THE WINNIPEGHUMANE SOCIETYA DISTINCTBREED2009 ANNUAL REPORT

Bill McDonald,ExecutiveDirector

I firmly believe that our shel-ter is a destination for manyin Winnipeg, who, for what-ever reason, cannot have acompanion animal live withthem. They come to the shel-ter to get a glimpse of ananimal and simply put, itdoes make their life better.On any weekend we seegrandparents with theirgrandchildren in the shelterjust looking at the kittens,the puppies, the cats anddogs. Our shelter is moreconnected to the communityin so many ways than everbefore and we are veryproud that our grounds andshelter have become a placeto “go to” for that animal con-nection that is so importantto us as humans.

This past year has also beena year of “the volunteer.” Ourvolunteer numbers leaped in2009 to over 800 people.This wonderful group of peo-ple dedicated over 35,000hours of service to TheHumane Society, a new alltime record! I want to saythank you to every one whocontributed to this great suc-cess. It also provides ampleproof to me that people likecoming to our shelter, as ev-ery day volunteers are heredoing amazing work with the

dogs and cats, in for specialevents and in the kennelarea to name a few.

I am also pleased to reportthat progress is being madewith the animal welfare legis-lation in our province. InJune of 2009 a number ofamendments passed in thelegislature that will help con-trol puppy mills. This is avery positive move by theprovince and we werepleased to provide input atthe committee hearings andat the review of the regula-tions. We feel that the prov-ince is paying attention whenwe speak out as new circusstandards that we had sug-gested in 2008 have beenincluded in the new regula-tions. New stiffer cruelty pen-alties are also in place andbreeders, pet stores, sheltersand kennels will all be in-spected from now on. Abuseand cruelty cases will neverbe completely stopped but itis comforting to know wehave better legal tools avail-able to assist us in punishingthose who abuse.

We also faced challengesthis past year and thosechallenges were simply anincrease in the number ofanimals who came throughour shelter doors. The num-ber of dogs taken in was upby 21%. Cats also increasedbut not as much as the dogs.More animals means more

work for all of our kennel andclinic staff and I want to ac-knowledge the hard work putin by everyone while takingcare of so many animals.We have had over 1,200people tour the shelter in thelast year and I have beentold countless times thatpeople are amazed at howclean our shelter is. This issomething that we should bevery proud of and it is thework by the staff that gener-ates these comments. A bigthank-you, and well done, toall the dedicated staff ofThe WHS.

2009 was also a challengingyear with the economicdownturn. During the first sixmonths of the year we werevery worried about dona-tions, but our communitystepped up and supported usin the second half of theyear. Many, many people,both staff and volunteers, areinvolved in raising all of themoney needed to run a shel-ter of this size and theyshould also be recognizedand thanked for the wonder-ful job they do. The volunteercommittees that manage theBow Wow Ball, Paws in Mo-tion and Yappy Hour put incountless hours to makethese events the successesthey are. The cost of every-thing from food to medicalsupplies continues to climbeach year and our Develop-ment staff continues to cre-ate new ways of raising the$5.1 million needed to runThe WHS.

Martin Buber once wrote:“An animal's eyes have thepower to speak a great lan-guage.”

I know each and every oneof our animals is sayingthank you for helping me!

2009 REPORT’S

Nancy McQuade,WHS Board President

2009 definitely presented some distinctchallenges for The Winnipeg HumaneSociety. We faced significant increaseson intake for dogs and cats, all the whilebalancing uncertainties given the worldfinancial crisis that hit us on the cuspof 2009. Although we did not know howadoptions and donations would fare,we were able to balance our budget.This is imperative, as who else couldtake in 9,228 homeless animals, carefor the injured in our veterinary clinicand animal hospital, operate low costspay/neuter programs, and fund ouranimal protection officers to track downabused and injured animals, plus offernumerous programs & services thatsupport our community?

I am proud to be a part of anorganization that has so manydedicated staff and volunteers. Theyface tough decisions each and everyday: life and death. I see people whocare a great deal for animals, peoplewho go out of their way to hurt them,and everything in between. It is no smalltask taking in 9,228 animals. Imagine,The WHS receives on average 177animals each and every week, whilealready caring for nearly 200 - 400 atany given time. These numbers arestaggering, and it places The WHS ina distinct position. We uniquely take onthe task of going beyond rescue andanimal adoption. We have programsand policies that helps our entirecommunity. You can learn about these,our animal statistics, and services byreading through this report.

My heartfelt thanks go out to our numerousstaff, volunteers, supporters and donorswho allow us to make a difference in thelives of thousands of animals.

AdoptionsThe fall season saw adrastically high number ofincoming animals. By the endof September, the shelter hadreached nearly 500 more catsand dogs over the previousyear. A successful promotionresulted in a record breakingnumber of adoptions—201over a three day period!

Satellite LocationsDue to the bankruptcy ofPetcetera, The WHS lost thisorganization as a satellitelocation. Of the 398 satelliteadoptions that took place in theprevious year (2008), Petceterawas responsible for 202.

Clinic

The WHS medical teamperformed over 6,300 spay andneuter surgeries on animalsfrom across the province.

Animal Protection –Seizures and Surrenders

The Winnipeg Humane Societyconducted over 670investigations in 2009 andwere involved in at least 10major seizures of animals.

VolunteersBy the end of 2009, over 800volunteers had logged over35,000 hours, resulting in analmost 8 to 1 volunteer to staffratio. About a 23% increase overthe previous year, we attributethe extra volunteer hours toimprovements in efficiencies,newly implemented programsand more volunteer positionsavailable.

Behaviour –Dogs and Cats

In May, we introduced a newadoption program for cats calledMeet Your Match. Our adoptablecats are now assessed andgiven one of nine “feline-alities”that best match their personality.Adopters are then asked to fillout a survey about themselvesthat will help us learn whatfeline-ality is best suited to theirlifestyle.

Education:Mini Kids Club, Pet Partners,See Spot Read

We continued to run our MiniKids Club, Pet Partners Cluband Paws for Adventure DayCamps throughout the year.Our educators also completedover 300 presentations toclassrooms and communitygroups, performed 68 sheltertours and held 144 birthdayparties. We are also proud toannounce that 36 childrenparticipated in See Spot Read,a reading improvementprogram whereby elementaryschool-aged children read totherapy-trained dogs.

OUR 2009 YEAR IN REVIEWSHELTER

DonationsThank you – 25,000 times over.This past year, our shelter wassupported by over 25,000donations which provided uswith the framework to fund ourvarious departments includingclinic, education, behaviour,adoption, foster and lost andfound. It is never easy to faceincreased costs, a greater influxof animals and the need for moreresources – so it is with immensegratitude to our past donors, aswell as our new donors, whobelieve The Winnipeg HumaneSociety is worthy of theircharitable dollars.

Planned Giving –Shelter Society

The WHS continued to en-hance this successful programto educate our donors on theoptions of Planned Giving.Alongside new printed materi-als, and an improved website –we were fortunate to haveseveral key individuals in thecommunity form our PlannedGiving Advisory Council.

Major Gift –Humane Leaders

A new program was developedto pick-up where the CapitalCampaign left off. We havebuilt the building, but it takes$5,000,000 annually to keep itoperational. Our HumaneLeader program annually con-centrates on one or two objec-tives for our shelter that are notalways at the forefront of one’smind when making a donation.The focus this past year wasdedicated to supporting thecost of our medical supplies,and our spay and neuter program.

Events

Our benchmark events contin-ue to become more populareach year. We saw increasedparticipation at our Paws inMotion pet walk-a-thon, andnew corporate sponsors at theBow Wow Ball gala dinner. Wedoubled our previous revenueat 1001 Donations after aswitch was made to CHUM ra-dio and Shaw TV, making itboth a radio-thon and tele-thon.A noticeable increase in moneyraised was in our third partyevents. We are extremelygrateful to all of the individualsand companies who helpedraise funds for us by having ajean day, hosting a pot luckdinner, forgoing weddingfavours or birthday presents,and payroll deductions to namea few.

Key FundraisingProgramsThough not new, our directmail program and monthly giv-ing program remain the back-bone of our operation. We test,segment, allocate, and reviewresults, all in the hope that weare giving our donors what theywant to receive—the storiesthey want to read about and acommitment on our part to dothe very best for our animalswith their donor dollars.

OUR 2009 YEAR IN REVIEWDEVELOPMENT

Pets &Apartments

After several attempts inprevious years to change thelaw regarding pets in apartmentsthrough volunteer legal counciland an unsuccessful meetingwith representatives from theProfessional Property ManagersAssociation, we were thrilledwhen Manitoba Liberal Leader,Jon Gerrard approached us witha request to join forces and bringabout change. Bill 218, theResidential TenanciesAmendment Act was introducedon December 8th, and similar toOntario’s “Fluffy Law”, this billwill deem no-pet policies intenant agreements null and void.

Cat & Dog FurThe fall issue of The WHSNewsletter exposed the cat anddog fur industry prominent inChina and other Asian regions.Cat and dog fur products arelegally imported and sold inCanada despite the bans boththe European Union and theUnited States have alreadyimplemented. On September16th, shortly after the newsletterwas released, Anita Neville,M.P. for Winnipeg’s SouthCentre, introduced Bill C-439,a bill that will amend thehazardous products act,making it illegal to import andsell products with cat and dogfur in Canada.

CoalitionIn March, The WHS hosteda two-day forum with some ofNorth America’s most prominentanimal welfare organizationswith the objective of developingstrategies to bring confinementsystems in animal agricultureto an end. We continue todialogue by teleconferenceapproximately every six weeks.The purpose is to providea strong national voice foranimals, to support each otherand to develop collaborativestrategies to end intensiveconfinement practices.Over half a million Canadiansconcerned about the treatmentof farm animals are representedby this network.

Farm AnimalWelfareCommitteeand Quit StallingCampaign

Quit Stalling displays were heldat various events, malls andschools throughout the yearand continue to be an excellenteducational tool that providesconsumers with informationabout confinement systems.The display, that includes alife-sized model of a pregnantsow inside a 2 by 6 foot cage,has been expanded to includea real battery cage with 10 life-like chickens inside to provideconsumers with a visual of howthe majority of egg-layingchickens in Manitoba live.Another focus of 2009 was tomake presentations to highschool students. Presentationshave been made to schools inWinnipeg and Selkirk.

Food PolicyThe WHS adopted a food policythat supports using food fromcage-free sources. This policy iscongruent with our belief thatconfinement systems are crueland inhumane. By adopting thismotion we are doing what weask consumers to do and that isdemand change throughconscious choice. The newpolicy is “That The WHS usesfood from cage-free (theanimals have the ability to turnaround and extend their limbs)sources for all functions andfundraisers where possible.”

OUR 2009 YEAR IN REVIEWADVOCACY & FARM ANIMAL WELFARE

HUMANE LEADERS OF 2009

We sincerely thank thisdedicated group of animalstewards who havedemonstrated theircompassion to the animals.For more information aboutour Humane Leader program,please call 982-3555.

Guardian

• Mary Lou and Paul Albrechtsen

• Dr. Carol J. Harvey• Diana and Brian Mills -

In Memory of Nellie Cooney• Bernice Mueller• Irene and Jim Snell

Protector

• Canadian Wheat Board• HSC Employee

Charitable Fund

Builder

• Alan Burns and Wen-Lin Sun• Great-West Life• Anonymous• George Mann• James W. Milligan• Pet Secure

Pet Health Insurance• Anne A. Toews

Visionary

• Jean Britton andRansom Slack

• Cynthia Carr -EPI Research Inc.

• Mike and Karen Costello• Donna and David Ferguson• Anonymous• Investors Group -

In Honour of David Bissky

• Myra Kerney• Guy LaFreniere• Liberty Tax Service -

Leo Deurbrouck• Pat McBride• Lynne-Anne and

Raymond McFeetors• Barbara McLeod• Ethel Miller• Sheila A. Mymryk• John Nakielny• W. John and Ursula M.• Rempel Walter and

Sandy Shirrmeister• Seven Oaks

General Hospital• Shaw Communications Inc.-

Staff Giving• Anonymous

Leader

• Jo Alexander• All-Fab Building

Components Inc.• Anne Loewen• Colleen and Kris Baldwin• Joseph and Karen Barnsley• Syd Baumel• Anonymous• Maurice Berk• Stuart and Lois Blake• James Blatz and

Shona Suderman• BMO Fountain of Hope,

Employee's Foundation• Anonymous• Christine and Brian Boult• Anonymous• Vicki Burns• Robert and Bertha

Butterworth• C. Corbett Medical Corp• Carol Campbell• Marilyn Chrabaszcz• Robert and Gail Cipryk• John Corp

• Mr. and Mrs. D. Cottrell• Cheryl and Don Courcelles• Anonymous• Pierre, Joanne and

Snoop Daoust• Anonymous• Anonymous• Anonymous• Fred Debrecen• E. Dettman• Tim Dewart and

Denise Marks• Miss Grace M. Donald -

In Memory of Patches• Mrs. Donaldson• Anonymous• Anonymous• Patricia Gaye• Anonymous• Linda Gibson• Anonymous• Kerry and Kaaren Hawkins• Phyllis I. Hunter• Lorne and Wanda Hyde• Paul Infuso and

Patricia Nesbitt• Betty Jenkins• Margaret Johnson• Mel and Sheila Kiesman• Serena Kraayeveld• Naomi Levine• Anonymous• Vivian MacDonald• Anonymous• Magellan Vacations Inc.• Employees Fund• Manitoba Public Insurance• Tony Maslanka• Angie Mathieson• Kim and Valerie McCartney• Dal and Sandy McCloy• Anonymous• Bill McDonald and Avis Gray• Anonymous• Anonymous• Nancy McQuade and

Brian Macri

• Anonymous• Anonymous• Anonymous• Tannis Pardon• Gerry Parkinson• Anonymous• Merrell-Ann Phare and

Anne Smith• Dawn Phillips• Dario Pineda-Gutierrez• Dr. Anna Szetle• Lawrie and Fran Pollard• Richard and Connie Pope• Kathleen Poulter• Lisa Prescott• Quintex Services• Robert and Catherine Quirk• R. Wilton Aluminum Ltd.• Anonymous• Anonymous• RBC Foundation• John F. Reilly• Robert and Karen Robertson• Royal Sire Consulting Ltd.• C. Scott Sarna• Verna Scanes• Hendrik Scholte• Victoria Schumann• Cindy Scott• Toussaint Senecal• Lori Shane• Dr. Jim Skinner• Jim and Gloria Slater• John and Linda Smith• George T. Snell• Algis and Gertraud

Stankevicius• Deborah and Robert• Tony,Susan,Monica and

Andrea Warzel• Theresa Wiktorski -

In Memory ofSophie Blackner

• David and Joan Williamson• Walter B. Witowski• Anonymous• Frederick Zastre

Dogs 2009 2008 % of Change

Total number of dogs admitted to the shelter 2,091 1,723 21%

Number of stray dogs received 1,165 917 27%

Number of owned dogs surrendered to the shelter 843 806 5%

Number of dogs adopted 1,370 1,109 24%

Number of dogs returned to their owners 394 300 31%

Number of dogs euthanized 208 161 29%

Percentage of dogs adopted 66% 64% 1%

Percentage of dogs received returned to owners 19% 17% 1%

Percentage of dogs euthanized 10% 9% 1%

Cats 2009 2008 % of Change

Total number of cats admitted to the shelter 6,007 5,870 2%

Number of stray cats received 4,276 3,827 12%

Number of owned cats surrendered to the shelter 1,610 2,043 -21%

Number of cats adopted 2,765 2,858 -3%

Number of cats returned to their owners 558 476 17%

Number of cats euthanized 2,081 1,973 5%

Percentage of cats adopted 46% 49% -3%

Percentage of cats received returned to owners 9% 8% 1%

Percentage of cats euthanized 35% 34% 1%

Other 2009 2008 % of Change

Wildlife Handled 840 1298 -35%

Other Animals Handled 290 402 -28%

Other Animals Adopted 192 311 -38%

2009 STATISTICS

2009 FINANCES

Three Years

Lynn BogaskiJean CruikshankKevin DavisPamela Gilroy-

RajotteLiz GrimesJanelle HapkeArlie LaxdalCarole MacdonaldSusan MansonLori-Ann McgillSusan McKayBill MeagherSusan MeagherEstelle MeyersDennis PrystaykoTerrol RogersAlison San FilippoEdith SawatskyBrian StimpsonBruce TolandKris VosperCarly Walsh

Five Years

Krystyn CloustonPierre DaoustAmanda DobbsMaureen GilroyOlga HazelwoodCathy JuniperBarb LinklaterCatherine LuciwElizabeth MyersCheryl ParisienWayne RoseWayne SeepishCynthia StewartColleen Sveinson

GearyPeter TheyerLinda ToewsRandy TonnellierLeslie Yeoman

Ten Years

Joan BenderTrinda Frovich-

McGeeDenise FyfeKaren Macauley

FifteenYears

Elaine ClairmontChristine Sorko

VOLUNTEERSVolunteers who celebrated ananniversary betweenApril 2009 - April 2010.

45 Hurst WayWinnipeg, Manitoba R3T 0R3

Fax: (204) 663-9401E-mail: reception@winnipeghumanesociety.ca

www.winnipeghumanesociety.ca