National Volunteer Week takes place from April 27 to May 3 and this year’s theme, “Volunteers Make Waves,” recognizes the powerful impact of volunteer efforts. Like waves in the water, volunteering is a force for positive change, creating ripples that extend far beyond the initial act of kindness. At the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society, our volunteers are at the heart of this movement, making a difference in the lives of animals across the province.
In 2024 alone, over 824 volunteers dedicated their time to helping animals in need. Our 193 foster volunteers provided loving homes for more than 1,850 animals, ensuring they received the care they needed before finding their forever families. Another 204 volunteers supported events, food distribution, and animal transfers, helping essential services reach animals and the people who love them. Volunteers also spent thousands of hours caring for cats and dogs in our 12 animal centres, making a direct impact on their overall well-being.
Today, we wanted to introduce you to one of our incredible volunteers.
Compassion in action: Cathy’s love for animals
In September 2023, Cathy, a devoted animal lover, took the next step in a lifelong commitment to animal welfare by becoming an active volunteer with the Ontario SPCA Orillia Animal Centre. Although her formal volunteering role began then, her support of the organization — through food and supply donations and fundraising efforts — stretches back much further.
Several years ago, she volunteered with a Toronto-based, volunteer-run animal rescue group, where she played a key role in fundraising. She initiated a donation box program and established food bank boxes in various local pet stores — grassroots efforts that made a big difference for animals in need.
Since joining the Ontario SPCA, she’s opened her heart and home to fostering. She provides a safe, healing space for cats and kittens that need a little extra TLC, helping them recover and prepare for adoption. One of her more recent fosters, Magnus, was a fearful and under-socialized cat who struggled in the shelter environment. With time, patience, and love, he began to come out of his shell — a testament to the power of a calm, nurturing home.
In addition to providing foster care, Cathy also takes her foster animals to veterinary appointments, ensuring they receive the medical attention they need as they prepare for adoption.
Her fostering efforts took on a deeper meaning in the spring of 2023, when she lost her beloved senior cat to kidney disease.
“I wanted to honour his memory by helping other cats and kittens get well, grow and flourish in a home environment to better their chances of obtaining a forever home,” says Cathy.
Her love for animals began in childhood. Growing up, her home was always filled with the companionship of animals— dogs, cats, or both. That deep-rooted connection to animals has followed her into adulthood, reinforcing her belief that animals offer unconditional love and make the most loyal companions.
When asked if she would recommend volunteering for the Ontario SPCA, her answer was a resounding yes.
“Whether it be fostering animals in need, driving to medical appointments, walking dogs, assisting with fundraising efforts, or spending time with shelter animals to help with their socialization, there are many ways to help,” Cathy says.
Cathy’s journey is a reminder that compassion, consistency, and community spirit can change lives — not just for animals, but for the people who love them, too.
Thank you
We extend our deepest gratitude to all of the incredible volunteers at the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society. Their unwavering dedication, compassion, and generosity makes a world of difference in the lives of animals in our care and in the communities we serve. Whether they’re walking dogs, cuddling cats, assisting with events, fostering animals, or lending their skills behind the scenes, their contributions do not go unnoticed. They are the heart of our organization, and we are truly thankful for the time, energy, and love they give to animals in need.
Interested in creating ripples of change in your community? Learn how to become a volunteer for the Ontario SPCA at ontariospca.ca/volunteer
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