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Dear WHS Supporters,

It is time for me to formally say good-bye to you and to the all-star team of Board members, staff, volunteers and donors who have made the last 5.5 years such a humbling journey. This will officially be my last CEO blog. The kind words and good wishes I have received in the past few weeks will not be forgotten. Thank you for the encouragement, for your trust, and for your compassion towards animals, big and small.

And while it may be fun to reminisce about  my tenure, today it is important to concentrate in what really matters: the future of your WHS. And I can tell you this: the future of the WHS is in excellent hands, and the organization will continue to honour its 126-year tradition of advocacy and education; saving animal lives, finding forever homes for pets in need, and making sure animal cruelty is investigated and prosecuted.

Let me count the ways the WHS has a bright future:

Our Board is united in purpose, filled with fantastic people who provide hundreds of hours to the organization so we can benefit from their experience, expertise and guidance. Our current Board Chair, Dr. Jonas Watson knows animal welfare and veterinary medicine inside out, and Maureen Drummond, our Immediate Past Chair has been nothing short of stellar in her support to the WHS and the sheer volume of work she has done for the organization. Together with the rest of the Board Executive and the members-at-large they will ensure the WHS remains open, transparent and accountable to you.

Our Staff is the best animal welfare team you can possibly have. Each and every person working at the WHS cares deeply about animals and are committed to making every effort to give each animal a fair shake. During the transition period as the WHS finds its next CEO, we will have two outstanding Acting Co-CEOs: Shawne Yee-McNeill and Melissa Rogers. Both are absolutely brilliant, and their talent will make sure there is a smooth transition and that all key operational aspects of the shelter will run even better than before.

Our Volunteers continue to work hard among a very challenging pandemic. They are always ready to help us when needed, observe all our safety protocols, and allow us to save thousands of animals in the process. Virtually every area of the shelter runs better because we have such a committed and dedicated group of volunteers. Without the fosters, our dog walkers, our cat enrichment crew, our behaviour volunteer team and all other volunteers the WHS would not have achieved what we have over the years.

The WHS Donor family is the most generous group you can wish to have as a charity. They are there for the animals daily, no matter what the economic conditions are, and we owe them such a tremendous amount of gratitude. Thank you for your trust, your generosity, and for always being there for the animals.

Last (but not least) we are part of a network of rescues and animal welfare advocates who are in the trenches showing us the way, and supporting remote communities and animals in need. It is a privilege to be a trusted partner and the WHS will continue to invest so we can help animals so desperately in need of medical and behavioural assistance.

The future of the WHS is also bright because of you, dear reader. Keep encouraging us to do better, to dream big, and to continue to lead not only in Manitoba but across Canada as well. I will be cheering on as just another supporter of the WHS, now that my time here as CEO concludes.

Be well, everyone,

Javier Schwersensky