saint Patrick’s Day
March 17th
Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated world-wide to recognize Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, as well as the Irish culture.
World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD)
March 21st
A day to advocate for the rights of those with down syndrome
Ramadan
March 22nd-April 21st
A time to engage in sawn (fasting), reflection, ṣalāt (communal prayer), and Qur’ān readings
World Tuberculosis Day
March 24th
A day to grow awareness surrounding the worldwide epidemic of tuberculosis and the efforts being made to abolish the disease
Purple Day (Epilepsy Awareness Day)
March 26th
A global effort dedicated to raising epilepsy awareness by inviting others to wear purple and host events to show their support.
Click here to read more dates that we are acknowledging this month
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