Are you curious about how your local Humane Society operates?
Want to know how you can make a difference for the animals in your community?
This interview with Natalie Thomas, Manager of Marketing and Communications with the Guelph Humane Society digs into how shelters run, the special people behind them, and what you can do to help.
We’ll also talk about all of the new construction that’s happening at the GHS’s brand new building and get a special sneak peek into what’s in the works.
Find them here –
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/guelphhumanesociety
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_ghs
Now, let’s get to the interview!
Transcription:
Laura Wombwell: Hi there, it’s Laura Wombwell from Laura Wombwell Photography and I am joined today by Natalie Thomas who is the Manager of Marketing and Communications with the Guelph Humane Society. Natalie, I’m so excited to have you here.
Natalie Thomas: Thanks for inviting us along. We’re really excited to be here, by we I mean the Humane Society.
Laura Wombwell: Of course. You’ve been with the Guelph Humane Society since 2020, but you’ve been involved in the animal care industry long before that. So tell me a little bit about how you started.
Natalie Thomas: Yeah, so, I was working at The Weather Network actually to start. So I was in broadcasting, television doing all the weather in the storms and everything. But I had a young daughter and I was commuting from Guelph to Oakville and the show started at 5 a.m. so you had to be there at 3 a.m which was a bit much as a young mom. So, I was looking for something that local and this amazing opportunity came up at the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians. They are the regulatory body and as well as a professional association so they are dual-mandated for registered Veterinary technicians in Ontario. And I started there at the end of 2014 and just really immersed myself in the world of veterinary medicine, the regulation and the laws in Ontario about medicine, and just the profession overall. And I have been in veterinary medicine ever since. I love working with animals, but also the people who work with animals because they are special people, the veterinarians, and the RVTS, and all the shelter workers. They are just extraordinary people who give so much to the animals in their care.
Laura Wombwell: Amazing. So, within your role at the Guelph Humane Society, can you tell me a little bit about what your day to day looks like?
Natalie Thomas: Yes. It’s very busy right now. We have a lot going on. One of the main parts of the job, I would say, is our social media feed. So making sure there’s always engaging content, writing press releases, and working on videos, and working really closely with our donor relations team to market different things. The Guelph Humane Society, a lot of people don’t know this, but they get zero dollars from government funding, so it’s all donation-based. So thank you to the people, and the sponsorships, and the partners in town because we wouldn’t exist or be able to do the work we do if we didn’t have the generosity of our community. So, it’s really important to work with our donor relation team so that we have engaging contests or sponsorship opportunities, or ways for people to get involved and give back because we really rely heavily on that funding but that’s a huge part of it is marketing ways for people to contribute.
Laura Wombwell: Perfect. So, if we’re tagging the Guelph Humane Society in, you know, pictures of our adorable adopted animals, are you the one that we’re talking to?
Natalie Thomas: Always. It’s always me. Yes, it’s me on Instagram on Twitter on Facebook. We’re getting bigger on LinkedIn and YouTube. So, we’re all over the place.
Laura Wombwell: Excellent and I’m sure you encourage people engaging with you folks as much as possible.
Natalie Thomas: We love it. Tag us and we will share your photos and we will, we will do whatever we can.
Laura Wombwell: Working for the Humane Society must be incredibly rewarding. What are some of your favorite parts of your job?
Natalie Thomas: I remember when I first started our executive director Adrienne, she said, you know, what’s really good – when youre you know, you’re trying to write or you’re having a bad day and you just walk down the hall and you go into the kitten adoption room and you just grab a cat or a kitten and you just said she was so right but until you’re in it you don’t really realize. At the beginning you’re not as comfortable to just go down the room and pick out a cat, but now every day I’m in I pick out a cat and I’m just like, who do we have today? Because every day there’s new animals. And, you know, I don’t want to do my Facebook post right now. I want to go and I want to pick up the cat and just get inspired and maybe that leads to a cute picture or post or whatever. For sure is the most rewarding part to see the animals coming in every day and then to follow their story, especially in my world and we’re telling a story to the public. You know, this dog came in and he was matted and mangy and acting out because he was in pain and then we helped make him feel better and now he’s a great dog and then he gets to go to a new family, and then we get pictures from the family after, so it’s seeing the story. I know, it’s emotional, like tears to the eyes, but just seeing the growth of these animals and then finding their Happy Tails, as we say, that part of it is really rewarding.
Laura Wombwell: Are there any particularly challenging parts of the dog rescue end of it?
Natalie Thomas: Yes, there are challenging… We always want to make sure people know, we don’t say forever homes because we don’t want people to feel the pressure that you know, that’s it. We always want people to know that the animal can come back to us because that’s, you know, that’s safe and we know that we will be able to find the next family for them as well. So we never want to put that pressure on families, but it can be tough when you see, you know, sometimes animals returned and you know how sweet they are, but they just weren’t the right fit for that family. So even though the family did the right thing and we allow the animal to come back, you feel so bad. And you’re like, I saw this happen with a cat, and I thought, oh I love that cat so much and I thought that was his Happy Tail, but he came back so that it can be hard emotionally the ups and downs of seeing, you know animals coming and going.
Laura Wombwell: Are there any stories right now that you’ve been sharing with the public that are particularly interesting to you or heartwarming or that we really need to know about?
Natalie Thomas: There are a few animals, the ones that stay in the shelter for a long time and then they finally find their Happy Tail are probably the most rewarding. Ginny was the cat that, Ginny had been on the site of our available animals adoption page since I had started in the fall, so she had been up and, because she was a diabetic cat it takes a really special owner special family to adopt her, to know that it will require daily insulin injections twice a day. So even our adoption team, they work really hard to make sure it is the right fit because they don’t want the animal coming back so that they make sure you know – are you aware of the responsibilities with this cat so it takes a little bit longer. And she finally went home and her owner and her new family loves her so much, and they’ve been sending pictures and tagging us on Instagram. And luckily for Ginny the cat, Ginny was adopted by a physician. So she’s used to giving injections. It walalaways just takes finding that exact right fit. And that was a super nice story to see. I was there the day she got to go home and I got pictures of it and I got to share that on social media, so that’s really special.
Laura Wombwell: Amazing. This is, I mean if you live in Guelph, you know, this is an exciting time for the Guelph Humane Society. There is so much going on. How is the construction coming along?
Natalie Thomas: So, we’re not 100% complete construction, but enough so that we’ve been able to move in. We officially got the keys and we moved in and it’s just such a different experience. Because of Covid, we’re still in and out, doing things from home, but of course the landscaping can’t be done until the spring when everything warms up a bit. And the dog runs, all of the concrete and everything can’t be done until the spring, but it definitely was move-in ready and it’s amazing. We’re talking about a huge, huge improvement in terms of space and brightness and how many animals we’re able to help.
Laura Wombwell: So what are some of the new features that, I mean, obviously the old building was lacking a few features.
Natalie Thomas: Was old. It was old. So what are we most excited about for features? So, for the dogs what I’m most excited about are the indoor/outdoor runs. So if you think about doggie doors on your door if you have a dog at home and the doggie doors when they can come and go in the nice weather as they please. In a typical shelter setting the other in their crate and they’re there until the attendant comes to let them out and take them for a walk. Every run has its own door so you can turn it to give them access, if they are able to, and they can come and go as they please outside and there are 30 of them. We can help 30 dogs at once, so it increases our capacity by 125% increase for dogs alone and they have these runs and they can come and go and that’s just so wonderful that they have that ability to just enjoy life even more while they’re in our care. And similarly for cats, we have a catio, an outdoor catio. So when the weather’s nice and cats, of course, love sun and sitting in the sun and the sights and sounds and smells so it’s enclosed so they can’t escape, but they can go outside and enjoy their afternoons too. So that’s amazing. And a lot of people don’t know, we have a farm animal program, we’ll take in farm animals. And if you’ve been to the old building at 500 Wellington Street, you know, it was makeshift areas for them because the space just wasn’t there and now the farm animals have their own dedicated area. So we can help farm animals even better and wildlife has their own area. And small animals, which used to be in our front hallway in cages will now have their own area as well. So everyone has their own area. It’s less stress on the animals when they’re not all together and there’s crowds of people around, so it’s just an overall improvement for the staff, for visitors, and in particular the animals.
Laura Wombwell: So as a potential adopter coming into the new building, is that experience for them going to be different?
Natalie Thomas: Yes, Covid really makes this very difficult because we don’t know how many people we can have in at a time, when that will change, so I don’t get people’s hopes up just yet. I do trust that by the summer more people can come inside the building, but the experience will be different. So when you walk into the hallway, at the front entrance hall our cat adoption area is right there and there are these long windows. So the cats can be there looking out at you. You can walk by the windows and you can see all the different cats, and if they are bonded they can be in the room together. They’re long and tall and they can use all that space. We actually have adoption rooms. So, if you and your family come in and say, we want to spend time with the dog first, the cat first, the bunny first, then you and your family and the animal in this big space and just spend time with them alone. It’s just its just going to be such a different experience.
Laura Wombwell: Wow, that sounds incredible.
Natalie Thomas: We’re very excited.
Laura Wombwell: I know with Covid-19 is a little bit up in the air. But when do you expect to be having the public into the new building?
Natalie Thomas: So for sure not in the month of March. We’re kind of giving ourselves that time especially because you know, the fundraising isn’t done for the building and really the building, there is still some construction going on inside as well. So when it’s safe to do so and when Public Health allows us to, our hope is spring and we can’t really give a day because we don’t know what, you know, they talk about, Is there a third wave, will April see cases spike? So we don’t know, it’s hard to predict. Fingers crossed that by the spring, later in the spring April or May, I hate pushing it back further and further, but as soon as we’re able to, we’ll be allowing people in.
Laura Wombwell: So as a pet owner myself, I know I’ve interacted with the Humane Society and I I think a lot of pet owners over the course of having your pet interact with the Humane Society in one way or another. What’s something that you wish that the general pet parent public knew about this particular area of pet care?
Natalie Thomas: In terms of the shelter animals? I think that I want everyone to know how grateful we are. So, we go to work every day and we love the work we do, but we just couldn’t do it without ,even the volunteers to just come to walk the dogs or come by to pet the cats. It just takes a little bit of pressure off staff because we, and specifically the Animal Care team, love the animals so much and they want to give them all their attention but there’s so many things that need to be done. So, volunteers just you if you can only give your time, we appreciate it. You know, people have been, because we have been able to accept physical donation items because of covid-19, during the lockdown, people have been mailing packages from Amazon, like surprise packages, or if we need something, we put it out on Facebook and they send them. It’s just, I want pet owners and people who support the Humane Society, the Guelph Humane Society to know that it’s so appreciated and we literally could not do the work we do with them.
Laura Wombwell: Are there any particular campaigns or Amazon wish lists or something that folks can get involved with at a distance right now?
Natalie Thomas: So we have some exciting things coming up. So number one, I will say, is our first-ever 50/50 draw and some people may not have heard about it yet because it hasn’t started yet. But March 15th to April 15th. We have never done a 50/50 draw before. It’s going to be online obviously and the money from this one is going to go towards the new building cuz we are about 2 million dollars short so that funding will absolutely help those costs and they can go to the website: It’s ghslotto.ca and once it starts of course on March 15th, Buy your tickets and you might, you know, make money out of it! And Adrienne, our Executive Director, said it best, she said people say “if I won the lottery, I’d help the animals” and now is your chance. You might be able to win the lottery and help the animals by doing it. So we’re really excited about that and you might hear some of the ads, we have ads on the radio, in the paper and in Guelph Today. So we’ve got some stuff coming up – The 50/50. But also, I’m excited because I’m running this one. We’re doing this online market. So all the vendors, and we have over 20 vendors already signed up. It’s going to be happening April 20th to April 30th on our Facebook page. We’re going to set up an event and all of the vendors are going to be selling their items and they are all animal themed. We have really cute things, you know, you know what will love, there are night lights with photos of animals on them. Oh my gosh. They’re so cool and some of our vendors have, you know, scrunchies with animal themes and wine glasses with dog sayings on the side and bird houses, so just really talented local artists and for every sale made everyone is going to be sending some of the proceeds back to the Humane Society. So if you’re saving up and looking for Mothers Day presents, wait for our Market. You can get some one-of-a-kind items and help the animals.
Laura Wombwell: Fantastic, I hope everyone checks it out when it’s live.
Natalie Thomas: Me too.
Laura Wombwell: So, we’ve talked a whole bunch about what’s exciting at the Humane Society. I’d love for folks to get to know you a little bit better. So let’s talk about your pets. What fur people live with you right now?
Natalie Thomas: I wonder if I can get her, her name is Noodle. She’s 6 years old. She’s a cockapoo. We originally went to adopt, I don’t know if you remember, about 6 years ago, but the Humane Society had nine puppies and they name them all like Christmas names. They were all the reindeer names and we tried to get a puppy but so many people put in applications, so we didn’t get one. So, instead we got Noodle and she was meant to be. She’s really cute. She’s a white cockapoo. Named by, at the time, my two year-old daughter. We like to call her Noodle the Cockapoodle. She’s pretty cute. She’s a good girl and I’ll say, growing up, you have pets growing up and it’s just different now. I don’t know if you’ve experienced the same thing, but growing up my parents didn’t do a lot for the dog. They would never have considered it a dental, you know, for the dog and now it’s like, well, you should be doing dental. So you feel like this pressure, especially working in the industry now and so she’s pretty well taken care of. She gets her regular dentals and we make sure, you know, she’s not overweight and she has her vet diet. So the more you know, the more you want to be able to provide for your pets, when you know better.
Laura Wombwell: What are some of your favorite things to do with your family and with Noodle here in Southwestern, Ontario.
Natalie Thomas: Yeah. We love the leash-free dog parks and, I also have my little daughter here – see if you can get Noodle. That’s Sloane. If you’re from Guelph, you know the area right off the Hanlon. Don’t carry her, no. The leash-free dog park there, they love to see her running around. They like to take turns holding the leash walking around. If you have kids, especially two girls, they fight because one wants what the other one has. So if one’s walking Noodle, the other one wants to walk Noodle. So we have to say okay you’re walking to the end of this street. But at the leash-free no one’s fighting. Noodle’s just running – no one’s holding the leash.
Laura Wombwell: Yeah. We are spoiled for pet friendly options at here in this community. I think there are so many wonderful dog parks, so many wonderful trails where you can be on-leash with your pet. We are spoiled for options here.
Natalie Thomas: I agree.
Laura Wombwell: There’s Noodle. She’s so cute!
Natalie Thomas: There’s Noodle. She’s a good girl.
Laura Wombwell: Perfect. So I have some fun quick off the top of your head questions for you if you’re up for it.
Natalie Thomas: Okay.
Laura Wombwell: All right? So, cat or dog?
Natalie Thomas: I’ll say dog because I have one, but it’s a tough one.
Laura Wombwell: Favorite breed?
Natalie Thomas: You know, I do like, I like a good Labrador. Sorry Noodle.
Laura Wombwell: Well, speaking of Noodle, what is Noodle’s favorite treat?
Natalie Thomas: Noodle loves dentastix. One a day. Oh my gosh. She goes wild for them every morning.
Laura Wombwell: So is Noodle full of dreams, full of beans or full of something entirely different?
Natalie Thomas: I would say dreams for sure. Full of dreams.
Laura Wombwell: Which human actor would play Noodle in a movie?
Natalie Thomas: Oh my gosh. This is a very tough question. Let’s think, a human actor so female in the movie. She’s very sweet. I would say, like, Reese, Witherspoon.
Laura Wombwell: Yeah, super friendly, super down to earth.
Natalie Thomas: A little Southern, but I don’t know why.
Laura Wombwell: All right, if money were no object. What is one thing that you would do to absolutely spoil your pet?
Natalie Thomas: I have this dream of taking her, we want to rent a cottage in the summer and I want her to come. She’s never been to a cottage, so I don’t have to be a millionaire for that. I guess my dream to spoil her is to bring her to a cottage and let her run around.
Laura Wombwelll: Wonderful and achievable too!
Natalie Thomas: it might happen. It’s her bucket list.
Laura Wombwell: So before we wrap up, are there any key ways that this community can help to support the Guelph Humane Society in the upcoming little bit before it opens to the public.
Natalie Thomas: Yes, the one of the hardest parts about working at a not-for-profit is asking for money, but I know that people love the animals and they do want to help and so it is extremely important if the community could come together and help us finish off our Capital campaign to pay for the building. So I know two million dollars sounds like a lot but you know, every little bit helps, $5 here and $10 here, and eventually, as a community, hopefully we can chip away at that end and the building will be completely paid for. And we can put all of the money then that comes in going forward towards the animals and new programs and helping more animals.
Laura Wombwell: Wonderful. And if folks don’t have the money to share, are there ways that they can help you by promoting those campaigns.
Natalie Thomas: Absolutely, when you see stuff on our Facebook page, if you’re following us or Instagram, if you just share because, you know, the more you share, the more people see it and it doesn’t have to be people from Southwestern Ontario who contribute. It can be, you know, maybe you have relatives in Florida who want to contribute,so the further our asks go the better. more people to help us chip away at that Capital Campaign. And also, you know, eventually we’ll, we haven’t had volunteers coming to the building for almost a year. Now it’s been a year of covid-19 that we’ve had to close the public so if you don’t have the money but you have the time, honestly volunteering is great as well. Fostering. We’ve had to really rely on her foster parents this year and foster families because we have tried to keep as few animals on site as possible because it’s such a small space at the old building. Become a foster or, you know, help us walk dogs. If you don’t have to contribute just with money if the money isn’t there to do that.
Laura Wombwell: If you could say, you know, representing the Humane Society, if you could say one thing to this community. What would it be?
Natalie Thomas: I would say thank you for getting us this far. You know, we have had some amazing supporters. There are amazing people in this community who have given so much. Like I said these Amazon packages and sometimes they don’t even leave the name, you know, they just want to send things and not be recognized for it. People doing bottle drives and little kids. Oh my goodness, at Christmas, we had three kids in a row the week leading up to Christmas who had raised money or gifts of money and they just kept… Sorry, Covid. (talking to daughter) Kids are cute but not when they’re on your Zoom call. but these kids who came in. Oh my goodness, this one little girl sold muffins, and she gave us over $150 of her muffin sales, and I just thought thank you to the community for raising amazing children who want to get back to the animals. So, Guelph is a very unique community. The veterinary college is here. There’s a lot of animal lovers, like you mentioned, we’re really spoiled with great parks and leash-free options, so it’s a great community, and they’re always getting back. So thank you.
Laura Wombwell: Well, thank you Natalie for giving us your time and giving us a few, you know, secret sneak peeks into the new building. I absolutely appreciate chatting with you today, it’s been such a pleasure.
Natalie Thomas: Laura, It was great talking to you. Thank you so much, and we hope that you’ll be up soon to see the new building
Laura Wombwell: Me too! Thank you so much for listening. This is Laura with Laura Wombwell Photography and I am here with Natalie Thomas, Manager of Marketing and Communications from the Guelph Humane Society and we both hope that you and your pets have an awesome day. Bye.
Natalie Thomas: Bye.
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