{"id":4148,"date":"2025-07-14T18:43:05","date_gmt":"2025-07-14T18:43:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/firstonsite.com\/?post_type=resource&#038;p=4148"},"modified":"2025-07-14T18:43:06","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T18:43:06","slug":"rescuing-animals-rebuilding-hope-first-onsite-doubles-public-support-for-animal-disaster-relief-charity","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/firstonsite.com\/resource\/rescuing-animals-rebuilding-hope-first-onsite-doubles-public-support-for-animal-disaster-relief-charity\/","title":{"rendered":"Rescuing animals, rebuilding hope: First Onsite doubles public support for animal disaster relief charity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Company to match $10,000 in public donations for rescued animals and long-term recovery at Happy Days Sanctuary<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-row-layout-id4148_fe4365-ea > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:start;}:where(.kb-row-layout-id4148_fe4365-ea > .kt-row-column-wrap) > .wp-block-kadence-column{justify-content:start;}.kb-row-layout-id4148_fe4365-ea > .kt-row-column-wrap{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);row-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);max-width:var( --global-content-width, 1391px );padding-left:var(--global-content-edge-padding);padding-right:var(--global-content-edge-padding);padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}.kb-row-layout-id4148_fe4365-ea > .kt-row-layout-overlay{opacity:0.30;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id4148_fe4365-ea > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-row-layout-id4148_fe4365-ea > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}}<\/style><div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id4148_fe4365-ea alignnone wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-1-columns kt-row-layout-equal kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-top kb-theme-content-width\">\n<style>.kadence-column4148_a22fd3-8f > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column4148_a22fd3-8f > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column4148_a22fd3-8f > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column4148_a22fd3-8f > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column4148_a22fd3-8f > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column4148_a22fd3-8f > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column4148_a22fd3-8f{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column4148_a22fd3-8f > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column4148_a22fd3-8f > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column4148_a22fd3-8f\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><style>.kb-image4148_42ad9c-38.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image4148_42ad9c-38 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:400px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image4148_42ad9c-38.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image4148_42ad9c-38 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image4148_42ad9c-38{max-width:400px;}.image-is-svg.kb-image4148_42ad9c-38{-webkit-flex:0 1 100%;flex:0 1 100%;}.image-is-svg.kb-image4148_42ad9c-38 img{width:100%;}.kb-image4148_42ad9c-38 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image4148_42ad9c-38 size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"320\" height=\"245\" src=\"https:\/\/firstonsite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/happy-days-sanctuary-pr.jpg\" alt=\"happy days sanctuary pr\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-4151\" srcset=\"https:\/\/firstonsite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/happy-days-sanctuary-pr.jpg 320w, https:\/\/firstonsite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/happy-days-sanctuary-pr-300x230.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>A curious resident of Happy Days Sanctuary looks on as a First Onsite truck signifies the company&#8217;s generous $10,000 matching donation, bolstering support for rescued animals and ongoing recovery efforts.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<style>.kb-row-layout-id4148_10f513-4a > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:start;}:where(.kb-row-layout-id4148_10f513-4a > .kt-row-column-wrap) > .wp-block-kadence-column{justify-content:start;}.kb-row-layout-id4148_10f513-4a > .kt-row-column-wrap{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);row-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}.kb-row-layout-id4148_10f513-4a > .kt-row-layout-overlay{opacity:0.30;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id4148_10f513-4a > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-row-layout-id4148_10f513-4a > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}}<\/style><div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id4148_10f513-4a alignnone wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-1-columns kt-row-layout-equal kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-top\">\n<style>.kadence-column4148_73ed68-0c > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column4148_73ed68-0c > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column4148_73ed68-0c > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column4148_73ed68-0c > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column4148_73ed68-0c > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column4148_73ed68-0c > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column4148_73ed68-0c{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column4148_73ed68-0c > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column4148_73ed68-0c > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column4148_73ed68-0c\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading4148_2e6565-1f, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading4148_2e6565-1f[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading4148_2e6565-1f\"]{font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading4148_2e6565-1f mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading4148_2e6565-1f[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading4148_2e6565-1f\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading4148_2e6565-1f img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading4148_2e6565-1f[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading4148_2e6565-1f\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<p class=\"kt-adv-heading4148_2e6565-1f wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading4148_2e6565-1f\"><strong>MISSISSAUGA, ON, July 15, 2025<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014 In recognition of Pet Fire Safety Day, First Onsite Property Restoration announced a $10,000 matching donation to support rescued animals and recovery efforts at&nbsp;<em>Happy Days Sanctuary<\/em>.&nbsp;<em>Happy Days<\/em>&nbsp;was founded in response to the widespread pet displacement during the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires. With extensive experience dealing with weather-related disasters such as wildfires, First Onsite has been a long-time supporter of the sanctuary, contributing through fundraising, awareness initiatives, and essential supplies.<br>&nbsp;<br>Almost 90,000 people were forced from their homes as the fire\u2014nicknamed &#8220;The Beast&#8221;\u2014went on to destroy 2,400 homes and businesses.<a href=\"#_ftn1\" id=\"_ftnref1\"><sup>1<\/sup><\/a> As residents fled Fort McMurray with little notice, many pets were left behind. A small group of volunteers sprang into action, rescuing and reuniting these animals with their families. This grassroots effort eventually became <em>Happy Days Sanctuary.<\/em><br>&nbsp;<br>Founded in 2018, the sanctuary has since grown into a year-round operation based on 14 hectares in rural Niagara, Ontario. <em>Happy Days<\/em> provides a permanent safe haven for feral and abandoned cats, dogs, and farm animals from across the country. While some animals are eventually adopted, many find lifelong sanctuary on the property.<br>&nbsp;<br><strong>Weather-related catastrophes<\/strong><br>With weather-related catastrophes on the rise, <em>Happy Days<\/em> is committed to supporting local shelters, veterinary clinics, and displaced pets and domesticated animals across North America. However, the charity also relies on the support of corporate sponsors and donors who assist with supplies and the transportation of those supplies to devastated areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Rebuilding hope<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recent survey findings further highlight the emotional urgency of <em>Happy Days<\/em>&#8216; mission. According to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.globenewswire.com\/news-release\/2025\/05\/01\/3072294\/0\/en\/Canadians-reveal-top-priorities-when-fleeing-disasters-Top-3-things-people-would-grab.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">May 2025 study<\/a> released by First Onsite, the top three things Canadians say they would grab when fleeing a disaster are: pets, credit cards, and important documents. The findings underscore the deep emotional bond people have with their animals\u2014and the heartbreak of being forced to leave them behind in crisis situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhile weather-related catastrophes can be devastating, we find hope in the many dedicated people who work tirelessly to rescue and care for what&#8217;s closest to our hearts when we\u2019re unable to,\u201d said Shane Swinson, Executive Vice President, Insurance Portfolio at First Onsite. \u201cSupporting a sanctuary like <em>Happy Days <\/em>helps First Onsite reconnect with the compassion and healing that follows a disaster. It\u2019s personal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u201cHelp us help them\u201d \u2014 Providing lifesaving support for animals in crisis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDonations help us provide food, medical care, and shelter to animals that have nowhere else to go,\u201d said Ann Swinson, owner of <em>Happy Days Sanctuary<\/em>. \u201cFirst Onsite\u2019s partnership allows us to reach more people, rescue more animals, and share their incredible stories.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Call to action: How you can help<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anyone interested in supporting the effort is encouraged to get involved in one of the following ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.canadahelps.org\/en\/pages\/sheltering-hope\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Donate<\/a>&nbsp;: First Onsite will match donations to <em>Happy Days Sanctuary<\/em> up to $10,000<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Volunteer: Get involved with your local shelter or consider fostering an animal in need<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Share: Help spread awareness via social media using engaging content from First Onsite\u2019s \u201cMeet the Animals\u201d video series (follow on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/firstonsite\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a>&nbsp;and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/firstonsite\/\">Facebook<\/a>&nbsp;)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Adopt\/Foster: Support rescue organizations by opening your home or advocating for pet adoption<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re proud to support <em>Happy Days<\/em>\u2019 incredible work,\u201d Swinson added. \u201cTheir mission aligns with our company values of compassion, community, and restoration. Through this donation matching and our call to action, we hope to inspire others to get involved.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information and to donate to double your impact to Happy Days Sanctuary, click <a href=\"https:\/\/firstonsite.com\/about-us\/socialpurpose\/shelteringhope\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About First Onsite: North America\u2019s Trusted Leader in Property Restoration<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First Onsite Property Restoration is one of the largest and fastest-growing emergency response planning, mitigation, and reconstruction service providers in North America. First Onsite employs over 2,500 team members and operates from more than 100 locations across Canada and the U.S. With a culture focused on harnessing the human power of its team members and a commitment to doing what\u2019s right, the First Onsite team helps clients restore, rebuild, and rise. First Onsite is a subsidiary of FirstService Corporation. For more information, go to&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/firstonsite.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">firstonsite.ca<\/a>&nbsp;or follow&nbsp;First Onsite on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/firstonsite\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Press Contact:&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<br><strong>Sierra LeBlanc<\/strong>&nbsp;<br>Maverick PR&nbsp;<br>647-405-2196&nbsp;<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.globenewswire.com\/Tracker?data=y1ylTLhfrMAyok_XRuWVb7iQ5Yu3XvbknGDaOKK9vl6PiKV4ETihesuAdHoS7JSS0cwWVGBZucj6TRUNrXNX3iQUKLYhA9a15OWTkz5U3vOtAIXM_ZQ_ctJYEtK7XKIG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sierra@wearemaverick.com<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><a id=\"_msocom_1\"><\/a><br><br><a href=\"#_ftnref1\" id=\"_ftn1\"><sup>[1]<\/sup><\/a>Public Safety Canada: <a href=\"https:\/\/cdd.publicsafety.gc.ca\/dtprnt-eng.aspx?cultureCode=en-Ca&amp;eventTypes=%27WF%27&amp;normalizedCostYear=1&amp;dynamic=false&amp;eventId=1135&amp;prnt=both#:~:text=In%20total%2C%20the%20Fort%20McMurray,other%20buildings%20that%20were%20damaged.\">Canadian Disaster Database<\/a><br>&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":4151,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"Rescuing animals, rebuilding hope: First Onsite doubles public support for animal disaster relief charity","_seopress_titles_desc":"MISSISSAUGA, ON, July 15, 2025 \u2014 In recognition of Pet Fire Safety Day, First Onsite Property Restoration announced a $10,000 matching donation to support rescued animals and recovery efforts at Happy Days Sanctuary.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":""},"categories":[],"tags":[93,96],"resource-type":[51],"class_list":["post-4148","resource","type-resource","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-news","tag-press-release","resource-type-news"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"post_tag":[{"value":93,"label":"News"},{"value":96,"label":"Press Release"}],"resource-type":[{"value":51,"label":"News"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/firstonsite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/happy-days-sanctuary-pr.jpg",320,245,false],"author_info":{"display_name":"Megan Qualley","author_link":"https:\/\/firstonsite.com\/author\/megan-qualley\/"},"comment_info":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/firstonsite.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource\/4148","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/firstonsite.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/firstonsite.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/resource"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/firstonsite.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/firstonsite.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4151"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/firstonsite.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4148"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/firstonsite.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4148"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/firstonsite.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4148"},{"taxonomy":"resource-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/firstonsite.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-type?post=4148"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}