$50,000 raised for pets in need
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
$50,000 raised for pets in need
In celebration of 21 years of bringing vet care to pets in need across Canada, Community Veterinary Outreach (CVO) and its supporters trekked, traveled, and raised $50,000 for these initiatives to continue.
The second annual Cross-Canada Community Challenge ran from October 1-31, 2024, asking participants to log their kilometres and activity, and raise funds together. Veterinary teams, corporate groups, and volunteers came together to raise 20% more funds than last year.
“We care so much about the pets and people in our community; it was a no-brainer to get involved alongside other veterinary teams,” shares one veterinary clinic owner who participated with their staff.
Bringing Canadians together, over $50,000 was raised to support accessible care across the nation. This was thanks to participants, donors, and event sponsors, including Royal Canin Canada, NVA Canada, Vetoquinol, Virbac, and Hill’s Pet Nutrition.
“I’m thrilled with how our community of volunteers showed up this year across the country to support people and pets in need,” says CEO Dr. Melanie Barham. “These funds are already being put to use to provide medical care to the people and animals who need it most. Last year we more than doubled the number of pets served, and we’re seeing unprecedented requests across the country.”
While the event is over for another year, the charity’s work is far from done. The organization has held over 40 pop up clinic events across Canada this year, with more planned in the cold months of the year. Veterinary teams provide dewormer, flea and tick medications, vaccines, and pet food. For the people at the other end of the leash, human health providers give flu and COVID vaccinations, housing services, dental care, smoking cessation and more.
Donations to help fund medical care are gratefully accepted at www.vetoutreach.org/donate
Participants tracked their kilometres and also got the chance to join industry leading continuing education webinars for veterinary teams and pet owners. These included:
- Dr. Natasha Smith’s talk on “Is your pet a healthy weight? Looking beyond the scale”
- Dr. Sara Ritzie’s “Everybody Wins: Expanding the Spectrum of Care in Veterinary Medicine”
- Dr. Leann Benedetti & Dr. Brenda Taylor’s presentation: “Bridging the Gap: Navigating the Spectrum of Care through Context, Collaboration, and Compassion”
- Dr. Sarah Machell’s “Parasitology, Taking a Cat-Centric approach”
- Robin Saar, RVT,’s talk “Gut Guardians Understanding the Role of the Gut Microbiome in Pet Wellness”
Community Veterinary Outreach is a national organization and a registered charity in Canada. The organization has 11 locations from coast-to-coast. Over its 21 year history, the organization has innovated compassionate and accessible health care for both people and their pets experiencing homelessness. CVO has received funding from organizations at the national, international, and local levels. The organization also works with multiple educational institutions to provide graduate student supervision and answer research questions to support the communities they serve.
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Interested community members can learn more about Community Veterinary Outreach, including information on donating and volunteering, by visiting https://vetoutreach.org/ or checking out @vetoutreach on Instagram and Community Veterinary Outreach on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Community Veterinary Outreach works directly with case-worker referrals. There are exceptions: CVO’s Vancouver region accepts drop-ins and CVO Whitehorse region accepts referrals from First Nation organizations. Individuals in need of services offered by Community Veterinary Outreach can have their social/case worker email info@vetoutreach.org to receive details!
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Learn more and donate here: www.vetoutreach.org
Media inquiries and to learn how your organization can get involved: www.vetoutreach.org/contact-us/
Stay connected on our Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to keep updated and look out for our 2025 Cross-Canada Community Challenge.
