How the Ottawa Humane Society hopes to help low-income pet owners

Ottawa Humane Society president, Sharon Miko is seen in front of the former post office that the society intends to convert into a community vet clinic for low-income pet owners. She is seen with Siku, a dog that was adopted from the humane society. Photo by Jean Levac /POSTMEDIA

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The Ottawa Humane Society is launching a fund-raising campaign to retrofit and operate a former post office in Vanier as a subsidized veterinary clinic.

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The goal is to provide both preventive and urgent care for pets of low-income residents, so the animals are less likely to be surrendered to the shelter. Of 6,166 pets the Ottawa Humane Society cared for last year, 1,322 were surrendered by owners. Cost and housing concerns accounted for almost 40 per cent of the surrenders.

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“What we have been seeing is animals coming to us when the owner is in such moral distress at the thought of having to surrender their pet,” Ottawa Humane Society president and CEO Sharon Miko said. “They don’t have another option. What we know, if that animal could stay with this family, it’s the best possible option.”

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There will be costs for users, but the aim is to offer services at rates that will help to keep pets with their owners and offer preventive care before the animal requires more expensive urgent care, Miko said.

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The program will have an anticipated operating budget of $2.3 million per year. About half of that would be offset by client fees. Services offers will include spaying and neutering, wellness checkups, preventive treatments such as vaccinations, microchip clinics and urgent care. Spay-neuter services will also be available to the general public, but at a higher cost.

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To qualify for the reduced fees, clients would have to live in Ottawa and meet at least one eligibility requirement, including being enrolled in the Ontario Disability Support Program, Ontario Works or the Resettlement Assistance Program. Seniors receiving the Guaranteed Income Supplement will also qualify, as will people who can produce notices of assessment showing they earn less than $35,000 a year. A letter of referral from a social worker, social service agency or qualified City of Ottawa employee stating the need would also be accepted.

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The Humane Society bought the former post office on Durocher Avenue last February for $3 million. It will cost about $9.4 million to get the facility up and running, with about half of its 9,000 square feet used for the veterinary clinic and the other half for other services, including a pet food bank. Some of the money raised through the $15-million campaign has also been earmarked for behavioural supports for animals with challenging behaviours, including a new building at the Humane Society headquarters on West Hunt Club Road with trails and dog parks.

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Ottawa Humane Society president, Sharon Miko, is seen in front of this former post office, which the Humane Society intends to convert into a community vet clinic for low-income pet owners. Photo by Jean Levac /POSTMEDIA

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The vet clinic retrofit is scheduled to start this fall with an opening target date of the end of 2027.

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There is growing recognition of the importance of the animal-human bond for people who have no homes or are precariously housed. According to a 2018 estimate, between eight and 19 per cent of the 35,000 Canadians who were unsheltered or at risk of homelessness had pets.

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Researchers in relationship-centred veterinary medicine at the University of Guelph have found, for example, that the benefits of having companion animals for homeless youth included creating structure and routine and decreasing drug use. Other research found that the odds of being depressed were three times higher for homeless youths who did not have pets.