March 1^st 2022— ON – A common reason pets are surrendered to local shelters is due to the lack of affordable pet wellness, training and education programs and services. Due to cost and other barriers, pets in under-resourced communities often do not have access to basic veterinary care such as spay/neuter services, vaccinations, dental care and other medical and preventative care.

With a $150,000 grant from PetSmart Charities of Canada, Toronto Humane Society aims to support pets and pet parents in need of these services by providing subsidies to pet guardians in need. Our Public Veterinary Services program operates on a low-cost, high-quality model. In addition, as part of this program, Toronto Humane Society staff travel to remote and non-remote Indigenous communities experiencing social exclusion and without access to veterinary care – in many cases, the nearest veterinarian may be hundreds of miles away. During these multi-day trips, veterinarians provide wellness services and spay/neuter surgeries to the animals in these communities at an accessible price point. The program overall has a goal of serving 2,000 animals in 2022.

Individuals who need support just like Charlie and his 10 cats who all needed exams, vaccines, and spay/neuter surgeries but was financially constrained. Charlie comes from a low-income area and had little means to financially care for his beloved cats. At Toronto Humane Society, we believe that pet guardianship should not be determined by income alone. With that, we happily offered expert support to have 8 of the cats spayed and neutered. In addition, they were all vaccinated and given an exam of overall health! All services were provided at a 100% subsidy. Additionally, we went above and beyond to provide transportation to bring the cats to and from our clinic location. Two of the cats have since graduated into our adoptions program and are waiting to find their forever homes!

“We believe all pet parents want to provide the very best care for their pets, which can sometimes be difficult because of financial or other barriers. That’s why we’re focused on helping improve access to veterinary care in communities across Canada,” says Dani LaGiglia, senior community grants manager at PetSmart Charities of Canada. “Making better lives for their pets has an impact on the health and wellness of their guardians. It’s our pleasure to support the important work the Toronto Humane Society is doing to deliver accessible veterinary services.”

Name of guardian changed or omitted to protect guardian’s privacy.*

“The growing gap between pet ownership and accessible care can no longer be ignored. Too many families are being unnecessarily broken. Too many animals and pet parents are stuck in cycle of vulnerability. Things have to change, and we are proudly a part of, and leading this change, in the animal welfare industry.” said Toronto Humane Society’s Chief Operating Officer, Phil Nichols.

For more information on Toronto Humane Society’s pet wellness services, please visit us at https://www.torontohumanesociety.com/pet-services/vet-services/

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 $24 million since its inception in 1999. Independent from PetSmart Inc., PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered Canadian charity. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.ca.

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