Idea acf3132:

Help the Humane Society of Durham Region Rebuild

Posted November 4, 2009

• Posted by: Ruby Richards
• Organization: Humane Society of Durham Region
• Location: Whitby, Ontario, Canada
• Category: Have other ideas
• Cost: Big ($50,000 – $250,000)

The Humane Society of Durham Region was destroyed by fire on December 17th 2008. We have the land to rebuild but we need to raise the money to put the new building up. We have started and we would like to raise enough money through this campain to pay for the sprinkler and security systems in the new shelter as it is a requirement for the new building. We don't want to ever have to go through the horror of something like that again. We lost over 130 animals in that fire and the devestation it brought to the staff and volunteers is still felt to this day. We hope to have the new shelter up and running by the summer of 2010. With your support we can make this a reality.

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  Shelter Fire
  December 17th 2008, the aftermath of the fire that destroyed our shelter.
  November 4, 2009 @ 4:03 PM

  
  
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  Devestation
  Totally destroyed
  November 4, 2009 @ 4:05 PM

  
  
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  Where our new home will be
  This is the property at the corner of William Smith Drive and Wentworth Street in Whitby where we are going to build the new shelter. A 6100 Square foot building with lots of light and space to keep the animals happy and healthy.
  November 4, 2009 @ 4:10 PM

  
  

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• Daisy

  We hope that the events last year never happen again! Durham Region deserves a new home for our pets. Everyone can make a difference! Visit the temporary shelter and judge for yourself!
  November 5, 2009 @ 10:54 AM EST

  
  

• timbit

  It was so sad to hear about the loss. It's great to see the support for a new home. Everyone would benefit.
  November 6, 2009 @ 9:02 AM EST

  
  

• shiney1969

  I hope this never happens to another animal ever again, when I saw that in the paper I was devastated,those poor animals that couldn't get out how terrible. So ppl need to vote so they can get a sprinkler system. I tell ya if I had the money I would do it myself so that another animal would never suffer...if u need any help doing fund raisers or anything I will gladly help out....my email is shiney1969@yahoo.com.....don't hesitate to email....
  November 6, 2009 @ 4:01 PM EST

  
  

• starttomorro

  VOTE VOTE VOTE! The last round winners had over 3000 votes....
  November 6, 2009 @ 4:18 PM EST

  
  

• jonas&nikki

  A few votes from the volunteers at the Cochrane and Area Humane Society in Alberta. Good luck.
  November 6, 2009 @ 6:04 PM EST

  
  

• Matthew

  We won a contest to bring Kiss to Oshawa, Lets do it again with this contest, for a cause that really matters! Make sure you tell everyone you know to vote! lets get the Durham Region Humane Society a new home!
  November 7, 2009 @ 7:00 PM EST

  
  

• debbie

  Please, please, please vote - the animals need our help. We can do this!!
  November 9, 2009 @ 9:05 AM EST

  
  

• Keith

  It is often said, Societies are judged on how they treat their senior citizens and their animals. The Durham Humane Society is committed to saving, treating and helping "helpless victims" of our society. Please help those that cannot help themselves. Keith
  November 9, 2009 @ 11:44 AM EST

  
  

• Gin

  Back in 2000 this shelter took in around 40 domestic rats who had been abandoned to die in a field. That speaks worlds for the staff, and their love of animals both large and small. I'm voting again tomorrow, and each day until the competition ends. I hope everyone who visits here does the same.
  November 12, 2009 @ 1:26 AM EST

  
  

• EM

  Please, please vote for this idea. The staff are so committed to their animals and are truly deserving of the new shelter. We need it for the animals. I have adopted a cat from the shelter and it truly was "the new friend that was waiting for me". They are the most hard-working staff around and love every pet that comes through their doors.
  November 12, 2009 @ 7:59 AM EST

  
  

• Connie

  I well remember this horrific fire (even though I live in the States), learning about it through a my Ratlist buddy, Virginia. She knows Ruby Richards well, and was always sharing wonderful stories with us about this particular shelter and about Ruby and the staff there. The loss of animals in that fire was sickening - and so preventable had there been a sprinkler system. I also remember when they took in those poor, frightened, abandoned ratties (found in a field, soaking wet after wild, intensely violent thunderstorms). Virginia took a LOT of them home with her after Ruby and her staff took them in. This shelter is probably the most humanely run shelter in the whole N.A. continent. They deserve all the help they can get. PLEASE pass this on to any groups you belong to which might come to their aid!
  November 13, 2009 @ 1:20 AM EST

  
  

• muffybowser

  I want to see a new animal shelter built .I will vote until eveerything needed is gotten.because when it is built I would like to volunteer to work at the shelter if that is possible. I will vote as often as possible.
  November 13, 2009 @ 5:32 PM EST

  
  

• ucla_kid

  Help vote for a great cause ! The people and volunteers behind this project are highly motivated and deserve your support and your votes ! I have met one of the many Durham Humane Society's volunteers and she is one of the most caring, tireless, unselfish person dedicated to this project. Let's see it through to its completion ! Cheers and Best Wishes !
  November 14, 2009 @ 6:59 AM EST

  
  

• roko1

  Plz vote! Any poor neglected abandoned pet of Durham needs you and a new home!
  November 14, 2009 @ 7:14 AM EST

  
  

• moviecar

  Please do anything, and everything that you can do to help. Vote, volunteer, donate, and adopt. These little friends of ours, need our help!
  November 14, 2009 @ 6:23 PM EST

  
  

• jamers

  Weneed all the help we can get for our furry little friends. Please Vote Now!!!!
  November 15, 2009 @ 1:08 AM EST

  
  

• EM

  Just a reminder with 15 hours to go. Please vote and ask your friends to join and vote for this worthy cause.
  November 15, 2009 @ 8:29 AM EST

  
  

• ucla_kid

  460 votes ! Come on peeps !! Let's push this even further to plus 600 !!!
  November 15, 2009 @ 8:33 AM EST

  
  

• Gin

  I'm all voted out :-( Hopefully a lot of people will come back and cast votes again.
  November 15, 2009 @ 9:55 AM EST

  
  

• DonnaLinda

  Both my dogs are resue dogs. We sometimes wonder who was resued them or us. They have filled our lives with love. We are so blessed. We were so heart broken when we heard about the fire.
  November 15, 2009 @ 1:20 PM EST

  
  

• Bird

  Having had 8 dogs and 6 cats in my home all at one time, all lost and found, I had creaded a lovely family. Of all these, one cat, Bixby, was with me for 26 years until he finally had to go to the other side earlier this year. Max, a white poodle who was wandering a bird sanctrary, came home with me and we were pals until he died two years ago. Animals have played an important part in my life and without them life is squite empty. Of course, now with a new partner came another dog, a scruff hair Jack Russell. What a wonderful way to spend the last quaarter of my life.
  November 15, 2009 @ 1:23 PM EST

  
  

• ro

  My first dog Madeline called your original site - her birth place - she ignited our love of dogs, always two at a time. Can't imagine life without them, and now with kids - dogs and kids go together. I pray every day we win the big lottery so we can supply the society with everything it needs so the past will never repeat itself.
  November 15, 2009 @ 7:18 PM EST

  
  

• vic

  This was a horrible incidently that I remember very well. Last year in my first year of university at WLU my house council put on a fundraiser to help this poor cause. So much more is needed for this amazing facility, please vote and help give some amazing animals a hope and the knowledge that someone loves them like the AMAZING staff here.
  November 16, 2009 @ 8:39 AM EST

  
  

• ucla_kid

  Great job peeps !!! On to round 3 !!! Keep on voting !!!
  November 16, 2009 @ 9:50 AM EST

  
  

• 5cats

  We brought our cat Molly from the old shelter way back in 2000 and remember the great job staff did in those overcrowded conditions. Let's make sure our new home is built with everything it needs to provide humane care.
  November 16, 2009 @ 1:42 PM EST

  
  

• 5cats

  We brought our cat Molly from the old shelter way back in 2000 and remember the great job staff did in those overcrowded conditions. Let's make sure our new home is built with everything it needs to provide humane care.
  November 16, 2009 @ 1:42 PM EST

  
  

• Leanne

  Over our 30+ years of pet ownership, our family has had the pleasure of adopting several cats from the Humane Society of Durham Region. All have been absolutely wonderful creatures. Starting at 10 years old, I served as a volunteer at the shelter for numerous years. I was responsible for finding the forever homes for hundreds of cats during that time. The memories of that incredible experience stay with me to this day. For years this shelter has worked within the confines of building not ideally suited to their needs. They deserve a beautiful new home so that they can continue to provide the high level of care, compassion and love to the helpless animals of the Durham Region. PLEASE, PLEASE make this dream come true!
  November 17, 2009 @ 11:05 AM EST

  
  

• fourfeet

  Durham Region badly needs a decent Humane Society, not only because of being burnt out of their old home, but because there is such abuse and neglect of animals going on in Oshawa particularily. All sorts of cats and dogs are left to roam and have no owners or homes or love. The Oshawa creek and many other areas are famous dumping grounds for unwanted pets. Oshawa badly needs a reasonable spay/neuter clinic too. I can understand that financially there are a lot that can't afford vet care for their pets. It's easy to say that those who can't afford pets should not have them. But, often, a cat or dog is a person's only real lifeline in this society. As a society we must do and care for those who cannot speak for themselves.
  November 17, 2009 @ 2:05 PM EST

  
  

• roko1

  350 votes ... Please .... We can do better !!! Ask your friends and colleagues !!! Get the vote out and spread the word !!!
  November 20, 2009 @ 12:54 AM EST

  
  

• roko1

  ah, 335 votes :( ... pls keep voting !
  November 20, 2009 @ 5:39 AM EST

  
  

• ucla_kid

  500 votes !!!
  November 21, 2009 @ 6:29 PM EST

  
  

• Gin

  Pass the word to everyone that you know. Remember to tell them that voting is daily, not just a one time.
  November 21, 2009 @ 8:21 PM EST

  
  

• Gin

  This was written by Heide Walsh, may she rest in peace: http://www.rmca.org/Articles/ballad.htm It expresses what happened that year very well.
  November 21, 2009 @ 8:56 PM EST

  
  

• Gin

  http://www.rmca.org/Articles/ballad.htm
  November 21, 2009 @ 8:57 PM EST

  
  

• ucla_kid

  A week to go ... 590 votes ... Please keep up the good work and spread the message ... Vote daily ! ...
  November 22, 2009 @ 11:54 PM EST

  
  

• bogey

  Keep up the good work. It is all about the animals.
  November 23, 2009 @ 9:35 AM EST

  
  

• ucla_kid

  Six days to go ... 662 votes ...
  November 23, 2009 @ 7:32 PM EST

  
  

• timmyjackie

  keep voting, e-mail your friends to help get more votes! the animals need our help. my dog Jackie was adopted the night before the fire............she is so sweet and loving. thanks to her foster mother Linda T.
  November 24, 2009 @ 1:23 AM EST

  
  

• ucla_kid

  771 ! We still need more votes with four days to go ! Ultimately, it's our animal friends that need our help and a new shelter would make life easier for all concerned ! Plz Vote !
  November 25, 2009 @ 9:35 AM EST

  
  

• EM

  Help support a great cause. Your votes are needed with only three days left.
  November 26, 2009 @ 12:57 PM EST

  
  

• starttomorro

  Hey Folks! Thanks for all the votes - let's keep it going!! And don't forget to follow the Humane Society of Durham Region on Twitter! http://twitter.com/HumaneSocietyDR
  November 27, 2009 @ 11:13 PM EST

  
  

• TJ

  FIngers crossed and wishing the Humane Society of Durham off the Best! Thanks for all your continued great work!
  November 28, 2009 @ 2:57 AM EST

  
  

• nicolec

  I hope an alarm and sprinkler system will be installed in the new shelter. No animal shelter should ever be without! We are so thankful that we adopted our cat Katie before this devastating event. We'll keep voting...
  November 28, 2009 @ 12:22 PM EST

  
  

• ucla_kid

  Over a 1000 votes ! ( 1024 ) Great work people ! More votes are still needed for this worthy cause ! Let's show our support !
  November 28, 2009 @ 1:07 PM EST

  
  

• misty

  I was at the temporary shelter today donating supplies- it's so small! They need to get the new building as soon as possible!
  November 28, 2009 @ 9:36 PM EST

  
  

• Nadine B.

  If ever there was a time for a well needed shelter....IT'S NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So many people have lost their jobs and their homes due to the economy. It's our beloved, little furry friends that pay the price. They are the ones that are discarded without a second thought. We need to do whatever it takes to get this new shelter built, up and running. As a very dedicated volunteer for the Durham Humane Society, I can tell you honestly, that I see this great need every single day. Let's all make a difference and help. The City desperately needs this shelter to be built and FAST! We are the ones that are there, when nobody else is. We really do care and we want all animals to be safe, fed and happy! PLEASE HELP US! VOTE, HOLD A FUNDRAISER, COLLECT DONATIONS.....Adopt an animal and have a friend for life. Please spay or neuter your pet, because this is where it all starts!!!!!!!!!!! Huggies for all the animals out there that need our love and support! YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERE
  November 29, 2009 @ 7:08 PM EST

  
  

• FosterMom

  I have fostered for this Humane Society for some time. I have never meet more dedicated people in my 20 years of fostering. They go above and beyond what most organizations due for there furry friends in need. They never turn down an animal that needs help and place no limits to how far they will go to save their lives! It's places like The Oshawa Humane Society that we need to support, especially considering recent news from Toronto. Tell everyone about this great cause, and we can make this happen.
  November 29, 2009 @ 9:21 PM EST

  
  

• fourfeet

  I am very worried now that this part of the voting is over and neither the Humane Society of Durham, nor the Spay/Neuter clinic made it through in this round. I am somewhat amazed at some of the ideas that are making it through, and feel that these two ideas are a lot more worthy and necessary than some of the others, most in fact. Please, let's all make the effort to get these issues back on track again.
  November 30, 2009 @ 7:21 PM EST

  
  

• shawna_crawf

  Help support a very important cause and much needed support!
  November 30, 2009 @ 10:06 PM EST

  
  

• lindyh

  I Hope you are able to get this project up and running!!! I also was very surprised that this did not get through! hope the future is more promising. Sorry i could not have helped more!!!
  December 9, 2009 @ 5:47 PM EST