Activities and Events

Spay Neuter Assistance Programs

City of Pickering Sterilization Program

We have teamed up with veterinarians within Durham Region to offer a low cost spay-neuter assistance program for cats (DR SNAP) here in Pickering.In order to qualify for the program you must be a Durham Region resident and must be receiving assistance from one of the following government programs:

• Federal Guaranteed Income Supplement for Seniors (GIS)

• Ontario Disability Support Payment (ODSP)

• Canada Pension Plan Disability Payment (CPP Disability)

• Ontario Works Program

If you qualify for the program you will be given a sterilization voucher that allows you to have your pet sterilized at a participating veterinarian at a reduced rate.Some veterinarian clinics may require additional vaccines or treatments prior to surgery. Please ask your veterinarian prior to receiving a voucher.For more information on how to receive a voucher, email the Customer Care Centre or call at 905.683.7575 for more information.

Ticks and Tickborne Diseases

How to protect yourself and your pet from ticks

Like most locations in Ontario, the City of Pickering is also home to ticks. Over the last few years the tick population has been rapidly expanding, and it is very common for pet owners to find ticks on their pets. There are many species of ticks that can be found here in Pickering, including the black-legged tick which is known to carry Lyme disease.

After your walks, make sure that you regularly check yourself and your pets for ticks, especially when going into wooded areas.

Given the prevalence of Lyme disease, it is also a good idea to have your dog(s) screened for tick-borne diseases annually, and to seek advice from your veterinarian regarding ways to prevent ticks from biting your pet. You are where your dog is-- if your pet is positive for a tick-borne disease, it means that you are also exposing yourself to a potential infection.

Below are a few websites that provide further information on ticks and how you can protect both you and your pet:

• petsandticks.com is a website created by Veterinarian Scott Weese to help track and record tick bites to dogs as well as provide further education on the risks specific to pets.
• The Durham Region Health Department website provides information on Lyme Disease including signs and sypmtoms in humans. They also provide statistics on the number or ticks tested each year