Monthly Volunteer Profile: June Catrijsse

With a love of animals since growing up on a dairy farm in Manitoba’s Interlake, you can understand how volunteering at the Winnipeg Humane Society came naturally for retired nurse June Catrijsse. She got her start at the WHS about 20 years ago as a dog walker and over the years has held a variety of volunteer positions in animal care, animal receiving and special events, to name a few. But in January she found a position that let her combine two of her passions – animals and knitting. She is now the facilitator of the Knitting and Purling Group. … Continued

Den Volunteers and their important role in See Spot Read

Our See Spot Read Program, presented by Sylvan Learning, offers children who may be struggling with their reading skills, a judgement free and safe space to strengthen their literacy skills. If you’ve been following the program, you have heard us talk a lot about our therapy dogs and the important role they play. But today, we wanted to take a moment to chat about our Den Volunteers. What is a Den Volunteer? Den volunteers facilitate the See Spot Read sessions. They are responsible for setting up and tearing down the space, engaging children in fun literacy based educational activities as … Continued

Monthly Volunteer Profile: Alison SanFilippo MVP

Like so many Winnipeg Humane Society volunteers and staff, Alison SanFilippo has an unbridled love for all animals. But for Alison it’s a passion around which much of her life has revolved. Her WHS volunteer service dates back almost two decades, she has two rescue dogs and four cats (three from the WHS) at home and, in addition, has her own pet sitting business. “I began volunteering in the old building,” Alison explained. “I’ll be going into my 18th year in October. I started as soon as my daughter was old enough to go to school.” She’s a self-proclaimed advocate … Continued

One Great Lottery celebrates the latest 6-figure Winner from Winnipeg!

One Great Lottery has concluded its third lottery supporting Misericordia Health Centre (MHC) and Winnipeg Humane Society (WHS)! It was another great win for the community as the Grand Prize Winner Glen Cook from Winnipeg took home half of the $214,800 jackpot! Glen is a supporter of both organizations and celebrated his win with his family at the Winnipeg Humane Society last week. “It was another incredible lottery and Manitobans really stepped up in support of these two great causes!” Says Winnipeg Humane Society CEO Jessica Miller. “Every single ticket purchased goes towards caring for animals and humans in need. … Continued

Monthly Volunteer Profile: Jaelyn Friesen

For Jaelyn Friesen, a life-long love of animals has evolved into a volunteer role at the Winnipeg Humane Society. A Grade 12 student enrolled in carpentry at Murdoch MacKay Collegiate in Winnipeg, Jaelyn grew up with pet gerbils. “I really liked having the gerbils,” she said, smiling. “They were nice with me and they enjoyed cuddling. They’re very affectionate. One would escape from its enclosure and it would come and find us.” At the age of 11, she got her first dog. Now she and her family have two small dogs – a Poodle and a Shih Tzu. On weekends … Continued

Welfare Concerns with Professional Bull Riding Events

On Friday, May 26, 2023, the Red River Exhibition Association is hosting a Professional Bull Riding Event (PBR). Bull riding events concern the Winnipeg Humane Society as they violate the 5 Freedoms necessary for animal welfare: Freedom from hunger and thirst by access to fresh water and appropriate diet Freedom from discomfort by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area Freedom from pain, injury, or disease by preventing or rapidly treating problems Freedom to express natural behaviour by providing sufficient space, facilities and company Freedom from fear and distress by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid … Continued

Happy Earth Day 2023!

Happy Earth Day, everyone! Did you know the Canadian government reports that more than 40% of Canadians already add more plant-based foods into their diets? This is a win for Mother Earth! But we’ve still got a long way to go when considering how industrial animal agriculture can impact our planet. Global animal agricultural practices emit up to 90 million tonnes of C02 into the atmosphere annually through the unsustainable burning of fossil fuels. When we look at all global lands considered suitable for agricultural use, almost 80% of this land is used for raising livestock and growing crops to … Continued

Kris Gladwell, CEO of Misericordia Health Foundation, Robert B. One Great Lottery Winner and Jessica Miller, CEO of Winnipeg Humane Society

One Great Lottery for All

Happy Spring! I sincerely hope the snow is still melting by the time you receive this note. We are excited to announce the return of One Great Lottery after an exciting first year with our partner Misericordia Health Centre Foundation (MHCF). I am happy to tell you we received some great feedback from our first year in the lottery realm and have listened to what you’ve said. Thanks to your feedback we have a new line-up of Early Bird Prizes that we hope you’ll love. These are trying times for many Manitobans; we have taken that into consideration and have … Continued

2023 Summer Kid Camps Bigger Than Ever!

As we say goodbye to March, we also wrap up our Spring Break Kids Camp, which was a huge hit this year. We welcomed 50 campers for the week-long event! At this year’s Spring Break Kid Camps, campers enjoyed special guest presentations from Wildlife Haven, Manitoba Ferret Association, Little Red Barn, and Border Security. The wonderful group of young humane heroes also learned about different animal welfare topics, responsible pet ownership, and what the different departments here at the Winnipeg Humane Society do. If you missed signing your child up for Spring Break Kid Camps, no need to worry! Our … Continued

Don’t Hop To Conclusions About Me

Debunking Common Misconceptions About Rabbits There really is nothing cuter than a baby rabbit. Understandably, these tiny, fluffy little creatures have grown in popularity in the pet trade in recent years.  But did you know that under all that charm is a sentient, inquisitive animal with very complex needs? In today’s blog post we are debunking some common misconceptions about rabbits and their care: Rabbits are not gifts, or starter pets. Before adding as your newest family member, you must research to evaluate if a rabbit is the right fit for your home. Rabbits can live up to 10 years, … Continued