TORONTO HUMANE SOCIETY
SEPTEMBER 2026
HUMANEINSIDER
Halloween Pet Pic is Back - Page 2
Meet Chandru - Page 4
Laura C. - Page 9
Autumn - Page 12
Black Student Achievement - Page 11
Rocco & Joe - Page 13
TABLE OF CONTENTS Reminder: Stacks & Snacks Is Coming Up Page 1 Halloween Pet Pics Is Back! Page 2 Staff New Hires, Promotions, Anniversaries & Career Opportunities Page 3 Meet the Team: Staff Q&A with Chandru, Lead Certifified Animal Trainer Page 4,5,6 Volunteer Updates Page 7,8,9,10 Toronto Humane Society & TDSB Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement Page 11 Adoptable Pet of the Month: Meet Autumn Page 12 Happy Tails presented by Royale: Rocco and Joe Page 13
Event
Reminder: Stacks & Snacks Is Coming Up
A little reminder that our Staff Appreciation Event
Come hungry, grab a plate and take a well-
is coming up next week!
deserved
break
with
your
colleagues.
We’re
grateful for everything you do for the animals and All staff and volunteers are invited to drop by, grab
the people who love them, and we hope you’ll join
some brunch and enjoy a little time together.
us for some good food and good company!
Whether you have a few minutes or can stay awhile, we’d love to see you! Stacks & Snacks September 29 12:00–3:00 p.m. Boardroom and Catio What’s on the menu? Pancake Station Hashbrowns Bagel Station Coffee & Tea Station
September 2026 - Humane Insider
Campaign
Halloween Pet Pics Is Back!
It’s back for a second year!
Event Details Dates:
Friday,
October
16
and
Saturday,
Get your furry ghoul or goblin ready for a playfully
October 17
festive photo session at Halloween Pet Pics. Staff
Time: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
and volunteers are welcome to join in the fun with
Location: Toronto Humane Society, 11 River
their own pets, kids or costumes. Please RSVP
Street
here.
Cost: $50 per session Photo sessions: 15 minutes each
Photos will be captured by Bark & Smiles
Photos: Three edited digital images emailed
Photography, giving you the perfect opportunity
before Halloween
to capture some Halloween magic with your pet
Goodie bag: Each session includes an exclusive
while supporting Toronto Humane Society.
Toronto Humane Society tote bag with a treat Costumes: A selection of costumes in various sizes will be available to borrow, thanks to our friends at Canadian Tire. Ready to get your pet Halloween-ready? Book your session and feel free to share the event with your friends, family and fellow pet lovers, too! We can’t wait to see the spooky costumes, adorable pets and Halloween fun!
Page 2
Human Resources
Staff New Hires, Promotions, Anniversaries & Career Opportunities Staff Announcements
Career Opportunities
Toronto Humane Society is continually growing!
Toronto
Here is a list of new staff members who have
Improving the the Lives of Animals. Our team of
joined our team or moved internally.
talented, dedicated staff work to support this
Humane
Society
is
committed
to
mission. If you are interested in joining our New Hires
dedicated team please view current job openings:
Danielle Themelis - Senior Accountant Nicole MacFarlane - Donor Relations &
Veterinarian - Public Veterinary Services
Processing Agent
Client Service Agent - Temporary Full Time (12
Ethan Awizen - Animal Care Worker
months)
Qingyuan (Grace) Fang - Veterinary Assistant
RVT-Laboratory & Pharmacy - PVS Supervisor, Janitorial Services - Part Time - 9-12
Promotions
hours/week
Mohseen Akbarali - Lead RVT
Veterinary Assistant - Full Time
Jasmine Ampuero - Lead RVT
Registered Veterinary Technician - PVS - Full
Hilary Pritchard - Lead RVT
Time Veterinarian - Public Veterinary Services -
Staff Anniversaries
Casual
Lauren McIntyre - 15 years
Registered
Allyssa Lariosa - 10 years
Veterinary Services - Casual
Leah Broadt - 10 years Kyla Cooper - 5 years Christopher Buchner - 5 years Sophia Marin - 5 years Lauren Gallant - 5 years Elva Ma - 5 years Julia Colangelo - 5 years Hollie Poulter - 1 year Joshua Duffy - 1 year Sriram Goteti - 1 year Lauren Ash - 1 year Anoop Pillai - 1 year Naygia Bradshaw - 1 year Jennifer Babbs - 1 year
September 2026 - Humane Insider
Veterinary
Technician
-
Public
Staff Updates
Meet the Team: Staff Q&A with Chandru Gopalakrishnan, Lead Certified Animal Trainer
Tell us about your role at Toronto Humane
What inspired you to work in animal welfare?
Society! What do you do, and what do you love
I started out in animal care doing dog boarding
most about it?
and walking, and I was surprised to see how big an
I’m the Lead Canine Trainer for shelter dogs, and
impact it had on my mental health — it got me to
much of my job is about training people in the
slow down, pay attention, and be fully present.
shelter. My focus is our K9 Mentor Program, where
Training with dogs was the natural progression of
ACW staff work one-on-one with TLC dogs to
that journey, I enjoyed understanding how TLC
reduce fear and stress, build new skills, and track
dogs can be taught to regulate themselves and
their progress. I also work closely with adoption,
their behavior and learn new skills in similar ways.
foster and vet teams to support TLC dogs both here and at home.
My experience here at the shelter has only reaffirmed
I really enjoy celebrating small and big wins for our
my
love
for
seeing
that
journey
between the dog and their people.
TLC dogs during Mentor class or when we get to do playgroups.
Page 4
Staff Updates
Do you have any pets at home? Tell us about
What’s a memorable or heartwarming moment
them!
you’ve experienced while working here?
I have 2 little dogs at home. Goliath is a 6yr old
I really love it whenever a TLC dog learns to do
Chihuahua that I adopted in 2021 from THS, he’s
something that opens new opportunities for them.
one of the happiest chihuahuas you’ll ever meet,
The last one was seeing our boy HK make friends
and I let him get away with a lot. Sam is almost 4
with a potential foster parent’s dog at the park,
years old now and came home just last year from
after being reactive to other dogs in the past. I’ve
THS as well. They adore each other and it’s quite
rewatched the videos from that meet and greet
ridiculous
my
quite a few times, it was a big day for him. It
apartment. Sam and I are on a journey together
opened up the possibility of going to a home with
doing lots of training, Goliath usually watches from
another dog.
to
see
them
zoom
around
his bed with snacks. What’s one fun fact about you that your coworkers might not know? I flew to Toronto with a one-way ticket without ever having visited or really knowing anyone here, I just chose Toronto based on what I heard from friends when the US wasn’t right for me. Within a year of moving, I left my previous career and was working on my KPA certification. Animal care and dogs became a part of my life only because I came to Toronto. What’s your go-to comfort food or favourite local spot to eat? Comfort food is typically South Indian/Tamil food I make at home. Or a Chipotle bowl. Favourite local spots – I really like Canteen on Spadina for their Nasi lemak. Then there’s Queen of Sheeba close to the shelter on Queen st, great Ethiopian food!
September 2026 - Humane Insider
Staff Updates
What’s a skill or hobby you have outside of work
Rapid-Fire Questions!
that people might not expect? I talk about this all the time with people at work, so
Coffee or tea?
probably not unexpected at all - I love my
Chai/Bubble tea > Coffee > all other Tea.
camping/cottage trips. I try to go at least 3-4 times a year.
Early bird or night owl? Total night owl but I’m hoping to change that
I also love playing Chess and Ping Pong, though
soon.
I’ve never been very good at either. Sweet or savory? I’ll say savory. But I’ll never say no to cake. Books or movies? Books. I stopped reading for a long time but I’m getting back into it. Summer or winter? Summer, always. I get to take Goliath outdoors. City life or country life? I’ve only ever lived in big cities, but I’m curious about country life. Spicy or mild? Spicy but sadly my tolerance hasn’t been the same since I hit my 30s. Reality shows or documentaries? Can I pick neither and say YouTube? Road trip or plane? Road trips, always! Board games or video games? Love board games, but I’m always up for some Mario Kart.
Page 6
Volunteer Updates
Volunteer Updates Volunteer Opportunities:
Urgent Care Application & Voicemail Support
Please email Nathan Schwartz at
Volunteer
nschwartz@torontohumanesociety.com
Remote | Flexible schedule | 1-2 hours per week
if you are interested in any of these opportunities: Help the Urgent Care team stay connected with Pet Remembrance Keepsake Volunteer
prospective foster parents and clients! Volunteers
Remote | Flexible schedule | 1-2 hours per week
will provide administrative and communication
Help bring comfort to families grieving the loss of
support
a beloved companion animal. The Urgent Care
responding to program-related voicemails.
by
helping
with
applications
and
team is looking for volunteers with intermediate to advanced knitting skills to create handmade
Volunteers will:
pawprint keepsakes that are provided to pet
Knit handmade pawprint keepsakes following
guardians following a loss.
established patterns and guidelines. Create
Volunteers will:
clean,
durable,
high-quality
items
suitable for families.
Knit handmade pawprint keepsakes following
Work independently from home on a flexible
established patterns and guidelines.
schedule.
Create
clean,
durable,
high-quality
items
Communicate with the team about availability,
suitable for families.
materials, and completed keepsakes.
Work independently from home on a flexible
Contribute to a compassionate program that
schedule.
recognizes the human-animal bond.
Communicate with the team about availability, materials, and completed keepsakes.
We're
Contribute to a compassionate program that
knitters who can follow patterns and approach pet
recognizes the human-animal bond.
loss with compassion and sensitivity.
We're
looking
for:
Reliable,
looking
for:
Reliable,
detail-oriented
detail-oriented
Time commitment: 1-2 hours per week, with the
knitters who can follow patterns and approach pet
flexibility to complete this role on any day and at
loss with compassion and sensitivity.
any time.
Time commitment: 1-2 hours per week, with the flexibility to complete this role on any day and at any time.
September 2026 - Humane Insider
Volunteer Updates
Volunteer Updates Urgent Care Document Scanning & Upload
September Anniversaries
Volunteer
Please join us in celebrating volunteer and foster parents who have reached a milestone anniversary
In person at THS | Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. |
this month! Thank you for all your hard work and
1-2 hours per week
continued dedication!
Do you enjoy organizing documents and working
1 Year:
behind the scenes? The Urgent Care team is
Ramonette A., Foster Parent
looking for a detail-oriented volunteer to help
Wendy C., Foster Parent
digitize physical records and ensure important
Erika F., Foster Parent
documents are organized and accessible.
Alice K., Foster Parent Janet M., Foster Parent
Volunteers will: Scan physical documents and ensure they are clear and complete. Upload documents to the appropriate location on the designated server. Name
and
organize
files
according
to
established procedures. Ensure documents are uploaded to the correct client or pet file. Maintain
confidentiality
when
handling
sensitive client and pet information. Flag
missing,
unclear,
or
incomplete
documentation for staff follow-up. We're looking for: Organized, reliable volunteers who are comfortable working independently and have strong attention to detail. Administrative experience is an asset. Time commitment: 1-2 hours per week, MondayFriday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., at Toronto Humane Society.
Page 8
Volunteer Updates
Volunteer Updates September Spotlight 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 Laura C.! For the past two and a half years, Laura has been making a meaningful difference in the lives of cats at Toronto Humane Society. With more than 335 volunteer
hours
under
her
belt,
Laura
has
supported animals as a feline care volunteer, Feline Behaviour Specialist, and as a foster parent. Along the way, she has fostered an incredible 20 animals, with a particular focus on cats who need a little
extra
patience,
understanding,
and
encouragement. Laura’s volunteer journey began during COVID, when she and her partner, Mel, began fostering cats. During such an uncertain time, they were looking for a way to find purpose while giving back to their community. They had no idea how much their first foster would teach them. Their first foster, Mr. Meowgi, was a TLC cat with both behavioural and medical concerns.
body
language,
clicker
training,
aggression and, most importantly, patience.”
end of it we had learned a lot about cats - and probably a few things about ourselves, too!” That first experience also connected Laura and Mel with Toronto Humane Society’s foster and training teams, who supported and encouraged them throughout their journey. Since then, Laura has continued fostering TLC cats, particularly those who need help with aggression, socialization, or building confidence. Her experiences as a foster parent eventually
He quickly became, “our very own crash course in cat
“He spent about a year with us,” Laura says. “By the
feline
opened the door to volunteering in the shelter. Laura progressed through the feline training program and became a Feline Behaviour Specialist volunteer, allowing her to work more closely with the training team and support some of the shelter’s more challenging feline cases while they await their foster or forever homes.
September 2026 - Humane Insider
Volunteer Updates
Volunteer Updates Interestingly, many of the skills Laura uses with
For Laura, some of the most rewarding moments
cats were developed long before she began
are the smallest ones. It might mean spending
volunteering
she
days or weeks sitting patiently on the floor, tossing
competitively rode horses, particularly working
treats toward a frightened cat, until one day she
with off-the-track Thoroughbreds. These horses
hears the tiny crunch of them finally eating in her
often require patience, reassurance, and careful
presence. Or perhaps a cat cautiously pokes its
behavioural work as they transition from racing
head out for the first time. “Sometimes progress is
into new environments. Laura discovered that
a big breakthrough, but more often, it’s something
many of those same principles apply to cats.
much smaller—like a cat deciding that sitting
with
them.
For
years,
three feet away from you is acceptable,” Laura “Whether
you’re
working
with
a
nervous
says. “Either way, we celebrate the wins!”
Thoroughbred or a cat who is 6x smaller and would very much prefer that you not touch them,
Through
the goal is often the same,” she says, “helping an
understanding, Laura continues to help cats take
animal’s
those
nervous
system
learn
experiences don’t have to be scary.”
that
new
her
important
dedication, steps
patience,
toward
feeling
and safe,
confident, and ready for their next chapter. Thank you for all that you do, Laura! Please join us in celebrating Laura this month!
Page 10
Human Resources
Toronto Humane Society & TDSB Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement They also had the opportunity to interview staff members from various areas of the organization, learning about the diverse career paths and personal journeys that led each individual to Toronto Humane Society. Supporting the Black Summer Student Leadership Program is important for many reasons. Programs like
this
help
introduce
Black
students
to
meaningful opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), fields in which Black professionals have historically been underrepresented. This is particularly true within veterinary medicine and animal welfare, where increasing diversity is essential to building a more inclusive and representative profession. By creating opportunities for Black youth to explore careers in animal welfare and veterinary For the second consecutive year, Toronto Humane
medicine, Toronto Humane Society is helping to
Society was proud to host students from the Black
inspire the next generation of leaders, advocates,
Summer Student Leadership Program through
and professionals. These experiences not only
the TDSB Centre of Excellence for Black Student
contribute
Achievement. This year, Drusylla and Muzdalifah
professional growth but also strengthen the future
joined our team for five weeks, gaining valuable
of the veterinary and animal welfare sectors.
insight into how our organization supports both
Through mentorship, exposure, and hands-on
animals and the broader community.
learning, we can help remove barriers, foster
to
the
students’
personal
and
inclusion, and create pathways for talented young Throughout
their
placement,
they
worked
alongside staff across several departments and
people to pursue careers they may not have otherwise considered.
participated in a wide range of hands-on learning included
We are grateful to Drusylla and Muzdalifah for
providing enrichment activities for animals in our
their enthusiasm, curiosity, and contributions
care, engaging with the public during Community
throughout the summer, and we look forward to
Day and Team Experience Days, supporting
continuing
potential adopters at the front desk, and observing
Summer Student Leadership Program in the years
surgeries and other medical procedures at both
to come. Lastly, we are thankful to every staff
our River and Queen locations.
member who supported our students.
experiences.
Their
contributions
September 2026 - Humane Insider
our
partnership
with
the
Black
Animal Stories
Adoptable Pet of the Month: Autumn This month, we’re shining a spotlight on Autumn, an extraordinarily sweet dog who is happiest when she has a human by her side. If you’re looking for a devoted companion who loves nothing more than settling in for a cuddle, Autumn may be the girl for you. She’s a true cuddle bug — and quite convinced she’s a lap dog — who quickly relaxes when she can share a quiet space with someone she trusts. Autumn is also a smart and motivated learner. She enjoys having her brain engaged and has been doing wonderfully with focus-training cues like “look” and “touch.” She also enjoys loose-leash walks, particularly in peaceful spaces like the park where she can take in her surroundings at her own pace. The
busy
shelter
environment
can
be
overwhelming for Autumn, particularly with the presence of other dogs. As a result, she doesn’t
Could you be Autumn’s person?
always have the opportunity to show her best self
Our biggest wish for Autumn is to see her get out
when meeting potential adopters here. What we
of the shelter and into a peaceful home where she
do know is that Autumn is a sweet, affectionate
can relax, build confidence and be the centre of
dog who previously did well with humans of all
her person’s world.
ages and has so much love to give. If you think Autumn could be your perfect match, Autumn would thrive in a quiet home with a
ask an adoption counsellor about meeting her.
devoted guardian who can give her time to settle positive
If adoption isn’t the right fit, fostering could also
opportunities to learn and explore. She would do
give Autumn the quiet environment she needs
best in a home without cats or other small
to shine.
in,
lots
of
affection
and
plenty
of
animals. Let’s help Autumn find the loving home she’s been waiting for.
Page 12
Animal Stories
Happy Tails presented by Royale: Rocco and Joe
“I adopted Rocco and Joe about a month ago and
They’re eating and drinking well - Rocco is
just wanted to provide you with a quick update on
permanently hungry and tries to sneak bites of
how they’re doing - they’re great!
anything I'm eating in addition to his own food and treats.
They basically settled in right away. They walked out of their crates and never looked back. They
They’re also using the bathroom without issue
found the spots they liked to chill in and make
And, they’re getting used to my affection
regular use of those. Joe enjoys sunbathing in the family room and has his own corner of the sofa, while Rocco enjoys being tucked away in his pineapple, but comes out almost every half hour to see what Joe and I are up to. Both of them take turns taking my seat on the sofa when I’m out. Rocco likes roaming the hallway (I live in a condo) and Joe visits me whenever I use the bathroom to request bum rubs. September 2026 - Humane Insider
So grateful and blessed to have them.”
😉