09/03/2026
It’s been seven weeks since wildfires in Northern Ontario began forcing communities from their homes, and the response continues.
In those first uncertain days, our community did what it does best: showed up.
Foster volunteers opened their homes. Drivers travelled long distances. Donors provided urgently needed supplies. Staff and volunteers welcomed incoming pets. And animal welfare organizations and community partners worked together to create capacity and provide support where it was needed most.
That support is still making a difference today.
Through our partnership with Northern Reach Rescue Network, the GTHS continues to help create critical space for pets in the North, provide support where it’s needed most, and help people stay connected to the pets who are important to them as they navigate an uncertain time and begin the next journey forward.
We are especially grateful to the local partners who found practical ways to help this response keep moving. 💙
The Home Depot Collingwood covered the cost of a large cargo van rental, a contribution of nearly $320, and made sure a van was available when our team needed it. Their generosity helped us transport the supplies and resources needed to support the response.
Blue Mountain Resort is also continuing to support communities in the North through a donation of clothing, including T-shirts, polos, long-sleeved shirts, jackets and snow gear. These items are being coordinated with our Northern partners so they can go where they are most needed.
These contributions are a powerful reminder that supporting pets also means supporting the people and communities around them.
To every foster family, volunteer, driver, donor, community member, business, and animal welfare partner who has answered the call, thank you.
The immediate emergency may look different today, but recovery takes time. Pets continue to need care. Communities continue to move forward. And the partnerships strengthened through this response continue to matter.
You can continue to support this emergency response by:
- Becoming a foster volunteer
- Adopting a pet already waiting at the GTHS
- Donating toward transportation, medical care, and daily supplies (collars, leashes, dog bowls, cat litter, slip leads)
- Sharing this message with your community
Learn more and support the response at gths.ca/gths-wildfire-response
From all of us at the GTHS, thank you for showing what’s possible when a community comes together for pets and people. 💙🐾
Northern Reach Network The Home Depot Jobs at Blue
