Auto Connect Sales Raises Animal Adoption Awareness During the Holidays With Adopt Advent Calendar

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Auto Connect Sales launched an animal adoption awareness campaign during the holidays with an ‘Adopt Advent Calendar’ to help the Peterborough Humane Society (PHS) find homes for several pets.

Elias (left) was one of 25 animals showcased in the advent calendar and is having holiday fun with Watson (right). Photo by Mark Dizon.

There were 25 animals from PHS showcased in total, with one animal featured daily on Auto Connect’s Instagram account.

Of all the animals posted, 15 of the 25 pets found homes before Christmas according to a Facebook post.

“We didn’t get these animals adopted. I think the calendar helped get exposure to the Humane Society,” said Cheryl Watson of Auto Connect Sales. “I was very happy that idea was very well received. I think the community liked it.”

Watson had the idea of starting the calendar after attending a PHS gala. Animals were present at the event for anyone attending to interact with.

“I fell in love with a dog and I couldn’t stop thinking about them,” explained Watson. “I thought I had to get this dog adopted. That was my goal.”

Auto Connect staff met with the animals at the Peterborough Animal Care Centre for a photo shoot for the advent calendar.

“It was such a magical day,” said Watson. “Everybody was having a fantastic time. The Humane Society was so encouraging, supportive and eager to help get this done. It was a perfect joint effort.”

The remaining ten animals that were showcased are still up for adoption.

“Even if we can get one or two animals adopted, it was worth it,” said Watson.

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Peterborough Police Issue Reminder During Ongoing Heat Warning to Not Leave Pets or Children in The Vehicle

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Peterborough Police Service are reminding the community to check on the most vulnerable to heat and to not leave pets or children unattended in vehicles during the ongoing heat warning.

photo by david tuan bui.

A heat warning is in effect for Peterborough with Environment Canada calling for temperatures into 30’s with the humidex in the upper 30’s to 40’s through Wednesday and Thursday.

How you can help:

  • Call 9-1-1 if the child or animal is in distress

  • Take down the car’s make, model and license plate number and provide that information to the Peterborough Police Service when you call.

  • If there is a business nearby, ask a manager or store security to make an announcement to locate the car’s owner.

  • Wait by the vehicle until help arrives.

If it is an emergency call 9-1-1.  If it is a non-emergency, you can call Peterborough Police Service at 705-876-1122, or in the case of an animal situation you can also call the Ontario Animal Protection Unit, 1-833-9-ANIMAL (264625).

For more information, visit the link.

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Good Samaritan Brings Seven Kittens Found In Costco Parking Lot to Safety at The Peterborough Humane Society

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The Peterborough Humane Society (PHS) posted to social media Thursday that seven kittens were brought in by a concerned citizen who found them abandoned in an oil bucket in the Costco parking lot.

photo courtesy of the peterborough humane society, facebook.

“We have done our Intake on them including vaccinations, deworming and deflea. We will do everything possible for these kittens to get them well and find them furever homes,” says the Peterborough Humane Society.

The seven kittens included two girls and five boys in varying conditions. PHS says they promise to keep the public updated on their progress.

“This post is meant to spread awareness, not blame,” the Humane Society goes on to say. “This is at the core of what we do. This is a reality of what PHS does on a day-to-day basis. Our staff are here to help. These kittens now have a fighting chance to heal.”

Those who would like to donate to their care can do so online.

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Peterborough Animal Care Centre Receives Grant of Over $1.5 Million From Provincial Government

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The Peterborough Animal Care Centre (PACC) has received a grant of $1,560,500 from the Minister of Infrastructure of the Province of Ontario to continue its building development and expansions announced by MPP Dave Smith and the Peterborough Humane Society (PHS) on Friday morning.

A stray kitten with Sarah Graham, PACC animal care attendant. The kitten and her siblings were found in an abandoned house with their mother Ursula. Photo by Samantha Bianco.

The funding will aid in several programs and project completions such as an off-leash public access dog park, trail system, memorial patio and garden space according to Shawn Morey, PHS executive director.

"It's directly supporting our programming, we're doing a lot of kids camps, we're going to be doing some programming around responsible pet ownership and facilitation of adoption,” he said.

Kassie Graham, PACC Marketing & Communications Coordinator (left) with Moose (middle) and Sarah Graham (right). Moose is up for adoption at the PACC and is behign showcased at the future site of the centre’s off-leash public access dog park. Photo by Samantha Bianco.

The PACC had known about the funding for roughly over a year but was finalized around Christmas according to MPP Dave Smith. He says the work PACC does in conjunction with the Solicitor General’s office was obviously to lobby for the facility to receive government funding.

“The Humane Society, they are the society for the prevention of cruelty to animals locally. They do a lot of that work for us and work with the Solicitor General's office,” explained Smith. “We recognize what's happening in the greater Peterborough area and I'll even go beyond Peterborough County. The facilities they had previously weren't big enough to do a lot of things they needed to do.”

To that point, the PACC had been community-funded however Morey says that they are still seeking $3 million to finish it. There could be more requests down the road for building expansion within the next few years.

“This center has been built by the community, for the community. That's one of our big statements with making this come to fruition,” said Morey. “It's been 10 years in the making since we initially had this concept of building this state-of-the-art facility completion. Plus we have additional phases that we're going to look at over the next few years to help advance the building.”

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Peterborough Humane Society Packs Its Bags To Move Into the New Peterborough Animal Care Centre

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It’s moving day for the Peterborough Humane Society (PHS) as they have begun shifting their operations from their Lansdowne Street location into the new Peterborough Animal Care Centre (PACC) on Tuesday.

Roughly 100 animals were moved to the new location but the space is not yet open to the public. The Peterborough Humane Society closed its Lansdowne Street operation as of Saturday. It served as a holding facility for the animals. The new PACC features an animal adoption and education centre, a spay-and-neuter clinic and a dog rehabilitation centre.

It has already been funded by almost $10 million in community donations but requires another $2.5 million to complete all projects and construction according to Shawn Morey, PHS executive director.

“We're just doing some final finishes and final touching that need to be done to get us prepared for occupancy and allow the public to come on-site,” he said. “Staff can get into the space because a lot of them haven't been in this space yet, get to know the facility and experience it. We can test out all the bugs and make sure that it's ready to rock when we can open to the public.”

Individuals, organizations and groups have helped fund the animal care centre and Morey is grateful for the outreach and support of the new building.

“It just shows the pride that Peterborough has for their animals,” he said.

@ptbo_canada The Peterborough Humane Society has moved into the new Peterborough Animal Care Centre in Technology Drive! The new facility features an animal, adoption and education centre, a spay-and-neuter clinic and a dog rehabilitation centre! ##fyp##ptbo##ptbocanada##humanesociety##peterbroroughhumanesociety##journalism##journalismlife##journalist##journalistlife##animals##animal##animaltok##animaltiktok##animalwelfare##animalshelter ♬ Best background music for corporate CM, company description videos, etc. - harryfaoki

Services that were available at the Peterborough Humane Society are still provided during the move such as licensing (new or renewals) and appointment-only viewings and adoptions are available.

A soft opening is projected for mid-February with a grand opening planned in the spring.

Tuesday also marks ‘Betty White Day’ as she was renowned for her passion for animals and her acting career. The day was created shortly after her passing prior to New Year’s Day of 2022 and was an initiative to encourage the world to contribute to animal welfare. Last year, roughly $20,000 was raised for the PACC in honour of the late beloved actress. A count has not yet been released since the PHS is still awaiting a final count.

Donations can be made throughout the week and can be done online.

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Peterborough Humane Society Moves Operations to New Animal Care Centre; Betty White Fundraiser Day On Tuesday

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The Peterborough Humane Society (PHS) has begun moving its operations to the new Peterborough Animal Care Centre (PACC) and has closed the Lansdowne Street location announced on Friday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Humane Society.

The new location is at 1999 Technology Dr. as the Lansdowne Street location finally closed after 65 years on Saturday. 

Construction for the new centre is not fully complete with minor projects in progress internally, with landscaping and other outdoor developments that will continue into the spring according to a press release.

“This is an exciting time at PHS, but as it will take us a bit of time to settle in we appreciate the community’s patience and support as we make this transition. We are pleased and very proud to soon welcome everyone to our new home to experience this community space, built to revolutionize animal wellness.” said Shawn Morey, PHS executive director.

A soft opening is projected for mid-February with a grand opening planned in the spring.

PHS is also celebrating “Betty White Day” on Tuesday to help raise funds for the PACC.

“Last year the ‘Betty White Challenge’, celebrated in honour of the late philanthropist’s 100th birthday, helped PHS raise over $20,000,” said Morey. “We hope the community will honour Betty again this year and will celebrate our big move with us by contributing to our capital campaign.”

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Peterborough Animal Care Centre Retail Area Named Jade’s Pet Boutique’ In New Partnership With Can-Pet

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As construction nears its final stages for the Peterborough Animal Care Centre (PACC), its retail area will be named Can-Pet has become a new partner ‘Jade’s Pet Boutique’ in an new partnership announced Thursday.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough Humane Society.

The boutique is named after Jade, Nick Nicoloff’s late dog, who is the principle and vice president of Can-Pet Inc. Jade served as the ‘President and CEO’ and Can-Pet ambassador who came into work every day for 17 years.

“When I saw the stories on the news of the shelters across the country facing record surrender numbers and capacity levels and need for resources, I knew we needed to step in and help however we could,” said Nicoloff.

Jade also served as a therapy dog at long-term care homes with her mom Cindy. Nicoloff and the Can-Pet team look to honour her and all the amazing animals in our lives at this boutique.

Construction at PACC is expected to be completed in late fall with the Humane Society moving in by year’s end.

The Peterborough Humane Society is currently fundraising for the capital campaign, with multiple naming opportunities available. Those interested in becoming part of Our Pet Project can visit www.ourpetproject.ca.

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Kawartha Wildlife Centre Seeks Local Fishers To Help Feed Birds In Their Care

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Kawartha Wildlife Centre (KWC) has put out a call to local fishers asking for fresh, locally caught fish.

Photo by Kawartha Wildlife Centre.

Recently KWC took a young osprey found in Ennismore, just off of Chemong Lake into their care. The female is severely underweight from an overload of parasites.

According to a social media post, osprey are ‘notoriously fussy and difficult to feed in captivity.’

Currently the juvenile is on a supportive hand-fed diet as staff at KWC treat her infestation, but in order to regain strength and weight she will need whole prey.

The wildlife rehabilitation centre hopes that local fishers can donate fresh fish to help get this osprey back to health.

They noted that fish of any size will help and they have a heron in their care that may appreciate a fresh catch as a treat.

Those interested in donating are asked to message Kawartha Wildlife Centre on Facebook or send them an email.

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Humane Society Seeking $3 Million in Funding to Complete Peterborough Animal Care Centre

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With the Peterborough Humane Society (PHS) less than six months away from moving into the Peterborough Animal Care Centre, the shelter is seeking $3 million to complete the project.

The groundbreaking ceremony began in late June of last year. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Humane Society.

The centre is located at 1999 Technology Dr. where construction began in May of last year. The fundraising goal was at $10 million since then.

“Spreading the word, donating and endorsing the project is what we need right now to get us into our new home,” said Shawn Morey, PHS executive director. “The Peterborough Animal Care Centre will truly revolutionize animal care, not only in Peterborough but for our greater region.”

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Humane Society.

“The project is currently on budget and following the timeline, which has been a challenge with Covid-19. But thanks to the many local contractors, suppliers and the hard work going into this project we’ve been able to stay on track. The pillar of this project is the funding, and with the community’s support we can achieve our goal in revolutionizing animal care in Peterborough and beyond.”

The Centre is projected to be completed by the year end according to the Humane Society.  The building will be over 24,000 sq. ft. and include a state-of-the-art Animal Adoption & Education Centre, Publicly Accessible & High-Volume Spay/Neuter Clinic and Canada’s first Dog Rehabilitation Centre created in partnership with the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society.

Visit www.ourpetproject.ca to donate towards the shelter.

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Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre Receives $250,000 in Funding to Aid in Turtle Rehabilitation

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The Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre is receiving $250,000 in funding from the Ontario government as part of a $4.5 million investment to protect species at risk announced on Friday.

Cathy Bruce, Trent University’s acting vice-president of Research and Innovation holding Andrea, a Blanding’s turtle missing its right eye. Blanding turtles are provincially “threatened” and endangered globally. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The funding will go towards staffing, protecting and recovering at-risk turtles, education, field research and disease surveillance.

“The on-the-ground work carried out by stewardship organizations is extremely important to protecting at-risk plants and wildlife in Ontario,” said David Piccini, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. “Our government is proud to support its partners and the many important research and recovery projects they are undertaking this year to help preserve our province’s rich biodiversity for generations to come.”

"This historic investment will strengthen their work in ecological restoration and rehabilitation projects locally and across the province,” said MPP Dave Smith.

The Conservation Centre was one of over 80 projects approved for funding through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program. They are the only accredited veterinarian hospital dedicated to turtles in the province.

"They (turtles) come in from all over Ontario, we have 1,500 turtles that come in per year approximately," said Dr. Sue Carstairs, Conservation Centre executive and medical director. “Since road mortality is one of the leading causes of declines and why seven of the eight of our native species are at risk, this really does a lot to help mitigate that any by time to fix the problem.”

@ptbo_canada Turtles are important for our wetlands! They help clean and filter the water for us! We love these guys! #turtlesoftiktok #turtlesquad🐢 #ptbo #prbocanada #wildlife #animals #turtle #turtles ♬ Hug a Turtle - Parry Gripp

If you see an injured turtle in Ontario, you can contact the centre to get it transported from one of 900 volunteer drivers across the province or bring it in yourself.

Turtle help with wetlands maintenance as they act as a filter for healthy water sources according to Carstairs.

Report dead turtles to the Conservation Centre since they can still incubate and hatch the eggs through their hatchling program if the mother has any. The Centre can obtain data via its location and aid in disease analysis if a deceased turtle is reported.

Once hatched and ready, the centre will release the newborns roughly one kilometre within the location of where they were found in an appropriate body of water.

There are eight different turtle species in Ontario: Spotted, Blanding’s, Eastern Spiny Softshell, Wood, Eastern Musk, Northern Map, Snapping and Painted.

Trent University received $132,955 over three years for assessing changes in population size and genetic structure to determine population targets for self-sustaining populations of Small-mouthed salamander and Unisexual Ambystoma on Pelee Island.

They also got $60,000 for three years for delineating Boreal and Eastern Migratory ranges and investigating metapopulation dynamics of Boreal caribou using genome-wide data from non-invasively collected samples.

All donations can be made at the Centre’s official website.

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