Tag: Sweet Sanctuary

Celebrating A Vegan Valentine’s Day In Ottawa

Leave a comment

If you’re someone who celebrates Valentine’s Day, you might be looking for ways to celebrate the holiday in a vegan way. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered! Here are some Valentine’s Day ideas with a vegan twist:

  • Buy sweets for your sweet

Ottawa is blessed with some amazing vegan bakeries who have great treats to share with your special person or people! Little Jo Berry’s has a Valentine’s box with staff picks of Valentine’s themed treats. Strawberry Blonde Bakery has all sorts of tasty baked goods, including seasonal offerings like cookiegrams and chocolate roses. Keepin’ it Vegan Bakery has a selection of love-themed desserts available from Feb 7 to 14, including cookie dough bars and macarons.

  • Make breakfast in bed

Grow Your Roots Foods has the Ultimate Brunch Box to help you level up your brunch cooking. Their recipes and spice kits will ensure that your early morning feast is delicious! Pair this with a delicious coffee or tea from Animated Coffee. This local coffee roaster donates 25% of their proceeds to animal rescue partners.

Top the brunch off with a cinnamon roll from Cinnaholic. You can try their new seasonal rolls or stick to a classic Old Skool Roll. Plus, VegOttawa members save 15% on all purchases at Cinnaholic Lansdowne!

  • Order from a local restaurant

Don’t want to cook but still want to enjoy a special meal? There are lots of vegan-friendly options throughout the city!

Asian Stars has plenty of vegan meals, and VegOttawa members save 10% off items on their vegan menu. Copper Branch Barrhaven is a fully vegan restaurant, and VegOttawa members can save 10% on their order. Hometown Sports Grill prepares vegan twists on classic comfort food, and VegOttawa members save 10% on their vegan items.

  • Do an activity together

PlantEd Project offers community and private cooking workshops where you can learn to make the most delicious recipes with your loved one(s). Plus, you get to enjoy your tasty creations once the workshop finishes! VegOttawa members save 15% on private and community cooking workshops.

If you’re more into fitness, taking a class at Soungui Fitness might be more up your alley! VegOttawa members save 15% on new gym memberships, personal and partner training, virtual classes and fitness apparel.

  • Donate to a cause

If you want a more altruistic way to mark Valentine’s Day, consider donating to a cause that’s important to you and your significant other! Sweet Sanctuary and Penny Lane Farm Sanctuary are local farm sanctuaries that house all sorts of rescued animals. Your donations can help them continue to care for their residents and save even more deserving animals!

There are lots of ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day, but what better way to celebrate than showing your love for those special people in your life AND for some awesome vegan businesses?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jade Conrad is the current President of VegOttawa Association. She is a passionate vegan and animal rights activist. In addition to their role with VegOttawa, they are a foster parent with Ottawa Stray Cat Rescue and a volunteer with Freedom Drivers. When not volunteering, Jade loves to read, drink tea and cook tasty vegan food.

This post is not sponsored by any of the businesses or organizations listed.

NEW DISCOUNT! Secondhand Stories

Leave a comment

Secondhand Stories will now offer a 20% discount off all book orders for VegOttawa Association members!
Check them out on facebook or their website. Get your discount code from your Cardskipper discount app.

Secondhand Stories is a registered non-profit online book shop based out of the Carlington neighbourhood of Ottawa that donates all profits to local farm animal rescue, The Sweet Sanctuary. They accept donations of gently used books and post them for sale here, always for only FIVE ($5) dollars each! Since being established in November 2020 Secondhand Stories has donated over $17,000 #fortheanimals.

NEW BOOKS ADDED EVERY SATURDAY


“In 2019 my partner and I had the opportunity to visit the sweet sanctuary and meet the animals. It was life changing. We immediately fell in love with Pippa, Ellen (in the picture to the left) and all the animals and knew we wanted to support this sanctuary.

We learned that piggies like belly rubs, chickens are soft and, most importantly, that the owners of the sanctuary are the most caring, selfless and compassionate people we’ve ever met. Over the years we’ve seen how their compassion has known no limits.T hey’ve taken in new animals and provided them safe refuge.They’ve done everything they can to improve the lives of the animals in their care – like finding new and better feed for the piggies – like constantly expanding the meadows and pig forests for their animals. 

We are so proud to support The Sweet Sanctuary and every penny of profit we earn will always be raised #fortheanimals “

-Secondhand Stories Founder & Director

THANK YOU TO ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT! MORE DISCOUNTS ON THE WAY!

If you are not a VOA member yet or need to renew your membership, click here.

Local Sanctuaries & Rescues to Support

Leave a comment

By Esther Vininsky-Oakes

When you go vegan, it can be frustrating to feel such a strong desire to help animals and not know where to direct that passion.

To help with this, we’ve compiled a list of five organizations in or around Ottawa to highlight all the great work they are doing for the animals and the ways you can lend your support. While a donation may not be possible for everyone, another great way to help is by volunteering your time.

All five organizations on the below list are vegan sanctuaries or rescues located in Ottawa or in the surrounding area. Although not an exhaustive list, we hope that this serves as a starting point to highlight some of the many amazing organizations that are helping animals in and around the Ottawa area. We encourage you to also check out the more comprehensive list of vegan sanctuaries on our website. Be sure to let us know of any other sanctuaries that we should highlight in the future!

Holly’s Haven Wildlife Rescue

Holly’s Haven is a volunteer-run wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center based in Dunrobin. They take in all kinds of animals: racoons, squirrels, rabbits, mice, bats, chipmunks, coyotes, groundhogs, porcupines, and more! They are currently running a racoon sponsorship program from their Facebook page, which allows you to sponsor a baby racoon. In addition to raccoons, you may also sponsor other animals listed on their website.

Feline Cafe

Feline Cafe is a coffee shop in Ottawa that provides a temporary residence to cats up for adoption. Customers can buy drinks and vegan treats while interacting with the rescue cats in need of forever homes. Through the cafe’s income and fundraisers, they are able to house the cats, and pay for their food and veterinary bills. You can support them by visiting the cafe, volunteering, shopping from their online store, or donating here.

Penny Lane Farm Sanctuary

Penny Lane Farm Sanctuary is a farm sanctuary near Clarence-Rockland that saves animals that are neglected or rescued from slaughter. Right now, they are home to a whopping 105 animals who are all loved and well cared for by Penny Lane volunteers. One of their residents, Mango the pig, made national headlines in 2019 when he was saved from slaughter after falling off the back of a truck on the highway and got his happy ending at Penny Lane! You can support Penny Lane through their sponsorship program, making a one-time donation, or buying something from their Amazon Wishlist here.

Contented Clucks Farm Sanctuary

Contented Clucks is a microsanctuary located in Oxford Mills. Founder Lynn Kennedy started the sanctuary a few years ago with the goal of rescuing neglected hens and roosters in need of a safe and loving home. They are currently running a fundraiser to build a larger coop in order to provide more space for the growing flock under their care. To support the sanctuary, donate to their GoFundMe or contact their Facebook page for volunteer opportunities.

Sweet Sanctuary Animal Rescue

Sweet Sanctuary is a farm sanctuary in Mississippi Mills that saves abandoned or abused horses and farmed animals. They have 34 residents right now and are always looking to help more. You can support them through donations or volunteering. You can also purchase their famous chocolate chip cookies (which used to be sold at Grow Your Roots) with full proceeds going to the animals. They can even be delivered right to your doorstep for extra convenience. Cookies that help animals in need are the perfect excuse to eat dessert! Another way to support  Sweet Sanctuary is by donating a book to or buying a book from Secondhand Stories, an online non-profit used bookstore that donates all their profits to Sweet Sanctuary.

Happy Tales Farm Sanctuary, Mel’s Farm – All Animal Rescue & Sanctuary, Refuge RR

Find an updated list of local Sanctuaries and Rescues on our Vegan Friendly Business Directory Page.

About the Author:
Esther Vininsky-Oakes is a new contributor to VegOttawa who has been vegan for 2 years and vegetarian for many years prior. She is currently pursuing an MA in English literature at McGill University, and in her spare time, enjoys advocating for farmed animals in need, exploring the great outdoors, and baking.