When Numbers Truly Matter.

The absolute hardest part of working in animal welfare and shelter life is dealing with euthanasia. It is a heavy weight on staff and volunteers, and indefinitely causes compassion fatigue and can lead to mental health issues over time. When I first started as your CEO a year ago, I decided to sit on the Rounds Committee, a committee made up of leaders from specialty shelter departments, where these types of decisions are made. We ask ourselves questions such as, ‘is there a live outcome here, is this illness terminal or treatable, is the animal safe to and within the … Continued

Winnipeg Humane Society celebrates achievements and board directors

WINNIPEG, September – The Winnipeg Humane Society (WHS) celebrated balancing its 2017/18 business year at its annual general meeting on September 12. The shelter announced numerous achievements, including finding homes for 3,896 animals. It attributed additional successes to progressive changes implemented in several departments and programs. “Three years ago we made a commitment to become one of the most progressive and successful shelters in North America, and I am proud to say, we are on our way to achieving this,” said Javier Schwersensky, WHS CEO. In 2017 the WHS implemented the Capacity for Care model, which changed the way the … Continued

What is the WHS “Grading System”?

Dear WHS Friends, Some of you may have heard that the WHS has implemented a “scoring system” for animals coming in. There has been some questions about what it is, so we feel it’s important to clarify what it is, and why we are doing it. The name of this initiative (“scoring”) and the fact that pets are given a score have caused concerns about WHS using this as a way to euthanize more animals based on a cold, numbers-based system. In fact, the opposite is true. We are committed to save more animals than ever before. I will try to … Continued

Innovative spay and neuter program producing results and growing demand in city

Walk into Paws for Thought Boutique for Pets and at first glance it looks like a charming pet shop. The three resident cats and dog are happy to show you around the shop filled with locally made pet items and art. But the building in Winnipeg’s North End is much more. It’s a hub for pet support and provides a service that is almost unheard of in Canada: cat spay and neuter surgeries for five dollars. Jessica Thompson, the shop owner, receives different reactions when she offers these surgeries – which can cost hundreds of dollars – for the price … Continued

Holiday Hours 2017

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! The WHS will be closed from December 24-26 and January 1.

From Shelter Dog to K9 Unit: Jester’s Story

Before Jester arrived at the Winnipeg Humane Society (WHS), some of his diet consisted of oatmeal and Kraft Dinner. Now the two-year-old Labrador Retriever/Border Collie mix is fed a high-quality dog food that’s fit for a police dog. It’s appropriate considering this rescued dog went from a neglectful situation to a member of the Winnipeg Police K9 Unit. Jester is a bomb detector. He’s trained to recognize 14 common explosive scents. Based on all combinations of those scents, Jester can detect around 22,000 manufactured explosives. It’s an enormous task that requires a lot of training but Sgt. Wally Antoniuk, Jester’s … Continued

Veterinarians too: Winnipeg Humane Society launches Welcome Home Program

Pets need a veterinarian in the same way a human needs a doctor or dentist. A new Winnipeg Humane Society program aims to connect you – new adopters – with a local veterinarian. The Welcome Home Program sets up your pet with a veterinarian, a crucial point of contact in your pet’s growth and development. Each year the WHS adopts over 4,000 pets to people across Manitoba and many of these individuals do not have a pre-existing relationship with a veterinarian. The Welcome Home Program introduces new adopters with participating veterinary clinics and provides them with a free consultation appointment within the … Continued

Miranda Lambert to help Winnipeg Humane Society animals by offering a seat upgrade and a meet-and-greet to a lucky fan!

Country music superstar Miranda Lambert wants to help homeless animals in Winnipeg and asks concert goers to fill up her Little Red Wagon with donations to the Winnipeg Humane Society (WHS) at her concert this week. One ticketholder and a guest will be selected to meet the eight-time Academy of Country Music Awards Female Vocalist of the Year before the concert and receive a seat upgrade. Lambert’s Highway Vagabond Tour stops in Winnipeg’s Bell MTS Place on Saturday, October 7. Ticketholders making a donation to the Fill the Red Wagon promotion can enter for a chance to meet the Vice … Continued

Waverley Underpass Construction Updates

November 1, 2017 Motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians traveling in the vicinity of the Waverley Underpass project from Wednesday, November 1 until Friday, November 3 can expect additional travel delays as the rail detour is implemented at the at-grade railway crossing on Waverley Street just south of Taylor Avenue to facilitate further construction of the underpass. Construction of the rail detour, called a “shoofly”, is almost complete and from about Wednesday, November 1 to Friday, November 3, trains will be transitioning from the CN mainline over to the shoofly. This work will involve passage of specialized equipment and workers through the … Continued