2025 Annual Report Reflects Community Impact
The Lakefield Animal Welfare Society was pleased to welcome supporters, staff, volunteers, and community partners to our Annual General Meeting on June 17, 2026 at the River Den in Lakefield, where we reflected on the achievements of the past year and officially introduced our 2025 Annual Report.
The report highlights a year shaped by compassion and collective effort. In 2025, LAWS helped 490 animals find homes, completed 350 spay and neuter surgeries, administered 495 rabies vaccines and 464 microchips, and benefited from more than 8,000 volunteer hours. Behind every statistic is an individual story and a community of people working together to support animals in need.
Our AGM also provided an opportunity to recognize people and partnerships that make this work possible. Board Chair Marilyn Strain shared about a year marked by growth, strategic planning, and continued community support, while Director of Operations Lyndsay Lisson-De Ell spoke to the importance of investing not only in animals, but in the people and systems that support them. Guests also heard from Dr. Kathleen Norman of Omemee Veterinary Hospital, who discussed the evolving nature of shelter medicine and the importance of understanding animals as whole individuals—not only physically, but emotionally and behaviourally as well.
The evening served as a reminder that animal welfare is never the work of one person or organization alone. It is made possible through the dedication of staff, volunteers, foster families, veterinary partners, donors, businesses, and supporters who continue helping vulnerable animals find second chances.
We invite our community to explore the full 2025 Annual Report to learn more about our collective impact and the stories that made it a memorable year at LAWS. Find the online version below, or pick up a printed copy during your next visit to the shelter or our Thrift Store.
