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Odie’s story

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The McVitie Veterinary Assistance Program has been helping pets of low-income caregivers get assistance for many years, ensuring guardians are not forced to surrender the animals they love and are bonded with. During this time, other caring individuals have provided some of their own money towards the program to keep people and their pets together. Sandra Todd is one of those individuals, always working to assist those in need to ensure their pets have care. 

When Sandra was partially laid off due to COVID-19, she faced a difficult decision herself for the first time. Sandra cares for a few aging rescued animals, and her 17-year-old dog Odie was showing signs of sickness. Odie lived a rough early life, abused by his first owners and treated roughly by his second owners. He came into Sandra’s care with wounds on his neck and a broken leg. 

Since then, Sandra has worked to give him a good life. At the end of March, Odie started sleeping too much, he became too weak to walk and gastro problems were evident. Sandra knew the bill would be high for the veterinarian to diagnose the cause and hopefully heal Odie and that she would fall short with her own available funds. She reached out to the Vancouver Humane Society and thanks to the generosity of our supporters we were able to cover the cost of a blood panel, fluids, and antibiotics to get 17-year-old Odie feeling well again. 

Please consider contributing a gift today to support the McVitie low-income veterinary assistance program.  

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animal welfare News/Blog Pet adoption Promoted Uncategorized

Animal rescue standards of practice – have your say!

British short hair cat and golden retriever

The Animal Welfare Network of British Columbia (AWANBC) is currently seeking public feedback on draft standards for rescues. Follow this link for more information and to submit comments – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9G8NSQ7

The AWANBC, of which the Vancouver Humane Society is a member, aims to enable animal welfare organizations to work together and to support strategies around specific projects and initiatives associated with companion animal welfare.

One such AWANBC project is focused on creating rescue standards of practice. To date, there are no criteria required for groups to be involved in animal welfare or rescue and there is no accountability for these organizations. Meanwhile, the number of animal rescues and shelters across the province continues to grow. While many have high standards of care, others may have practices that put animals and the public at risk.

Without standards of practice, any group can self-identify as a rescue and it can be difficult for the public to determine if a rescue group is reputable or not. AWANBC has identified this as a pressing animal welfare and public safety issue and has worked to develop Animal Rescue Standards of Practice.

Follow this link for more information on the standards and to submit comments – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9G8NSQ7

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animal welfare News/Blog Promoted Uncategorized wildlife

B.C.’s Hunting & Trapping Regulations – Have Your Say!

The provincial government is currently seeking public feedback on a long list of proposed hunting and trapping regulations. This is an opportunity to weigh in on wildlife conservation and welfare issues in your area and throughout the province.

Weapons for Big Game Hunting

There are currently no regulations in place preventing big game hunters from using alternative or primitive weapons such as slingshots, spears and airguns. Citing concerns surrounding a higher likelihood of unnecessary suffering, a proposed regulation seeks to prohibit the use of any weapon other than a firearm or bow.

No Hunting/Shooting Zone along Sea to Sky Highway

Another regulation proposes a new no hunting and no shooting zone along the Sea to Sky highway. Unlike many other highways in the province, the stretch of highway 99 between Squamish and Pemberton or the Callaghan Road near Whistler currently has no restrictions on hunting or shooting within 400m of the highway. The area is a popular spot for locals, hikers and tourists. Tragically, in 2017 a hunter in the area fatally shot a dog that he mistook for a wolf (despite the area being closed to wolf hunting), prompting calls by the dog’s owner and the public for a no shooting and no hunting zone along the route.

Use of Technology to Locate Wildlife 

Several proposals also seek to prohibit the use of technology to assist hunters, including banning infrared optics (or thermal imaging) which enable hunters to see the heat signature of animal that is otherwise invisible to the naked eye; wireless trail cameras that when triggered send images of wildlife to a remote device and provide a hunter with the location of wildlife; and the sharing of location of wildlife from an aircraft to a hunter on the ground. The rationale behind banning this type of equipment for hunting purposes is that the use of it fails to meet the principles of fair chase, giving hunters an unfair advantage over wildlife. VHS is concerned that the use of such technology for hunting is turning B.C.’s backcountry into a canned hunt scenario, where the ability for wildlife to avoid human detection is increasingly diminished.

Pursuit-only Season for Cougars

Another proposed regulation aims to ban the pursuit-only season for cougars in the Kootenay region, where existing regulations allow hunters who have killed their allotment of cougars to continue chasing and treeing the animals with their hounds. The rationale behind permitting a pursuit-only season was to allow houndsmen to train and exercise their dogs, but the cruel practice not only causes unnecessary stress to the animals, but can lead to injury for the cougar and the hounds, as well as the separation of mothers and kittens.

Numerous other regulations focused on motorized vehicle and firearm restrictions and changes to specific hunting seasons are also being proposed. For example, a proposal to end wolverine trapping in the Kootenays; implement a mule deer bow only season on Gulf, Denman and Hornby Islands; prohibit the use of precision-guided firearms and scopes on bows during bow-only seasons; and changes to black bear hunting seasons within the traditional territory of the Kitasoo/Xai’xais Nation in the Great Bear Rainforest in order to support bear viewing tourism efforts by the Nation.

How to Submit Comments

For the full list of proposed regulations, click here. The public comment period ends January 19, 2020 at midnight. To participate through the government’s engagement website, you’ll need to register for a “Basic BCeID” account. Once you’ve created a BCeID, return to the main hunting/trapping regulation page and click login. Once you’ve logged in, it will return you to the main page and you can scroll through the list of proposals. On each proposal page, you’ll be able to scroll to the bottom and select “support”, “neutral” or “oppose”. You’ll also be able to leave a comment, if you’d like to elaborate on your position.

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Food and Drink News/Blog plant-based diet Promoted Uncategorized vegan vegetarianism

Larry’s Market: the new vegetarian grocery store with a mission to provide “Healthy Food Conveniently”

Larry’s Market owner Ryan Dennis has brought in chef Haley Parrent to prepare menus for specific dietary needs. Photo by Mike Wakefield/North Shore News 

Since opening it’s doors this July, vegetarian grocery store Larry’s Market, located at North Vancouver Shipyards, has been a big hit with Vancouverites looking to buy healthy food, conveniently!  VHS asked Ryan Dennis, the owner of Larry’s Market, what inspired his new venture, after spending the past 25 years in the grocery industry, before deciding to open his own store. 

What inspired the opening of Larry’s Market?

My wife was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2017.  We had to make some decisions on what healthy eating looked like for our family after this health scare.  After researching, we decided that a plant-based diet was the way to go.  We weren’t able to find a lot of options in grocery stores, so we decided we would create an option.  We are happy we did and now we successfully serve North Vancouver’s Shipyards District with Vegetarian groceries, coffee and grab and go restaurant food.  My wife is now healthy and is helping me run Larry’s Market.

Why do you think it’s a good time to open a plant-based business?  

We feel that communities are shifting to more plant-based diets.  People are eating less meat and seafood.  The timing is great because people are being educated by the many documentaries and reports that are continually being released that support plant-based diets.

What demographics will you be targeting? 

The demographic is all across the board.  We are seeing young people that are educating themselves and retired folks that are looking for “food as thy medicine”.  The professionals that are on the go and looking for a convenient meal are returning for their favourite salad, sandwich or pizza daily.

What has the response been so far from Vancouver consumers?

Vancouver has accepted us very well.  We are seeing people from all over the Lower Mainland that are making us a destination.  People are always asking us to expand to their neighbourhood so they don’t have to drive over to the North Shore.

Everything in your store is vegetarian or vegan, how will you win over carnivores?

Our store is all vegetarian and our menu is over 75% vegan.  We are accepting of all people.  We want to be the bridge between the vegan and the carnivore.  More people are looking to decrease the amount of meat they eat and we want them at Larry’s. 

What challenges do you think you will face?

Most commonly asked question at Larry’s Market.  How do I get enough protein?  We answer with the solutions that we have in store that have been designed to increase the amount of protein that a person gets in their diet.

What has been the biggest challenge in launching your business?

The biggest challenge in launching is providing the customer with different products than they can get in a regular supermarket.  The product range that we are building is very unique and we continuously get people telling us our products are very cool and unique.

Do you think the market for plant-based food will continue to grow?

We know that the market will continue to grow.  We know that this isn’t a trend it is a way of life that more and more people are taking on.  On the daily we have people coming in saying that they have just started their new plant-based way of life.

What’s on the menu in your store? 

Our store is famous for our salads.  We have teamed up with Brian Skinner, famous for the Acorn Restaurant and now in Kelowna for Frankie we Salute you, to get recipes that are amazing and taste great.  Vegetarian Pizza’s are unique and our best seller is our Spicy Cauliflower pizza.  Sandwiches are led by our Chickpea Tuna which outsells our other sandwiches by quite a bit.

If Larry’s Market North Vancouver is a success would you consider expanding to more locations?

We will be expanding Larry’s in the near future.  Stay tuned.

Larry’s Market is located at: 140-125 Victoria Ship Way, BC V7L 0G5
 (604) 999-0998  https://www.larrysmarket.ca


 

 

 

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Help us build a kinder community for animals on Giving Tuesday!

The Vancouver Humane Society and The Happy Herd Farm Sanctuary are partnering to raise funds to help animals now and in the future.

Every year in Canada, more than 800 million animals are raised on cruel factory farms before they are sent for slaughter. They suffer from confinement and from being denied the chance to live and behave naturally.  Yet science has shown that each animal, just like your pet cat or dog, has his or her own unique personality. That’s why we say every animal is someone, not something.

This year, on Giving Tuesday, December 3rd, we are again partnering with The Happy Herd Farm Sanctuary to make life better for farmed animals.  Giving Tuesday is the annual opportunity to put your dollars toward a cause that’s near and dear to your heart – this year, we hope you’ll make it the plight of animals on factory farms.  All donations will be split between both charities.

At VHS, we work year-round to draw public and media attention to the treatment of farmed animals. Our Go Veg campaign encourages people to try a plant-based diet, which reduces the demand that drives factory farming. We’ve recently launched our new Plant-Based Plates initiative which builds on the success of our Meatless Monday project. Our programs have helped institutions rethink the role of plants on the plate and improve access to climate-friendly, healthy and humane options on menus. Through menu planning and culinary support, we assist institutions, such as schools, businesses and healthcare providers, in incorporating new and trendy plant-based dishes that help them meet client demand and reflect their commitment to protecting the planet, public health and animal welfare.  And our rodeo campaign is exposing cruelty and showing that “livestock” are not just commodities to be brutalized for entertainment, but sentient animals capable of feeling physical and emotional pain.

Our partners at The Happy Herd Farm Sanctuary have shown how rescued farmed animals, free of cruelty and confinement, can flourish as individuals. The sanctuary provides a forever home for all types of animals where they can live out their entire lives in a beautiful, natural setting where they are treated with kindness and respect. Visiting Happy Herd and meeting the animals can be a life-changing experience. You will quickly see them as “friends, not food.”

On December 3rd (and before!), you can donate directly to our joint appeal, but you can also help by supporting the generous (and cruelty-free) local businesses who are partnering with VHS and Happy Herd. On Giving Tuesday, they will be launching a variety of special offers and promotions, all raising funds to help us help animals.  Watch our website and social media channels for updates as we get closer to December 3rd– or sign up for our action alerts.

Giving Tuesday is your chance to make life better for farmed animals.  Don’t miss it!

 

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compassion Cruelty-free Food and Drink News/Blog plant-based diet Promoted Uncategorized vegan vegetarianism

Introducing Our New Plant-Based Plates Program

Since the launch of our Meatless Monday program in 2015 we’ve worked with public institutions, including schools and hospitals, to introduce more veg and vegan options to their cafeteria menus.

As the demand for plant-based foods continues to grow, so has our work to improve public access to these humane, healthy and sustainable menu options. We’re excited to launch our new Plant-Based Plates program, which expands on our Meatless Monday work to bring plant-based dishes to daily menus.

Through presentations, culinary support, menu sampling and outreach, we aim to help food service teams and food policy decision-makers put more plants on plates and to educate and empower the public in making more informed food choices that are better for animals, the planet and public health.

Earlier this summer, we kicked off our new Plant-Based Plates initiative by offering a culinary workshop and guest chef pop-up at the BC Children’s & Women’s Hospital. The hospital’s food service team explored making a number of plant-based dishes, including a Pad Thai and a Pulled BBQ Jackfruit Burrito. Vancouver Humane staff offered samples of the dishes during the lunch hour and handed out information and free recipes to hospital guests. The dishes proved popular, selling out during lunch, and the recipes have since been added to the café’s menu rotation.

Guest Chef Andrea Potter of Rooted Nutrition leads BC Children’s & Women’s Hospital staff in a plant-based culinary workshop.

We look forward to continuing to support institutions throughout Metro Vancouver in bringing their menus into alignment with the growing body of evidence that concludes a global dietary shift toward a plant-based diet is not only one of the most effective ways to reduce our individual environmental footprint, but it’s also necessary if we are to meet our global climate targets. This is why Plant-Based Plates will also focus on government food and procurement policies, encouraging a shift toward prioritizing animal-friendly and climate-friendly plant-based foods.

We all have a role to play in protecting animals, the planet and public health, and a great place to start is with what we put on our plates. Looking for recipes? Take our Plant-Based Pledge and receive a weekly recipe sent to your inbox! If you’re interested in bringing more plant-based meals to your school/school district, workplace or community, we encourage you to check out our new Plant-Based Plates website and get in touch with us! Please also consider making a donation to help us continue this important work.

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The McVitie Fund save lives!

Meet Noah

Noah found his way into the home and heart of his current guardian nearly four years ago, after his previous family no longer wanted to care for him. His guardian describes him as a wonderful companion who brings her so much joy every day.

Back in 2017 Noah developed a tumour in his mouth, along with an ear infection and hot spots. His caregiver took him to the vet, but as a pensioner on disability her funds were limited.

Thanks to the McVitie Fund, VHS was able to step in to help and Noah underwent surgery to remove the tumour and receive medications to treat his ear infection and hot spots.

He’s since recovered and his guardian is grateful for the assistance she received in a time of need.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters we are able to continue helping animals like Noah. Since the start of 2019 we’ve helped over 30 animals in need of veterinary assistance, whether that be through spay and neuters, emergency dental work, x-rays or even surgery!

Unfortunately there are very few options available for low-income guardians in emergencies. That’s why the McVitie Fund aims to keep beloved animals in their forever home instead of being surrendered to over-burdened shelters or unnecessarily euthanized.

Click here to find out more about the McVitie Fund and read more heartwarming stories of the animals we’ve helped thanks to donations from our supporters! 

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VHS Visits The Happy Herd Farm Sanctuary

 

Earlier this week, Vancouver Humane Society staff spent the morning volunteering at The Happy Herd Farm Sanctuary in Aldergrove.

After helping clean up around the sanctuary, we spent some down time with the rescued animals who call Happy Herd home.

The pigs came running to the gate to greet us and ask for treats (which they sat nicely for!). While we cleaned, they played in the mud and requested the occasional belly rub.

We also visited with the goats while they enjoyed their lunch, which they generously shared with some of the chickens. Lunch was followed by the goats showing off their climbing skills on the ramps set up in their area.

The cows spent the morning lounging in the field and soaking up the sun. Meanwhile, the turkeys, Moe and Leonard, who go everywhere together, stopped by to show off their beautiful feathers and to check in on everyone. They’re very curious and love following guests around the sanctuary.

Seeing the animals at Happy Herd live out their lives as they should – playing, exploring, enjoying a mud bath, asking to be pet and napping in the shade – is a reminder of how similar they are to the cats and dogs we open our homes and hearts to. They share the same capacity for love, happiness, fear and suffering, yet society treats them very differently.

This is something both The Happy Herd and Vancouver Humane strive to change. Please consider supporting the wonderful work that Happy Herd does to help farmed animals in need and be sure to mark your calendars for our joint Giving Tuesday fundraiser on December 3rd!

 

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Food and Drink News/Blog plant-based diet Promoted Uncategorized vegan vegetarianism

Vancouver Park Board puts more plant-based foods on concession menus

Umaluma dairy-free gelato / @vanparkboard

Nothing beats spending a sunny summer day at one of Vancouver’s beautiful beaches, pools or parks – except maybe doing that while also enjoying a delicious plant-based meal or treat. Thanks to some new menu additions at a number of city-run concession stands, it’s never been easier to do exactly that!  

Mark Halyk, the Food & Beverage Operations Manager for the Vancouver Board of Parks & Recreation, explained that the move to offer more veg and vegan options on concession menus is part of the city’s larger effort to meet the growing demand for local, healthier and more sustainable foods.  Other recent sustainability-focused Park Board initiatives include reducing single-use plastics, switching to wooden cutlery and offering discounts to patrons who supply their own travel mug.    

The new menu additions are a big change from what you might typically find at concession stands. They include a variety of veg and vegan Vij’s curries (available at Second Beach and Jericho beach locations), battered cauliflower tacos and battered avocado tacos that are veg but can be made vegan (available at all locations except Sunset Beach and Railway Café), plant-based burgers including the Beyond Meat burger and Yves burger (available at all locations) and fresh plant-based salads with greens grown on local golf courses (available at Second Beach, Third Beach, Kitsilano pool, Jericho Beach and Spanish Banks East).

You’ll also be able to cool off with plant-based Umaluma gelato (available at Kitsilano pool and Jericho Beach) and treat yourself to Erin Ireland’s “To Die For” plant-based loaves and cookies and Three Farmers roasted chickpea, lentil and pea snacks (available at all locations). 

Plant-based “Beyond Meat” burger / @foodlees

Recent surveys have indicated that a growing number of Canadians are reducing their consumption of animal-based foods. In fact, a survey released just last week from Insights West found that 27% of Canadians are likely to consider a vegetarian diet and 11% would take the next step and explore a vegan diet. Meanwhile, 26% of Canadians are likely to drop dairy from their diet. Younger generations are especially open to changing their diets – with 38% of 18-34-year-olds likely to go veg; 17% are likely to try veganism; and 36% are likely to go dairy-free. The survey found the leading motivators for those considering veg and vegan diets are animal cruelty, environmental impact, and personal health.

With awareness building around the many benefits of a plant-based diet, Vancouver Humane is thrilled to see more humane, healthy and sustainable plant-based foods on city menus. Improving public access to these foods is a step in the right direction when it comes to creating a more just and sustainable food system. So, the next time you’re out and about in Vancouver enjoying the beautiful summer weather and are in need of a meal or snack, be sure to check out the plant-based options at any nearby city-run concession stand!

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McVitie Fund success!

We are so grateful to all of our supporters for donating to the McVitie Fund over the past year. Thanks to your support we raised a total of $20,409 which we’re delighted to say has been matched by a generous anonymous donor! That means we’ve received a total of $40,818 to help sick and injured animals in need.  

On average, our veterinary bills amount to over $40,000 per year and as we receive no government funding, we really do rely on our generous donors.

Thanks to our supporters, in the past year alone we have helped over 70 animals in need. Animals like Millie, a seven-year-old female tabby, who was diagnosed with cancer and required surgery to remove one of her ears. 

Milly’s guardian reached out to us for financial assistance and thanks to the money raised through our McVitie Fund, we were able to help. Milly’s operation went well and she is now in recovery. 

We receive several phone calls a week from worried guardians asking us for financial help. Unfortunately there are very few options available for low-income guardians in emergencies, that’s where our McVitie Fund comes in. The McVitie Fund aims to keep beloved animals in their forever home instead of being surrendered to over-burdened shelters or unnecessarily euthanized.

We’re so pleased to announce that our generous anonymous donor has agreed again to match all donations, up to a total of $25,000, received towards the McVitie Fund from May 1st 2019 – April 30th 2020. Please help save a life today by contributing to the McVitie Fund!

You can donate to help animals and your donation will be doubled through our challenge grant!

On behalf of animals like Brandy, thank you!