Animal Care and Control to stop accepting healthy animals as cold snap continues

Edmonton’s Animal Care and Control Centre (ACCC) is no longer taking in healthy animals, asking residents instead to care for any strays or licenced pets they come across.

In a statement to CTV News, City of Edmonton spokesperson Melissa Lovatt said the intake pause is due to workplace staffing pressures, as the shelter employs a small group of highly trained veterinary staff.

"In the past few days, three people were unable to work due to illness," Lovatt said.

The animal care has started training employees from other city roles Lovatt said so they can potentially backfill critical shelter care functions.

"Our first priority is to ensure we can continue to care for the animals currently in the facility as well as any that are injured, sick or in distress," she added. "We do not have a timeline for when the suspended services will be reinstated."

According to the centre, animals that are sick, injured or otherwise in medical distress will be accepted by appointment. Anyone who finds an animal in these conditions is directed to first call 311 for instructions.

The Animal Care and Control Centre is at 75 per cent capacity for dogs and 70 per cent capacity for cats, Lovatt said.

In a Facebook post, ACCC acknowledged the dangerous weather conditions and encouraged anyone who finds a healthy lost or stray animal to try reuniting it with its owner.

"We are in a prolonged cold snap," the ACCC said in the post. "If you are able to care for the animal until such time as you can reunite it with its owner, that would be appreciated."

If you find an animal with a tag and license number, call 311 for owner information. 

'WE WILL TRY TO STEP UP'

Kath Oltsher, from Zoe's Animal Rescue Society, said the announcement was concerning as now other shelters and rescues will be scrambling to help.

"We try to fill the cracks as it is," Oltsher said. "Now we're going to have a bit more need.

"And it's going to be tough not just on the animals but the people who do this kind of work and the people looking for help," she added. "We are full.

"So we are trying to figure out if we can squeeze in more animals if we have to."

Oltsher added that anyone who finds a lost animal or pet in need can reach out to the society for help in contacting its owners or if they need supplies to temporarily care for a pet during the animal control and care intake pause.

"If the city is unable to help, we will try to step up and help where we can," she said.