Nurturing Bonds and Building Futures

Written by Tegan Buckingham, CFRE, MSA

In 2023, we at Toronto Humane Society dedicated our efforts to keeping families together and ensuring pets stayed in their loving homes. This not only reduced the number of animals needing shelter, but also expanded our community service programs to support both pets and their guardians. By focusing here, we strengthened human-animal bonds and tackled the root challenges facing our community, reflecting a broader move towards preventive measures and community-based solutions.

As someone who has been with Toronto Humane Society for nearly 10 years, and a monthly donor myself, I have witnessed first-hand the transformative impact of our collective efforts. I’m thrilled to share that, thanks to the generosity of donors like you, more than 1,700 animals found their forever homes last year. Even more heartwarming, many pets were able to remain in their loving homes thanks to the support you provided enabling our Pet Parent Support Network and other vital programs.

Our Urgent Care Program, sustained by your donations and the hard work of dedicated volunteer foster parents, continues to provide temporary care for pets during family crises. This ensures that pets received the care they needed without breaking the precious bonds they share with their families. Additionally, our veterinary care programs have been instrumental in safeguarding the health and well-being of countless pets across our community.

Last year alone, our Pet Food Bank and Community Day events distributed over 189,000 pounds of pet food. This crucial support allowed pet guardians facing hardships to concentrate on their own well-being, knowing their beloved companions had something in their bellies.

Transparency and Accountability

At Toronto Humane Society, we hold ourselves to the highest standards of transparency and accountability. I want you to know exactly how your generous donations are spent, ensuring they make the most significant impact possible. Feel free to take a look at our publicly available financial reports. It’s a great way to see the direct effects of your generosity.

Building Long-lasting Relationships

Building meaningful, lasting relationships with you, our donors, is incredibly important to us. My team and I are always here to help guide your contributions in a way that aligns with both your personal philanthropic goals and the mission of Toronto Humane Society. We promise to keep you updated regularly, so you can see how your support is making a difference.

The Power of Monthly Giving

Embracing monthly giving has provided our organization with a dependable source of income, which in turn offers us the financial stability needed to respond quickly to emergencies and to plan for the future. This method of giving is becoming increasingly popular, providing not just stability for our operations but also convenience for you. It’s an easy way to help, and it makes a huge difference to what we can achieve together.

As I reflect on the progress we’ve made together, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your impactful contributions. Your continued support in 2024 is invaluable to us. With each passing year, I am reminded of the incredible community we have built together. Your dedication allows us not only to meet the immediate needs of animals and their families but also to foster a compassionate community that truly values and supports the welfare of all its members. Thank you for being such a vital part of our mission and our community. Let’s continue this remarkable journey together.

About Tegan Buckingham, CFRE, MSA Director, Integrated Marketing and Development

Tegan Buckingham is a passionate animal lover who’s devoted to giving back in honour of the animals that she has been surrounded with her entire life. Tegan’s Master’s Degree in Spatial Analytics from TMU (formerly Ryerson University) planted the roots for her career to blossom. She started with us as an administrative assistant and grew to the position of Director of Integrated Marketing and Development. Tegan is a Certified Fund Raising Executive and outside of Toronto Humane Society, sits as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Precious Minds Support Services. While at Toronto Humane Society, Tegan has also written several publications, including an organizational paper on estimating the population of community cats. Tegan is passionate about the work we do as a collective organization every day to help animals and their families. Working at Toronto Humane Society allows Tegan to fulfill her lifelong passion and make a difference in the lives of animals and people everyday.