Three vital animal welfare programs will be offered under one new roof:

1. The Peterborough Humane Society’s Animal Care Centre
2. A High-Volume Spay & Neuter Clinic to provide affordable spay and neuter services to prevent pet overpopulation
3. Canada’s first Dog Rehabilitation Centre created in partnership with the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society

In addition to the services we currently provide, the new Centre will enable us to expand and provide:

Community Engagement

• More open, inviting and fully accessible areas where individuals and families in our community can interact with our animals and see our life-saving work in action.
• Educational programs for our community and in partnership with both Trent University and Fleming College.
• Humane Education camps for children, introducing them to the world of animal welfare with programing designed to evolve and grow with them, as they potentially become the future pet owners and care providers of the future.

Enhanced Animal Care

• Flexible training rooms that can be adapted to overcome situational problems such as resource guarding or fear of specific objects or sounds.
• Animals will be provided with onsite grooming, obedience and behaviour modification programs and easier access to veterinary care.
• A large Cat Socialization Space where cats can stretch out, explore, play and relax. This space will be enclosed in glass and feature an abundance of natural light and include interactive spaces for public engagement with specifically designed to lower their stress levels while optimizing their adoptability.
• Off-leash areas for dogs to play and burn off energy. There will be private off-leash areas for dogs in our care as well as public off-leash dog park for the community to enjoy.

Dog Rehabilitation Centre

• Behavioural therapies as well as physiotherapy for both dogs in our care and pets in our region.
• Our one-of-a-kind Dog Rehabilitation Centre will include hydrotherapy equipment such as an underwater treadmill
• The Dog Rehabilitation Centre will also feature a living room with couches and chairs to simulate a real home environment for dogs that have never lived indoors (this is the case for many of the dogs we receive through international rescue efforts and our collaborative work with Northern communities).

Health & Wellness

• A state-of-the-art HVAC system will provide fresh, healthy airflow at all times into all areas of the centre; decreasing the spread of life-threatening airborne infections.
• This in conjunction with compartmentalized ‘animal hubs’ that follow best practices in shelter medicine and greatly reduces the risk of disease outbreak.

High-Volume Spay & Neuter Clinic

The high-volume spay and neuter clinic is open to the public regardless of geography or income level so no one will have a barrier to the joys of pet ownership. The clinic will also serve the Humane Societies of Durham, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, Quinte and Kingston offering affordable pet care in central Ontario. The clinic will also help many other small animal welfare and rescue organizations locally so they can operate at a lower cost.

Ontario SPCA & Humane Society Dog Rehabilitation Centre

The Ontario Provincial Dog Rehabilitation Centre will be the first-of-its-kind in Canada and one of only a handful in North America.

Dogs with special needs can easily overwhelm animal shelters, or rescue organizations, that are already stretched to their limits. At the new Dog Rehabilitation Centre Ontario SPCA staff will create a customized plan for each dog. With expert care and a tailored program of behaviour modification, even dogs who have been rescued from long term confinement or who suffered years of abuse will have the time they need to gain the socialization skills and training they were deprived of and go on to lead the kind of life all dogs deserve.

Dogs from all over the province will enter the Dog Rehabilitation Program in Peterborough through the Ontario SPCA network and with their affiliated Humane Societies. Ontario SPCA’s Northern Dog programs will make use of the Provincial Dog Rehabilitation facility to provide these dogs with the extra support needed so they are able to enter their forever home with their tail wagging.

The Centre will also be accessible to the public for pets that need behavioural modification or physiotherapy programs.

Featured programs and services:

• Hydrotherapy equipment such as an underwater treadmill.
• Family living room to help dogs practice living in a home environment.
• Indoor and outdoor off-leash areas.
• Flexible training rooms that can be adapted to overcome situational problems such as resource guarding or fear of certain noises.
• Dogs will get help with grooming, basic obedience training and access to vets in Peterborough for their health needs.

The new Centre will be located at 1999 Technology Drive in Peterborough, South East of our current facility and a short drive to the Peterborough Airport. The new Centre will sit on 20 acres of usable land, be fully accessible and offer plenty of parking. In addition to off-leash areas for dogs staying at the Humane Society or in our Dog Rehabilitation Centre, we will also offer a large, off-leash dog park for the public to enjoy. We also plan to create public walking trails through the wetlands adjacent to the property. This area and trails will focus on conservation, just one more way our Centre will be a green facility.

Designed by Peterborough’s Lett Architects, the new building will be home to an Animal Care Centre unlike any other in Canada. Accessible to all and built green from the ground up, every square foot has been carefully considered to prioritize animal welfare, while ensuring sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

The new 24,000 square foot building will be innovative and sustainable. It will feature a state-of-the-art HVAC system and medical-grade fit and finish to provide exemplary shelter health and wellness, infection control, ultimately save animals’ lives by preventing the spread of disease. The facility will include an abundance of natural light and wood features to promote well-being and maximize quality of life for the animals and the people who care for them.

Yes, the new Centre will boost the local economy by creating 20 new, full-time jobs. The new space will also expand opportunities for community engagement including educational partnerships with both Trent University and Fleming College. In addition to jobs, the Centre’s High-Volume Spay and Neuter Clinic will draw pet owners from across the region, increasing tourism and a higher profile for the City. Similar Spay/Neuter Clinics have seen that pet owners will travel up to 240 km to access affordable spay and neuter services.

Yes, financial stability and sustainability are key drivers of the new shelter. For our Spay and Neuter Clinic, the Peterborough Humane Society will utilize the Humane Alliance break-even model, the same model that the Ontario SPCA has successfully used.

The clinic model used by the PHS and the Ontario SPCA is designed to financially break-even, therefore annual expenses are paid in full by the fees collected for services provided at these clinics. No subsidies or other financial support is required or provided to operate our clinics.

We will also continue to raise funds through corporate and foundation grants as well as donations from events and the community.

Peterborough enjoys a central Ontario location and was recently named one of the Top-10 dog-friendly cities in Canada. Our local airport accepts large transfers of dogs that are transferred from Northern communities that have an overpopulation of dogs both stray and free-roaming.

There is also demand for a high-volume Spay & Neuter clinic in our region that will service residents of Eastern, Central and Northern Ontario. Studies show that pet owners will drive up to 240 km to access this kind of clinic.

Community impacts include:

1. 20 new, full-time jobs
2. Continued educational partnerships with Trent University and Fleming College
3. Children’s education program – responsible pet ownership and safety
4. Pet friendly community resources – off-leash park open to the public
5. Increased Tourism – a one of a kind facility open to the public that is ‘best in class’
6. Increased use of local airport positively impacting the economy
7. Creating province wide public awareness showcasing the programs and lifesaving services for animals in the Peterborough area 

In addition, there is an urgent need for a high-volume spay neuter clinic, strategically located to service this underserviced region of Ontario, along the 401 corridor east of the GTA and up to two hours north.

Pet overpopulation is at crisis levels across Ontario. Each year, thousands of cats and dogs find themselves on the street where they can fall victim to abuse and neglect or end up in shelters.

The single best way to reduce the number of homeless and unwanted animals is to fix your pet. That is why building a Regional high-volume spay and neuter clinic, as part of our new Animal Care Centre, is an urgent priority for the Peterborough Humane Society to help fulfill our mission.

By offering spay and neuter procedures to pet owners across the region and beyond to more rural communities, we can put responsible pet ownership within reach of more pet owners and reduce the number of animals dependent on shelters.

The Peterborough Humane Society in partnership with the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society. The Humane Society hired a new Executive Director in January 2018 and a Campaign Manager in the Fall of 2018 to help lead this project. The Humane Society’s Board of Directors as well as the Our Pet Project Campaign Cabinet, are working closely with staff to lead this project.

Lett Architects, a local and award-winning architecture firm with over 50 years of experience. Located in downtown Peterborough, Lett Architects has done extensive research and consulted with many stakeholders.

We’re excited to share that construction has begun on the new Peterborough Animal Care Centre! We have raised 80% of our goal to date, but still require support from our community to help us make the final stretch.

According to our general contractor, Peak Construction, construction will take 18 months and is set to complete in November 2022.

Thus far we have received generous support from the City of Peterborough, corporate partners, foundations and many generous individuals and families. Our Campaign Cabinet, Board of Directors and staff continue to reach out to community members to secure further investments. We are also working with both the provincial and federal levels of governments to pursue opportunities for government grants.

Over $80% of our goal has been raised to date:

• The City of Peterborough has committed $1.68 million.
• The Ontario SPCA has committed $2 million and has a 20-year lease to operate the Dog Rehabilitation Centre and will fund the expenses related to program delivery.
• PetSmart Charities of Canada has contributed $260,000.
• Community Futures has granted $50,000.
• The remainder is made-up of generous donations that range from $20 to $100,000 from individuals, families, and generous companies.

There will be ample accessible parking for the community.

In terms of other forms of accessbility, our new building has been designed to ensure that people of all abilities can benefit from our programming and services. Physical elements of the building include barrier-free parking, improved ramps and walkways, universal washrooms, improved way-finding signage and a renewed vision to promote animal adoption to animals for individuals living with disabilities and exceptionalities. 

The Peterborough Humane Society will continue to be open and to offer programming throughout the construction of its new facility.

When individual donations, bequests and other financial gifts are received as capital campaign contributions, these monies are immediately identified and tracked as such within the Humane Society’s CRM database. These funds are then set aside in a separate account or placed into investments until they are needed to put towards costs for the new Centre.

You can make a one-time donation to the capital campaign here. If you’d like to make a monthly donation (which we recommend, as it helps ensure our sustainability throughout the building process!), please visit this page where you can choose “Help Build Our New Centre” from the Fund drop-down menu.

If you’d like to donate offline or “with pen and paper,” you can mail a cheque and write “New Centre” in the memo line of the cheque. All cheques can be made payable to the Peterborough Humane Society. You can also call Shawna Boudreau, Manager of Donor Relations at 705.760.4451 and make a donation with your credit card over the phone.

Lett Architects have done extensive research and consultation to design a Centre that is future-ready, reducing our carbon footprint while providing the best possible housing for our dogs, cats and small animals. Green elements of the new centre include but are limited to the following:

• All materials will be of superior quality which means the building will be well insulated and items such as windows will last for many years.
• HVAC – this system uses natural gas and includes an energy recovery ventilator allowing us to capture air and recycle it – making the system efficient and preventing heat loss throughout.
• Stormwater retention ponds, both in front of the Centre and a larger dry pond behind the Centre to capture stormwater runoff and prevent flooding. This helps create a critical buffer and natural filter between the wetlands and the Centre.
• The Centre is “future-ready” in that the should funding become available for solar panels or a green roof, it is designed in such a way that it will be easy to add-in these elements in down the road
• The build project protects the Cold Springs Yankee Bonnet Provincially Significant Wetland and conserves 12 acres of wetlands in collaboration with the Otonabee Region Conservation Authority (ORCA)
• PHS completed both Phase 1 and 2 Environmental Assessment with local firm, Cambium, prior to construction
• Native trees and plants will be planted throughout property to promote biodiversity and sustainability
• Accessible waste receptables to reduce capture garbage and recycling
• Visitors/Staff/Volunteers will be able to access the Centre through active modes of transportation (walking/biking/public transit)

Yes, gifts to the campaign will receive a charitable tax receipt for income tax purposes. Tax receipts will be issued as pledge payments are made. Those making a gift to the campaign on a monthly basis, will receive a cumulative tax receipt at the end of the year.

To learn more about how you can lend your time and expertise to help with the Campaign please contact Shawna Boudreau at s.boudreau@ptbohs.com or 705-760-4451.

The Peterborough Humane Society advocates for the welfare of animals by improving their lives, alleviating suffering, rescuing, providing shelter, healing, facilitating adoption and reducing pet overpopulation.

The Peterborough Humane Society was established in 1941. The current shelter was built in 1956 and designed initially as a pound. As an Affiliate of the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society, we work together to prevent cruelty to animals and care for those that have been abused, lost or neglected.

Currently, we provide the following –

1. Dog and Cat Licensing (legally required by the City of Peterborough).
2. Admissions –We take in animals that have been surrendered (owner can no longer care for them), abandoned, stray as well as abused and neglected animals.
3. Spay/Neuter Services – we spay and neuter all animals in our care before they are available for adoption.
4. Animal Control – The City of Peterborough’s municipal code regulates many aspects of animal welfare and pet ownership. We enforce this municipal code and also provide full animal control services to four townships within Peterborough County.
5. SNOOPY – Our Safe Nights for Pets Program gives pets a home away from home for up to 10 days when their families are displaced in times of crisis. Snoopy provides free temporary emergency animal care when the owners are dealing with trauma like domestic abuse, homelessness, or other precarious situations.
6. Pet Safety – We act as an advocate for pets, helping to define best practices in animal welfare and working with the community to promote responsible pet ownership.

Each year we take in over 1,500 animals – many are lost, injured or abandoned. While in our care we provide each animal with a safe, warm temporary home, healthy food, water, medical care, love and attention. We are an excellent choice if you are seeking a companion animal and often have many dogs, cats and small animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs or hamsters.

The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is a registered charity, established in 1873. The Society and its network of animal welfare communities facilitate and provide for province-wide leadership on matters relating to the prevention of cruelty to animals and the promotion of animal well-being. Offering a variety of mission-based programs including community-based sheltering, animal wellness services, provincial animal transfers, shelter health & wellness, high-volume spay/neuter services, animal rescue, animal advocacy, Indigenous partnership programs and humane education, the Ontario SPCA is Ontario’s animal welfare charity.

The Peterborough Humane Society, in partnership with the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society, will establish an innovation in animal wellness -Canada’s first Dog Rehabilitation Centre. Built within the new Peterborough Humane Society’s Animal Care Centre, the Dog Rehabilitation Centre will be on the cutting-edge of animal care and well-being.

We are a registered charity that relies on the support of our community and generous donations from individuals, businesses and groups to continue our life-saving work. We do not receive ongoing government or United Way funding. Our primary sources of revenue include adoption, licensing and surrender fees as well as donations and grants.

At the Peterborough Humane Society, we only euthanize an animal for one of two reasons:

• We cannot medically save an animal or
• The animal has extreme aggression and would threaten the safety of our community.

We never euthanize an animal because we have run out of space.

We never euthanize an animal because of their age.

We never euthanize because of the amount of time an animal has spent at our shelter.

The Peterborough Humane Society is an open-admission, no-suffering, low-euthanasia shelter. Open admission means that we will not turn animals away and take in and provide care for all stray animals across Peterborough County.

Euthanasia is a last resort and only considered for animals we can’t help – meaning animals with medical or behavioural challenges that can’t reasonably be overcome. Our staff do not take these decisions lightly and explore all potential options to save an animal’s life and find them their forever home.

One example of how our staff go above and beyond to rehome animals is our collaboration with the Humane Society of Oromocto in New Brunswick. In 2018 worked with them to rehome pitbulls that are illegal in the province of Ontario.

Last year, we rehomed more than 10 pitbulls through our partnerships, including one special pitbull: Charma. Watch this video to hear Charma’s story.

Lett Architects have done extensive research and consultation to design a Centre that is future-ready, reducing our carbon footprint while providing the best possible housing for our dogs, cats and small animals. Green elements of the new centre include but are limited to the following:

• All materials will be of superior quality which means the building will be well insulated and items such as windows will last for many years. 
• HVAC – this system uses natural gas and includes an energy recovery ventilator allowing us to capture air and recycle it – making the system efficient and preventing heat loss throughout. 
• Stormwater retention ponds, both in front of the Centre and a larger dry pond behind the Centre to capture stormwater runoff and prevent flooding. This helps create a critical buffer and natural filter between the wetlands and the Centre.
• The Centre is “future-ready” in that the should funding become available for solar panels or a green roof, it is designed in such a way that it will be easy to add-in these elements in down the road  
• The build project protects the Cold Springs Yankee Bonnet Provincially Significant Wetland and conserves 12 acres of wetlands in collaboration with the Otonabee Region Conservation Authority (ORCA) 
• PHS completed both Phase 1 and 2 Environmental Assessment with local firm, Cambium, prior to construction
• Native trees and plants will be planted throughout property to promote biodiversity and sustainability
• Accessible waste receptables to reduce capture garbage and recycling
• Visitors/Staff/Volunteers will be able to access the Centre through active modes of transportation (walking/biking/public transit)