IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Constance Lake First Nation, ON (June 3, 2025) – More than 100 animals received essential care during a four-day spay/neuter and wellness event hosted in Constance Lake First Nation, thanks to a partnership between the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society, the local community, and PetSmart Charities of Canada®.
A total of 48 dogs and cats were spayed or neutered during the event, which took place May 22-25, preventing an estimated 1,600 unplanned puppies and kittens. The team also provided 54 wellness appointments and administered 251 vaccines – critical steps in preventing disease and supporting healthier animals.
“To the veterinarians, technicians, volunteers, and support staff – thank you for your professionalism, compassion, and unwavering commitment. You are making a difference every single day, and this clinic was a shining example of that,” says Rick Allen, Chief of Constance Lake First Nation. “These preventative measures are vital for controlling disease, improving animal health, and supporting a safer, healthier community overall. We would also like to extend our sincere gratitude to the Ontario SPCA and PetSmart Charities for their generous grant, which helped make this clinic possible.”
This event was supported by an Incubator grant from PetSmart Charities of Canada®, which empowers organizations to create veterinary and animal wellness programs that are rooted in community guidance. The grant represents a three-year commitment to co-develop sustainable veterinary access in Constance Lake First Nation, with ongoing input from those who call it home.
“Universally, people overwhelmingly say pets are family – yet our research shows half of pet parents have skipped or declined veterinary care, with many more who haven’t been able to access it at all,” says Kate Atema, Director of Community Grants & Initiatives at PetSmart Charities of Canada. “This issue affects pet parents across many provinces in Canada – but becomes even more challenging for Indigenous people in regions where health, nutrition and other services are difficult to access. We’re proud to support our partners like the Ontario SPCA as they collaborate with local leaders at Constance Lake First Nation to co-create new models of vet care that meet cultural, regional and financial needs.”
This was the second event held in Constance Lake in partnership with the Ontario SPCA and PetSmart Charities. Since the first clinic, the community has continued to shape what animal wellness looks like locally – sharing stories, voicing needs, and driving decisions.
“This clinic wasn’t just about delivering care, it was about connection,” says Arista Wogenstahl, Northern Regional Manager, Community Outreach Services, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society. “We’re grateful to Constance Lake First Nation for welcoming us and for the trust they placed in us. Thanks to the support of PetSmart Charities of Canada, this clinic was a step forward in building lasting, community-led solutions for animal wellness. By working together, the goal is not just to deliver care, but also to help build relationships, deepen trust, and support long-term well-being for both animals and the people who love them.”
The Ontario SPCA is committed to reaching underserved communities with its MASH-style spay/neuter and wellness clinics. These portable outreach events are designed to be easily packed up and transported wherever they are needed, including remote communities. These clinics are grounded in listening and collaboration. Each visit is shaped by the voices of local leaders, families, and caregivers who share what matters most to them.
To learn more about the Ontario SPCA’s mobile animal wellness services, visit ontariospca.ca/mobileservices
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Media Contacts
Media Relations
Ontario SPCA and Humane Society
905-898-7122 x 375
media@ontariospca.ca
PetSmart Charities Media Line
623-587-2177
About the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society
The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is a registered charity that has been changing the lives of animals for over 150 years. The Society provides care, comfort and compassion to animals in need in communities across Ontario. It values all animals and advocates to treat them with respect and kindness. The Society strives to keep pets and families together and does so through a variety of community support services, such as sheltering and adoptions, including emergency sheltering, feral cat management programs, animal transfers, food distribution, humane education, animal advocacy, and spay/neuter services.
The Ontario SPCA does not receive annual government funding and relies on donations to provide programs and services to help animals in need. To learn more, or to donate, visit ontariospca.ca. Charitable Business # 88969-1044-RR0002.
The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Provincial Office sits on the traditional territory of the Wendat, the Anishinabek Nation, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Mississaugas of Scugog, Hiawatha and Alderville First Nations and the Métis Nation. This territory was the subject of the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Iroquois Confederacy and the Ojibwe and allied nations to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. The treaties that were signed for this particular parcel of land are collectively referred to as the Williams Treaties of 1923
About PetSmart Charities of Canada®
PetSmart Charities of Canada is committed to making the world a better place for pets and all who love them. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the country, PetSmart Charities of Canada helps thousands of pets connect with loving families each year. PetSmart Charities of Canada also provides grant funding to support organizations that advocate and care for the well-being of all pets and their families. Our grants and efforts connect pets with loving homes through adoption, improve access to affordable veterinary care and support families in times of crisis with access to food, shelter, and emergency relief. Each year, thousands of generous supporters help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities of Canada directly at PetSmartCharities.ca, while shopping at PetSmart.ca, and by using the PIN pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities of Canada efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in Canada, granting more than $35 million since its inception in 1999. Independent from PetSmart LLC, PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered Canadian charity. To learn more visit www.PetSmartCharities.ca.
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