For 40 years, the Charlie Fund has been at the heart of the Oakville & Milton Humane Society (OMHS), providing emergency and specialized medical care to homeless animals who arrive at the shelter in crisis. Created in 1985 to save one injured dog, the fund has since helped thousands of animals with complex health needs to receive life-saving treatment.
On a shelf above her desk, OMHS manager of medical care operations Andrea Barker keeps a thick photo album filled with snapshots and neatly typed stories of the animals helped by the Charlie Fund over the decades. To most, it might look like a scrapbook. But to Andrea, who has worked at OMHS for 35 years, it’s a testament to what this remarkable fund can do. Each photo tells the story of an animal who might not have survived without it.
The Charlie Fund’s story began with Charlie, a Border Collie who arrived at OMHS in 1985 with a leg too badly damaged to save. A grassroots community fundraising campaign made it possible to cover the cost of his surgery. Charlie recovered, was adopted into a loving home, and lived a long, happy life. Inspired by the outpouring of support and the happy ending it made possible, OMHS created the Charlie Fund: a permanent medical fund named in Charlie’s honour.
Today, 40 years later, the Charlie Fund continues to be fuelled entirely by donations. These gifts allow OMHS to provide emergency surgeries, specialist consults, long-term care, and complex medical treatments for the animals who need it most. What began as a community effort to save one dog has grown into a vital emergency medical fund, helping more than 100 animals each year.
As the Charlie Fund celebrates its 40th anniversary, we look back at just a few of the unforgettable lives it has helped save, from stories recorded decades ago in Andrea’s photo album to more recent cases that reflect how the fund continues to be a lifeline for animals in need today.
Jonah was born at the shelter in February 1992 in a litter of nine puppies. When staff were preparing to place her for adoption at eight weeks of age, a veterinary exam revealed a serious heart defect. She was diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus, a condition where a hole between the heart’s chambers fails to close after birth, leaving her with an ineffective three-chambered heart. Jonah underwent surgery to repair the “hole” in her heart, recovered completely, and was adopted to a loving home. This expensive and intensive surgery would not have been available without the Charlie Fund and it gave this puppy a new lease on life.
Angel, a young calico cat, was found in January 1995 after she had been hit by a car. Her pelvis was broken in four places, and her future looked grim. But over the first few days, she stabilized with veterinary supervision, and staff were relieved to find she still had control of her bladder and bowels. Despite the pain she must have been in, Angel would still try to get up and greet visitors at the front of her cage, purring and pulling herself forward. She underwent surgery to repair her injuries and was fostered by the animal clinic during her long recovery. She captured the heart of one of the veterinary technicians who eventually adopted her and took her home.
Jack was found having spent the night in a ditch in Milton in July 1994 after being hit by a car. This young Siberian Husky had a broken front leg and cuts on his face. Both his radius and ulna bones were fractured but Jack’s sunny personality and resilience made him a favourite among staff and an ideal Charlie Fund candidate. He had surgery to plate the broken bones and made a full recovery. Once healed, Jack was adopted into his forever home.
Belinda the goat came to OMHS after being seized in a cruelty investigation. She had been confined to a tiny corner of a barn and was unable to walk and malnourished. Her front legs were seized in a folded position and large sores had developed on her knees from being forced to walk on them. With treatment from a veterinary clinic, physiotherapy, and a lot of TLC from OMHS staff, Belinda regained her mobility. She was adopted to a beautiful farm home, where she lived out her life with a horse and a dog who became her best friends.
Belle was found just days before Christmas in 1991, trapped face-down in a three-foot wall of concrete blocks. She was a semi-wild kitten, just three to four months old. She also had a rare congenital defect: both her upper eyelids were missing. Without eyelids, the fur on her face rubbed directly against her eyes, causing constant irritation and preventing her from blinking to keep them moist. An eye specialist believed it was possible to graft tissue from below her eyes to form functioning eyelids. Belle was placed in foster care and eventually underwent multiple surgeries. In late 1992, she returned to the shelter and was adopted into a home with other cats, dogs, and small animals to keep her company. Her happy, playful nature never wavered despite the difficult start to her life.
Tim, a beautiful 11-month-old silver tabby, came to OMHS in April 2025 after ingesting a rubber item that became lodged in his intestines. Emergency surgery was required to remove the obstruction, followed by several weeks of recovery. Thanks to the Charlie Fund, Tim received the urgent care he needed and was adopted into a loving home.
Heather, a two-year-old Burmilla cat, arrived in December 2024 as a stray in poor condition. She was underweight, with an upper respiratory infection and a badly infected eye. Heather received supportive care until she was strong enough to undergo surgery to remove the damaged eye. She recovered in a foster home and was adopted into a new family.
Betty, a six-year-old Pug, came to OMHS in February 2024 with pyometra, a life-threatening uterine infection. She required immediate surgery, intensive post-operative care including oxygen therapy and a blood transfusion, and careful cardiac monitoring. Betty recovered in foster care and was later adopted into a new home, thanks to the lifesaving interventions funded by the Charlie Fund.
Walnut, a 10-month-old Border Collie, was surrendered to OMHS in October 2024 in critical condition. He was emaciated, had collapsed, and was refusing food. His exact diagnosis remained unclear, but he responded to treatment for an immune-related condition. With supportive care, diagnostic tests, and a prescription diet, Walnut slowly regained his strength in a foster home and was adopted in February 2025.
These are just a few of the over 4,000 animals whose lives have been transformed by the Charlie Fund over the past 40 years.
As we celebrate this milestone anniversary, we honour the donors who made this possible, the veterinarians who performed the life-saving care, the dedicated OMHS staff and volunteers, and the families who gave these animals their forever homes.
With your support, there will be many more happy tails over the next 40 years. To help the next animal in need, please consider making a gift to the Charlie Fund today.
