Seven-year-old Bruce is settling into his new temporary home at the Ottawa Humane Society after his owner faced a heartbreaking choice. Bruce was surrendered after he needed urgent medical care for embedded porcupine quills, care his owner could not afford. “He had a lot of porcupine quills embedded that needed to be urgently removed,” said Shelley Hutchings, chief veterinarian with the Ottawa Humane Society. “Unfortunately, his owner wasn’t able to provide for that urgent medical care due to costs and had to make that difficult decision we see owners making every single day.” Staff say Bruce’s story is becoming increasingly common. On average, four pets are surrendered to the Ottawa Humane Society every day, with nearly half linked to financial pressures or housing challenges. “It’s heartbreaking,” Hutchings said. “People are coming to us because of rising costs and the general cost of living. They aren’t able to provide for and care for their pets anymore.” That’s why the Ottawa Humane Society is launching a $15 million fundraising Compassion Campaign to build a community veterinary clinic and a new behaviour campus next to its current shelter for animals with complex needs who need greater support before adoption. “People really want to do well by their pets,” said Sharon Miko, CEO of the Ottawa Humane Society. “But when they’re faced with extraordinary care bills while struggling with their own expenses, it puts them in a really difficult situation.” The new clinic located at 258 Durocher Avenue would provide subsidized veterinary care for income-qualified pet owners, including urgent treatment, wellness care and dental services. It will also house the OHS’s emergency pet food bank and outreach programs, making it a complete hub for animal welfare. The goal is to help families before they reach the point of surrender. “If we had an opportunity to help people in the community keep those pets that they love, that allows more space and resources for us to help those animals who truly don’t have any other option,” Miko said. For Bruce, that help came too late. But the Humane Society hopes the next pet owner facing the same choice will never have to make it at all. “Without the support of our community the clinic isn’t going to be a reality, so we are really leaning on our community to step up and support people and pets in our community,” said Hutchings.
