Imagine having to give up your pet because you temporarily lost your home, need to flee from domestic violence, or need to be admitted into a facility for medical care. Sadly, with very little resources available, when these situations arise many pet parents have no other choice but to give up their beloved family member. 

During this year’s Great Canadian Giving Challenge, help us be there for pets and their families during a time of acute crisis. If we won the challenge and the $20,000 prize, we would support more families in need through our community programs like the Urgent Care program.   

The Urgent Care program provides shelter and safety for people’s pets during times of crisis or transition. The program gives pet parents reassurance that their animal is in good care, and most importantly, it reunites pets with their families once they are back on their feet. 

In 2022, the Urgent Care program supported 238 families experiencing an acute crisis – families like Taylor’s*. 

Urgent Care: Keeping a Family Together While Seeking Medical Treatment

After finding out that they needed medical treatment, Taylor* was concerned about who would be able to care for the family’s cat. With little resources available, Taylor made one of the hardest decisions they’ve ever had to make: surrender their cat.   

After Taylor reached out to Toronto Humane Society, the Urgent Care program was presented to them as an alternative option to surrendering. By enrolling in the program, their cat would be cared for in a temporary foster home for up to 6 months, and then returned to their family once Taylor’s treatment was complete.  

The family cried tears of joy after hearing about the chance to get their cat back. They enrolled in the program, and after a few months, they were reunited with their cat.  

The Impact of $20,000

Despite the growing demand of inquiries to enroll into our Urgent Care program, we continue to support more pet parents in need of help. But to keep the momentum going and meet the growing demands from our community, we need the resources.   

Every dollar donated through the Canada Helps donation page, counts as a ballet for us to win the draw of $20,000. With the cash prize, 39 pets could be enrolled into the Urgent Care program for a month each.  

The more you donate the more chances we have of winning, sustaining the Urgent Care program, and helping more pets and their families stay together.  

*Name has been changed for confidentiality