Volunteers are on the coronary heart of the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society, and this Volunteer Week, we would like to acknowledge and rejoice the significance of every volunteer’s affect.
This yr’s nationwide theme is “Each Second Issues,” and volunteers Doug and Lea Thompson’s story is an ideal instance of how the time, abilities and compassion our volunteers share is significant to altering the lives of animals in want. This dynamic duo are common volunteers on the Ontario SPCA Renfrew County Animal Centre the place they’ve been lending a hand and making a distinction for the previous 25 years.
Discovering a ardour to assist animals
Lea’s journey with animals started in Alberta, the place she honed her abilities as a groomer and volunteered to assist the animals on the Edmonton Humane Society. It wasn’t lengthy earlier than she started serving to in different capacities and shortly discovered an unwavering compassion to assist susceptible animals nonetheless she might.
When she moved to Ontario, Lea needed to proceed serving to animals and wasted no time extending her serving to hand to her native Ontario SPCA animal heart. Doug, impressed by Lea’s ardour and seeing first-hand the distinction volunteering makes, quickly adopted swimsuit.
Volunteers with the Ontario SPCA participate in lots of roles to assist ship essential packages and companies to communities throughout the province. Lea and Doug’s roles throughout the group are as numerous as they’re important.
Lea’s involvement spans from grooming and fundraising to in depth administrative duties, together with assembly with potential adopters and processing adoptions. She additionally assists with information entry and reception duties and takes the lead in coaching different administrative volunteers.
From huge jobs to small particulars
Doug helps with animal transports, facility upkeep, Bingo fundraisers, and the whole lot in between.
“Even the smallest volunteer roles assist,” says Doug. “It permits workers to deal with what’s essential – the animals. They don’t have to fret concerning the little issues that have to get achieved.”
Doug additionally joins Lea at each fundraising occasion she attends, serving to with arrange, tear down and the rest that must be achieved.
“Generally the volunteer assist wants assist and Doug is all the time there for me in that function!” Lea says.
Of the assorted volunteer roles Doug and Lea undertake, it’s their fostering experiences that resonate most deeply inside their hearts. With every fostered animal, from fragile infants to resilient survivors, the Thompsons witness the transformative journey from vulnerability to adoption.
Giving animals a second probability as a foster volunteer
“Fostering is all the time the perfect half. Seeing the animals come into the centre, typically in tough form after which getting a second probability… there’s nothing better. I get to see them come full circle,” says Lea.
Doug and Lea have fostered tons of of cats and kittens. By means of their adventures, they’ve developed a robust bond with three particular cats. They first adopted Paisley, a pregnant cat who had her kittens whereas of their care. Then got here Finlay, a nine-month-old cat who additionally discovered her means into their hearts. Lastly, Pearl got here into their lives and was adopted simply over a yr in the past. Collectively, the three cats reside with their a 13-year-old canine brother Foster. Adopted from the Ontario SPCA Renfrew County Animal Centre, Foster was named in honour of all of the fosters who’ve come by the Thompsons’ residence.
Each Second Issues
In celebrating the Thompsons’ 25 years with the Ontario SPCA Renfrew County Animal Centre, we’re reminded of the unimaginable affect of their kindness and dedication. Each second really issues. As a registered charity that doesn’t obtain annual authorities funding, we’re grateful for the assist of volunteers and the donors who assist us present care and shelter for animals in want and ship packages and companies in native communities throughout the province.
“It’s been an honour for each of us to have made volunteering with the Ontario SPCA part of our lives these previous years,” Lea says. “We’ve seen numerous adjustments and progress in 25 years and many individuals and animals have touched and formed our lives. Volunteering can form your individual life as absolutely as you form and make a distinction for the animals you’re employed to assist.”
Develop into a volunteer
In case you are impressed by Doug and Lea’s story and need to make a distinction in your group, please go to ontariospca.ca/volunteer to view accessible volunteer alternatives and to be taught extra about this system.
