AnimalTalkFall/Winter 2016

FOR ALL DOGSPAGE 03

THS - 130 YEARS!PAGE 04

EDUCATION IS THE KEYINSIDE BACK COVER

To promote the humane care and protection of all animals and to prevent cruelty and suffering.

CONTENTS

PAGE 03 ........................................ IMPORTANCE OF VACCINATIONS Is your pet up to date on their vaccinations?

PAGE 04 ........................................ TORONTO HUMANE SOCIETY - 130 YEARS! THS through the years

PAGE 06 ......................................... GIFTS OF LOVE Donations made on behalf of loved ones

INSIDE BACK COVER ........ EDUCATION IS THE KEY The THS Humane Education program

AnimalTalk

Animal Talk is distributed free of charge to Toronto Humane Society members and donors. Contents of Animal Talk are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the Toronto Humane Society. Nothing in this publication shall constitute an endorsement by the Toronto Humane Society of any product or service.

Canadian Charitable Registration Number 11925 9513 RR0001

OUR MISSION

BOARD OF DIRECTORSThe role of the board is to provide governance oversight for the Toronto Humane Society. The board of directors is a volunteer board and no member receives financial compensation to perform their board role.

David Bronskill - Chair

Bronwen Morgan - President

Stephen Steele, B. Comm., M.B.A. - Treasurer

Lisa Gibbens, BA, MISt - Secretary

Kathy McDonald, LL.B - Vice President

Gillian Armstrong, B.A.,B.Ed.

Shelley Austin

Shannon Cameron, CSC, PDO

Amanda Frank, BS, BSc, DVM

Cathy Kinloch, BA

Diana Pizzola, DVM

Andy Robling, MA (Cantab)

Dominique Rousselle

Monika Sudds, B.A., M.S.W.

Keren Troyna

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERDr. Jacques Messier, DVM, MBA

EDITORBarbara Steinhoff

ART DIRECTORChris Johnston

CONTRIBUTORSRosie BlanningMakyla DeleoTegan Buckingham

Don’t let the unexpected ruin a beautiful friendship.

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FOR ALL DOGS

IMPORTANCE OF VACCINATIONS

For the second year in a row the Toronto Humane Society team of veterinarians, technicians and administrative staff were met with open arms by several Northern communities without access to veterinary care.

Thanks to your donations and a generous grant from Dogs Trust Worldwide we were able to spend two weeks in these remote locations, providing free and much needed services to the dogs and cats who call these communities home.

And it was time well spent! We were able to spay or neuter 88 dogs and 62 cats, thereby helping to ensure that populations do not spiral out of control due to unplanned litters. We also provided vaccines to 193 dogs and 44 cats, which will reduce the risk of these animals falling ill with easily preventable but oftentimes deadly diseases. In addition, 34 dogs received a much needed grooming, leaving them feeling comfortable in their own skin for the first time in a long time.

Our mission was not solely to provide medical care however. Another goal of our trip was to educate animal caregivers on the physical and psychological needs of their pets, to make sure that human-animal interactions remained positive and rewarding for both parties. To this effect we chatted informally with the human clients of our services and provided information in a non-judgemental manner. We also spent time with the local children and we were able to provide 40 fun-filled kits, including a colouring book, crayons and a snack, to interested youngsters eager to soak

Is your pet up to date on their vaccinations? These simple, safe, and effective shots are extremely important in the fight against communicable and sometimes deadly diseases, and in the case of rabies keeping your pet’s vaccines up to date is the law!

Every pet should be vaccinated, even those who spend most or all of their time indoors. Vaccines keep your companion safe from serious contagious viruses such a parvovirus or panleukopenia, which often have a high mortality rate for younger animals. Even if treatment is initiated in time it will often involve lengthy and costly hospital stays and sadly, we at the Toronto Humane Society often take in animals that have fallen ill with one of the two viruses mentioned above because their owners cannot afford to provide the necessary care to get them well again. These unfortunate farewells could easily have been prevented with an inexpensive vaccination.

up knowledge and watch our staff at work. We were happy to note that 38 of our patients from last year were repeat visitors this time around for annual exams and booster vaccines, meaning their owners saw the value of our services and were eager to do their part to keep their pets in tip top health.

Thanks again to those who helped make this mission a success, and of course to the staff members who travelled thousands of miles to touch the lives of animals that have otherwise been overlooked. We can’t wait to visit again next year, to make new friends and to catch-up with those we met on our previous expeditions.

Some vaccines actually protect against zoonotic diseases as well; these are illnesses that can be transmitted between people and animals. Perhaps the most widely known zoonotic disease is rabies, which is fatal unless treated almost immediately after being bitten by an infected animal. You might be surprised to learn that there were over 176 cases of rabies in Ontario from December 2015 to August 2016. Even indoor pets can be susceptible to rabies, should an infected animal such as a bat make its way inside your home. In order to prevent the spread of this rapidly fatal disease all companion dogs and cats are required by law to be vaccinated for rabies.

There are vaccines available for other zoonotic diseases as well, including Lyme disease, giardia and leptospirosis. These may not be indicated for your pet, depending on your location and lifestyle, but a discussion with your primary veterinarian will lead to a vaccination schedule that is tailored to your companion’s specific needs.

You might be concerned about potential adverse effects related to vaccinations, but these fears are generally unfounded. The risks to your pet’s health due to being unvaccinated are much greater than the risks of a vaccine reaction, which are quite rare. Once again, this is something to discuss with your veterinarian, who has your pet’s best interest at heart and can help to alleviate your fears.

Vaccinations are an integral component of preventative medicine, and can help to ensure that your pet enjoys a long, happy and healthy life. The Toronto Humane Society wants to ensure that all companion animals have access to basic medical care and as such we offer low-cost vaccination services at our shelter up to 6 days a week. Please see the Vaccination Services section of our website for more details.

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THE TORONTO HUMANE SOCIETY - 130 YEARS!

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THE TORONTO HUMANE SOCIETY - 130 YEARS!

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9 JaiAdrienne TeppermanAlbert BryantAngelo RaimondoAniowek (Angel) & KarolinkaAnna BujakAnne AllsopArchibald ClydeAudrey MorawetzBarbara E. McDonald Barbara Richards

Benjamin KriegerBernice StottBertBob MorphewBradley Whalen-StraussBrian Raymond TurnerBrother James Edwin JohnstonCheryl Smith (Greenhawk Inc.)Christian LovatonCodyDon Panos

Dorothy ArkellDr. Anthony Casimir MekdeciEdith & Les LightfootEdna Clarke FieldingEllie O’NeillEric Bernard MertensEthelFlorence YaffeFred FennellGary HomansGerald JanisseGerald WhyteGina GrimaldiGladys WilkinsonGoodieGus RockHarleyHedwig GstettnerHendersonHenry FischerHighway AnimalsJames AllardJames IngramJanlea UpfoldJean PerkinsJJJoAnne AllsopJoe CatJoe MercerJoey & Taz ArangioJohn Arthur AranhaJohn FisherJohn LeonardJohn ParkinsonJudith McErvelJuliana WhettenKalebKaya Fletcher-RozdzilskiLennyLeonard Fanning

Lucie MarkhamLuckyMacMacyMarilyn BabbsMarilyn GarlickMarion EvasonMary RoseboroughMaverick Thompson-McWhirterMobyOscar D’SouzaPatricia PardoPenny & BlacksterPeter SchulmanPixPrincePrincess and GarfildoRaymond BradshawRileyRob, Zero & Sami-JoeRobert BladonRoseanne SuokasSanta HanaScuzzyShadowSharon St.George Si SigalSkipper LomaszewyczSusan (McBride) PierceSusie TandieTania WinterTerry MillarTessTessi CocolosThadeus KozubulTobie MillsTony AlfanoWarren BielmeierZoe (Halatsis Family Foundation)

Abby JonesAdriana & SimonAlfred & Rosemarie NonnewitzAurasAyshaBabiBagheraBibiana Garcia Bailo Boozo & TimsiCharles & Natalie GlucksteinDon & Mike Donald & Diane SmithDr. Kirsten ProsserDr. Mark KriegerDr. Susan Dewit

Dr.Caro AngusElina Chow (FS Financial Strategies)FetitzaFrank McAnultyGabriellaGerryGoranH.William ParishHappyHeather CornwellHolly & ChrisJocelyn GarrettJosh DavisKarin, Kieran & Theo

Kimberley Richards & James SaundersKona, Karina, Ty & BookieLipiciLisa & ZoharLizbeth LagunasMary Michael & Shannon RossiNakita Fung Fook PrincessPrintesaRenate BrickmanRobert A. FoorRosa & DanfordRustySable

Sarah, Blue & KodaSnehal & Kosh StrambaStudents at the Aspiring Academic PreschoolSusannah & TylerSylvia and LindsayTanya Thomson (Intact Insurance Corporation)TigerWendy Sokoloff & Doug WrightYvonne Arnold

We gratefully acknowledge the donors who have given gifts of $80 or more in honour or in memory of a special person or pet. Tribute gifts are a thoughtful and meaningful way of acknowledging a loved one’s memory, expressing your good wishes or commemorating an occasion. GIFTS OF LOVE

IN MEMORY

IN HONOUR

EDUCATION IS THE KEY With so many demands on our finite resources some might be curious as to why we choose Humane Education as an important addition to our programming, and the answer is simple:

We can create as many programs as we have funding for that deal with spaying and neutering, or that promote adoption, or discourage abandonment, but without a society that has a deep affection for animal life and an understanding of animal welfare issues these lessons will not take root. We must start at the very beginning, with children, in order to change our culture from one that views animals as a commodity into one that feels intensely connected to the well-being of the creatures around us.

The Toronto Humane Society has put together a comprehensive Humane Education Program, one which meshes completely with the curriculum expectations set out by the Ontario government. Teachers can choose to bring their students to the shelter for a tour and lesson, or our staff will come directly to their classrooms in order to spread our message of compassion and awareness. Our staff has also made trips out to community centers, libraries, and other social gathering places, meeting a wonderful range of ages and cultures in our diverse city.

Early age lesson topics include: Decoding Animal Behavior – a primer on how to interact with animals based on reading body language, taught via fun games such as charades; Taking Care of My Pet – covering the basics of pet ownership and encouraging empathy through role play; and Mini-Vet – in which children learn about the veterinary profession and have a chance to bandage their favorite stuffed toy.

Older children, up to grade 12, are also included in our lesson plans with topics such as: What is One Health? – covering the interconnectedness of all species on this planet through case studies and student presentations; and Animal Welfare and Equity – which encourages out of the box thinking as students participate in group discussions on topics such as Breed Specific Legislation, cosmetic testing, and animals used for entertainment purposes.

We have also launched another exciting initiative under the Humane Education umbrella, our Reading Buddies Program. This

program pairs new readers with calm and attentive shelter animals, allowing the child to spend 30 minutes with a non-judgemental furry buddy practicing their fledgling skills by reading out loud. This of course benefits the animals in our shelter by increasing their sociability, but preliminary research also shows that participating in this type of program can improve upon a child’s literacy and reading performance levels, which is absolutely amazing.

Of course, we also believe that learning is a process that continues through all ages and stages, so our Humane Education Program is also incorporated into our Corporate Volunteering Program. Companies that join us at the Humane Society for tours and activities also have the opportunity to take part in educational sessions geared towards adult audiences.

Our Humane Education Program is just in its fledgling stages, and you’ll be excited to see what we have up our sleeves in the upcoming months and years, but we have already made a huge impact on our community. From inception, four months ago, we have visited 30 classrooms, have had 2 reading buddy sessions, 30 field trips and have touched the lives of approximately 1000 children.

To find out how your group can participate in one of our program offerings please visit the Humane Education section of our website, or contact us via email at education@torontohumanesociety.com.

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a kennel

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A Legacy of LoveWhen planning for the future, please remember the animals in your will.

You could make a significant difference and save animals lives.

416.392.2273 ext. 2399 fundraising@torontohumanesociety.comwww.torontohumanesociety.com