STOUFFVILLE, Ontario, Feb. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Providing foster care to shelter animals can sometimes be stressful, which is why the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is implementing a new program that enables their foster “parents” across the province to connect with veterinarians online when after-hours medical attention is needed.
Healthy Pets is Canada’s first solution for text and video-based medicine in veterinary care. The Healthy Pets program simplifies access to pet care through a convenient, on-demand and affordable tool that connects pet parents online to a trusted network of local veterinarians.
The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society has teamed up with Healthy Pets to give its foster parents access to this veterinary telemedicine service. Should a foster pet become ill, or if there is a concern for the animal’s health after hours when veterinary clinics are closed, Ontario SPCA foster parents can access the Healthy Pets program and visit with a veterinarian via text or video conferencing, without having to leave their home.
“Our foster families dedicate their time to help care for animals that require extra attention and are often sick, requiring veterinarian care,” says Daryl Vaillancourt, Chief, Humane Programs & Community Outreach, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society. “We are very excited about this program and how it can support the care of the animals that come through our doors every day.”
“We are thrilled to be partnering with the legacy organization that is the OSPCA. Our mutual goal of providing the best possible pet care to any animal in need made this partnership a no-brainer for us,” says Emma Harris, the founder and CEO of Healthy Pets, who was featured on the CBC program, Dragons’ Den. “Working with Daryl and his team has been incredible; their support and dedication to animal welfare is inspiring. I have no doubt we’ll be able to support countless animals through the unique service model offered by Healthy Pets, which is very exciting.”
For more information on Healthy Pets, visit www.healthypets.io
Interested in becoming a foster parent? Visit ontariospca.ca to learn more about the Ontario SPCA’s foster program.
MEDIA CONTACT
Melissa Kosowan
Ontario SPCA
mkosowan@ospca.on.ca
The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society
The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is a registered charity, established in 1873. The Society and its network of animal welfare communities facilitate and provide for province-wide leadership on matters relating to the prevention of cruelty to animals and the promotion of animal well-being. Offering a variety of mission-based programs including community-based sheltering, animal wellness services, provincial animal transfers, shelter health & wellness, high-volume spay/neuter services, animal rescue, animal advocacy, Indigenous partnership programs and humane education, the Ontario SPCA is Ontario’s animal welfare charity.