To help support pet families in times of need, the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society offers a variety of Community Support Services, including its Pawsitive Packs initiative designed to provide essential supplies to families with animals who are facing financial hardship or housing insecurity.
Essential pet items fill packs
To date, we’ve distributed over 100 Pawsitive Packs in York Region, providing essential pet care supplies to people who need extra support caring for their furry family members. These backpacks are filled with items like collars, leashes, portable bowls, toys, treats, and dog coats and are distributed through local food banks and social service agencies.
Thanks to incredible support from donors and community partners, we’ve also expanded this initiative into Orillia and Cornwall, reaching even more families in need. Close to 50 packs have been distributed in those communities.
A helping hand for our community
The goal of Pawsitive Packs is to support families and prevent unnecessary rehoming of their beloved furry friends. Many recipients are unhoused or at risk of losing their homes, and the packs help ensure their animals remain safe and cared for. Local social services agencies identify community members who could benefit from these packs and distribute the supplies to them.This initiative has made a profound emotional impact, with recipients expressing sincere gratitude for the help in keeping their pets safe and warm.
“I was in desperate need of a leash and other things for my dog,” shares one recipient, who received one of the packs through the Lighthouse in Orillia. “The Pawsitive Packs really made a great difference in our day, and keeping Jack safe and warm.”
Keeping pets with the people who love them
This program is part of a larger effort by the Ontario SPCA to provide resources that keep animals with their families. In addition to the packs, we distributed over 367,000 lbs of pet food to food banks in 2024, which equates to more than a million meals for animals in need.
Providing accessible veterinary care is another way we keep families and their beloved furry friends together. We offer basic veterinary services at our clinics in Stouffville and Barrie for families without the means to take their animal to a local veterinarian for routine care. These services include physical examinations, vaccinations, and microchipping. Animals requiring additional care are referred to local veterinarians for treatment.
Pet-friendly warming centres
In partnership with the County of Simcoe, the Ontario SPCA is providing additional support to help vulnerable residents and their pets stay warm during the winter.
Thanks to a generous donation from the Ontario SPCA Barrie Animal Centre, individuals experiencing homelessness can now bring their pets to the Barrie East warming centre and the Wasaga Beach warming centre. This expanded collaboration between the County and the Ontario SPCA ensures that unhoused individuals and their pets can have greater access to safe, warm shelter during the winter months, allowing them to stay together.
A unique partnership in Durham Region
The Humane Society of Durham Region is working together with the Christian Faith Outreach Centre (CFOC) to expand its sheltering efforts to accommodate animal companions.
The demographics of homelessness in Durham have shifted to include more families, couples, and people with pets. To address this, CFOC has opened dog-friendly shelters in Whitby and Ajax, providing a safe place for individuals to stay with their pets. This ensures they don’t have to choose between shelter and rehoming their animals. The Ontario SPCA supports this effort by supplying pet food, collars, jackets, and kennels to help keep both people and their pets safe and comfortable.
Get involved
Your donations can help ensure that animals in need receive the support they deserve. You can donate supplies or funds directly to the Pawsitive Packs initiative by donating online at ontariospca.ca/donate
Together, we can help keep pets with the families who love them. For more information, visit ontariospca.ca/communitysupport
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