Resources and Links

Stray Pets

Ladybird does not accept stray animals directly from the public. Here are the steps to take if you have found a pet:

Contact your local municipality’s animal services
Post in your local Lost & Found group on Facebook and on websites like Kijiji
Visit a vet clinic to have the animal scanned for a microchip
Put up flyers in your neighbourhood

Surrendering Your Pet

Ladybird does not accept owner surrenders directly from the public. We encourage you to inquire amongst your friends and family. See if you can find a suitable home for your pet before attempting to contact shelters or rescues. Try posting a photo and message on your Facebook page or other social media – ask your friends and family to re-post your plea. You my also contact your veterinarian for suggestions on what to do.

Please read this helpful article for more suggestions and ideas:

Finding A Responsible Home For Your Pet

Below is a list of other shelters and rescues who may be able to provide assistance.

Low Cost Spaying and Neutering

Low-Cost Spay Neuter Clinics: This is a wonderful alternative for spaying or neutering your pet – without the often exorbitant cost of conventional veterinary bills.

Hamilton SPCA Spay Neuter Services
East Village Animal Hospital Clinics (Hamilton, Kitchener, London)
Ontario SPCA Spay Neuter Clinics (Stouffville & Barrie)
Welland and District Regional Spay Neuter Clinic
Humane Society of Greater Niagara Spay Neuter Clinic
Niagara Spay Neuter Assistance Program
Toronto Humane Society Spay Neuter Clinic
Toronto Animal Services Spay Neuter Clinic
Windsor/Essex County Humane Society Spay Neuter Clinic

Financial Assistance for Pet Owners

Community Relations Programs

Ontario SPCA
The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society offers emergency sheltering to help pet parents when they need it most. For those who can’t return home for one reason or another – perhaps they are fleeing domestic abuse, or suddenly find themselves without a home – the Ontario SPCA can help keep their animals safe as they get back on their feet.

Oakville & Milton Humane Society
The Families in Transition program was established to address the needs of those families who are in transition by providing temporary foster care, boarding, crating assistance, medical care, materials and food for pets. Temporary safe care for the pets, or other assistance ensures the family unit can be kept together.

Toronto Humane Society
Urgent Care is a response-based, preventative program, offering temporary foster care for pet owners experiencing a short-term crisis which impacts their ability to care for their pet. The program is available to pet owners who have no other options, and do not wish to be separated from their animal.

Kitchener Waterloo Humane Society
The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo & Stratford Perth is proud to offer an Emergency Boarding Program in partnership with various social agencies and emergency services in Waterloo Region and Perth County. This program offers pet owners short-term housing for their pet(s) when experiencing a personal emergency or crisis.

Second Hope Circle
Second Hope Circle help people and pets stay together in Ontario
through community programs, humane education and financial assistance.

Through Ruff Times
Through Ruff Times hope to reduce barriers for people who experience
poverty, homelessness, mental health and substance use challenges,
violent living conditions and/or any other hurdles. They offer options
so that people do not need to make a choice between accessing supports
or losing their animal companions.

Community Veterinary Outreach
Community Veterinary Outreach’s clinics provide preventive veterinary
care & connect homeless pet owners to healthcare & social services.

SafePet Program
SafePet Ontario coordinates foster care for the pets of survivors fleeing violent situations.

Pet Food Banks

Small Animal Vets

Not every veterinary clinic offers specialized care for small animals like rabbits, guinea pigs, rodents, reptiles and birds. These types of animals require a vet who has the expertise to properly treat “exotic” pets to give them the best care possible. We’ve compiled a list of vets in the Hamilton and surrounding area that we have either used ourselves, or confirmed that the clinic has a vet on staff who is trained in small animal care.

SMALL ANIMAL VET CLINICS

Animal Introductions

We strongly recommend slow and patient introductions when bringing your adopted animal to a home with existing pets. Please see this helpful article with some great information on ways to introduce animals into your home.
Click here

Southern Ontario Rescues and Shelters

HAMILTON AREA
Animal Adoptions of Flamborough
Action Volunteers for Animals
Abandoned Cat Rescue
Burlington Animal Control
Burlington Humane Society
Hamilton Animal Services
Hamilton SPCA
Hammer City Paws Rescue
Oakville and Milton Humane Society
Pomeranian and Small Breed Rescue
Pride Rescue
Rescue Hamilton Cats
Salty Animal Rescue
The Dog Rescuers Inc.
Urban Tails Animal Rescue
Roo Roo Cat Rescue
Pantry Four Paws
Serenity Guinea Pig Rescue

NIAGARA AREA
Beamsville 4Paw Rescue
Lincoln County Humane Society
Neveah’s Charity of West Lincoln Cat Rescue
Niagara Dog Rescue
Pets Alive Niagara
Pumpkin’s Acres Rabbit Rescue

TORONTO AREA
Abby Cat Adoptions
All Creatures Rescue
Annex Cat Rescue
Cats Anonymous Rescue and Adoption
Dog Tales Rescue Sanctuaryc
Forgotten Ones Cat Rescue
Just Paws Animal Rescue
Little RES Q
Ninth Life Cat Rescue
North Toronto Cat Rescue
Rescue Angels
Save Our Scruff
Speaking Of Dogs
Team Cat Rescue
Team Dog Rescue
Tiny Paws Rabbit Rescue
Toronto Animal Services
Toronto Cat Rescue
Toronto Humane Society

OTHER AREAS
Brant County SPCA
Brantford Animal Services
Frankie’s World Rat Rescue
Happy’s Place – Retirement Home for Dogs
Hearts to Homes Feline Rescue & Sanctuary
New Hope Animal Rescue
Rabbit Rescue Inc
Running Rabbit Farm Rabbit Rescue Sanctuary
Teeny Snoots Rat Rescue

Farm Sanctuaries

Black Goat Farm and Sanctuary
Carroll’s Animal Sanctuary and Rescue
Cedar Row Farm Sanctuary
The Donkey Sanctuary of Canada
Frog Hollow Farm Sanctuary
Grey’s Haven Farm Sanctuary
Happily Ever Esther
Happy Tails Animal Sanctuary
Piebird Farm Sanctuary
Ralphy’s Retreat
Ruby Ranch Pig Sanctuary
Wishing Well Sanctuary
Whispering Hearts Horse Sanctuary

Trap Neuter Return (TNR)

This program is in place in many cities. Learn more about how people are trying to control the populations of feral cat colonies.

Hamilton SPCA TNR Program
Hamilton Street Cats
Port Colborne Feline Initiative
Niagara Falls Community Cats
Telephone City Feral Cat Rescue (Brantford)
Toronto Street Cats
Toronto Feral Cat Coalition

Wildlife

Ladybird doesn’t rescue wildlife, but this website is a great resource
to find wildlife centres that are authorized by the
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources: