Animal Services
Donations
| Donation of shelter supplies - wish list |
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| Donation bin location |
| Oshawa Animal Services is located at 919 Farewell St and our donation bin is located at the main front entrance. |
| Become a foster parent |
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Our Foster Program provides temporary, safe and loving homes to cats and dogs until they can return to our Adoption Centre and be adopted by their new family. This program offers a second chance to many animals that would not thrive in a shelter environment. All supplies and medical care for animals in foster are covered by Oshawa Animal Services. Any medical care decisions are made by Oshawa Animal Services before proceeding. |
Volunteer
What are the volunteer opportunities?
Oshawa Animal Services offers many exciting volunteer experiences such as:
- Dog walking
- Feline enrichment
- Pet photography
- Adoption promotion - help us spread the word about our adoptable animals by sharing our social media posts and tweets!
Volunteering with Oshawa Animal Services is sure to be a fun, exciting and rewarding experience. At the same time, you will be contributing to the physical and emotional wellbeing of the animals in our care.
How do I get involved?
Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age and complete the following steps:
- Fill out each of the following forms: volunteer application, volunteer police check letter, and a volunteer reference check form. Once each form has been completed, submit them to Oshawa Animal Services
- You will be contacted for an interview
- Following a successful interviewing process, you will attend orientation and training
| Are there other ways I can help? |
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Want to help provide enrichment for the cats in our care that are waiting for adoption? Below are links to a few ideas for creating enrichment items at home that can be donated to our enrichment program or even fun for your own cats!
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| Why is cat enrichment so important for the cats in our care? |
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First, there's physical health. If the cat is active he/she has a greater chance of staying in better shape. His/her muscles get a good workout, his/her bones stay strong and he/she's more likely to develop a normal, healthy appetite. Now, let's look at the benefits you may not be aware of. A cat who has positive experiences usually has more confidence. Fun, safe environment equals a happy, confident cat. Stressful or boring environment equals unhappy, stressed cat. Since cats are sensory-driven, and if a cat has no tension release, she may come up with a behaviour that isn't beneficial. A common anxiety-relieving behaviour is over-grooming. The cat may self-groom so much that bald spots appear. By providing outlets for energy release, the cat has something to do so he/she doesn't need to engage in destructive behaviours. Studies have shown when a cat is hunting a brain chemical (dopamine) is released that creates a feeling of eager anticipation. This release is initially triggered by the sound or scent of prey. Cats enjoy being in hunting mode. Dr. Jaak Panksepp, a neuroscientist at Washington State University is a researcher on this topic. He refers to this feeling as the Seeking Circuit. An analogy might be the way kids feel on Christmas morning before presents are opened! When in the seeking circuit, it would make sense that the cat would be less anxious, depressed, or bored. Opportunities to experience eager anticipation and exploration are important. Luckily for us, cats in our care can experience the seeking circuit through toys and playtime. Happy cats = less stressed cats = more adoptable cats! |