Looking back at 2024

This new year brings new opportunities to make meaningful change for animals! As we prepare to build on last year’s momentum in 2025, here is a look back on how your support saved lives and built progress for a kinder world. 

As the shelter and rescue system continues to struggle to meet the needs of rescued and surrendered animals, it is crucial that loving guardians get the support they need to keep their companion animals in their homes. The VHS’s McVitie Fund helps animals get the emergency veterinary care they need to save their lives, avoid being separated from their guardians for financial reasons, and come home to recover with their families.

Last year, 721 animals received life-saving care through the McVitie Fund.

Kind animal lovers like you were here for animals like Bubba, who needed urgent surgery for a life-threatening urinary blockage. His young guardian Cassie, who was emancipated due to challenging life circumstances, was able to take her beloved companion home safe thanks to your support.

The VHS hosted two pet first aid training courses for service providers who support some of Vancouver’s most placed-at-risk communities in the Downtown Eastside.

With this training, community service providers who work directly with pet guardians every day can treat pets for minor injuries, perform early monitoring, and help animals get the care they need as soon as possible.

At the VHS’s annual Because They Matter event, staff and volunteers met in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside community to share veterinary support resources, pet toys, leashes, harnesses, and more essential supplies with animals and their guardians who spend their days on the streets.

The team handed out hundreds of pet supplies and pamphlets sharing life-saving information about the VHS’s veterinary support programs! Read more about the event in the piece from the Daily Hive.

The VHS and supporters were hard at work advocating to end the suffering of animals at the Calgary Stampede rodeo and chuckwagon races. A widespread campaign ensured that the deadliest event since 2019 would not be forgotten.

The VHS ran billboards throughout the city of Calgary, which gained further awareness through media coverage.

The VHS team closely monitored events to ensure last year’s tragic incidents were tracked and shared with the public through 45 media broadcasts and articles including on Global News, CTV News, CityNews Calgary, and the CBC. Stampede organizers only shared information about animal deaths after the VHS’s team and media contacts made inquiries.

More than 82,000 people visited the RodeoTruth.com website, reaching five times more people than last year’s awareness campaign. Another 5,245 people took the pledge to #SayNoToRodeo and the chuckwagon races at the Calgary Stampede.

Following the campaign, polling showed a a significant increase in public opposition to inhumane rodeo and chuckwagon races and to government funding of these events, both in Calgary and across Canada.

Two opinion pieces were published in this year’s event: The Calgary Stampede rodeo is cruel, stagnant and stuck in the past and Most Calgarians are against Stampede rodeo and chuckwagon events.

The 2024 B.C. rodeo season once again saw many concerning incidents of animal suffering.

The VHS submitted animal cruelty reports in response to particularly concerning incidents in Clinton and Coombs. The shocking incident in Coombs was shared by We Animals Media and eight media outlets.

The VHS and Animal Justice joined together to speak out against a bull riding event in Kelowna.

More than 2,500 people contacted B.C. decision-makers through the VHS’s quick action tool to oppose inhumane rodeo events in B.C. and to call for an end to public funding of these events.

The VHS and supporters continued to speak out about fatal incidents at Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver. Four horses tragically lost their lives at the racetrack this year.

Public awareness around the dangers of horse racing continues to grow as the VHS shares information about incidents in outlets like Global News, CTV News Vancouver, and City News Vancouver.

Last year, more than 2,900 people took the VHS’s pledge to oppose horse racing events.

The VHS continued to raise awareness about welfare concerns and incidents at zoos and aquariums, including the tragic death of Jenga the giraffe at the Greater Vancouver Zoo after years in a small, barren enclosure, and two fatal incidents at the Calgary Zoo.

More than 1,700 supporters used the VHS’s quick action tool to call for changes to B.C.’s laws around animals in captivity.

The National Farm Animal Care Council’s Codes of Practice provide guidance for the care and handling of farmed animals across Canada. Three codes came under revision last year: for horses on farms, for cattle used for meat, and for chickens and turkeys used for meat.

VHS supporters shared crucial feedback during the public input period for these codes, using the VHS’s tips sheets to ensure animal well-being is considered in the review process.

The VHS continued to advocate for an end to Canada’s cruel live horse export industry, sharing shocking exposes, timely actions, and an opinion piece written in collaboration with Animal Justice. Nearly 4,100 people supported the passing of Bill C-355, which would ban the export of horses on dangerous and stressful journeys to slaughter.

Sadly, the bill is currently in legislative limbo with Canada’s Parliament prorogued. Allies are encourage to contact the federal Minister of Agriculture and call for regulations to end the practice.

On Giving Tuesday, the VHS once again partnered with The Happy Herd Farm Sanctuary to raise funds for vital animal supplies to care for rescued animals in a loving forever home, life-saving veterinary support, and advocacy to create meaningful changes for animals.

Incredible animal allies helped keep animals safe and healthy by donating or shopping at participating businesses, and donations were matched by generous sponsors including Panago Pizza, Nora’s, and Plant Veda.

With the support of the community and matching donors, an amazing $28,500 was donated to help animals in need. Supporters of the Vancouver Humane Society and the Happy Herd’s Giving Tuesday campaign helped provide funds…

• …to cover food for all the cows of the Happy Herd for six months
• …AND for five vet visits to the Happy Herd
• …AND to cover food costs for all chickens at the Happy Herd for a year
• …AND for lifesaving tests for 50 pets in need through the VHS’s McVitie Fund
• …AND to reach 160,000 animal allies to advocate for meaningful policy changes that will improve animal lives

In May 2024, a motion was approved by the District of North Vancouver Mayor and Council to ensure plant-based options are included and prioritized at municipal events, meetings and other gatherings where the District purchases food.  

The motion was supported by local advocates, members of the Plant-Based Cities Movement (PBCM), and VHS supporters who live in the District. The VHS and the PBCM have been working together to advocate for plant-based municipal policies and will continue to support the District of North Vancouver in the implementation of this successful motion. 

This important step forward follows a previous motion in the District passed in March 2022 to grow awareness throughout the community of the health and environmental benefits of increasing the intake of plant-based foods. That motion cited VHS’s report entitled “Increasing Plant-Based Purchasing at the Municipal Level”.

The VHS and supporters also advocated for a shift toward plant-based foods in a public input survey for the Metro Vancouver Regional Food Strategy, which is being updated for the first time since 2011. The new strategy will impact the food system for more than half of British Columbians, including activities like:

• Producing food and making decisions about agricultural land use
• Serving food, such as through catering and cafeterias
• Marketing different types of food (e.g. dairy vs. plant-based alternatives)

A plant-forward shift in Metro Vancouver could save hundreds of thousands of animal lives.

The VHS launched a free toolkit to help restaurants add plant-based options to their menu with recipe ideas, simple ingredient swaps, and tips to help plant-based options stand out.

Last year also marked the beginning of the VHS’s Dairy-Free for No Fee café certification program, which encourages cafés to remove the surcharge for plant-based milk options and offers perks and marketing opportunities for those that go surcharge-free.

Last year, the VHS’s Plant University team dedicated their efforts to making plant-based eating more accessible and providing guidance on simple, compassionate dietary changes.

The VHS partnered with doctors, cooks, and advocates to create new and exciting articles, videos, and recipes for Plant University, the VHS’s plant-based resource website.

Messaging about the health benefits of plant-based eating were also shared throughout Vancouver through bus ads, billboards, and arena ads.

A kinder future for all species

Thank you for making a difference for animals in 2024! Your support is helping to build a more compassionate and humane future. Will you keep the momentum going by taking action on current campaigns to end animal suffering or contributing to vital animal programs and advocacy?