'Worst that we've ever seen': Surrenders to central Alberta animal shelter surge, donations grind to a halt
An animal shelter in Alix, Alta., is struggling as it experiences an influx of animal surrenders while adoptions and donations slow down.
In the past couple of months, the Saving Grace Animal Society has seen record-setting animal surrenders. The shelter is operating at maximum capacity and has a wait list spanning months.
“Right now, it’s the worst that we’ve ever seen in terms of the amount of animals we have in care and the amount of phone calls that are coming in every day,” said Amanda McClughan, Saving Grace Animal Society co-executive director.
“The cat program has been a higher capacity than it has been ever in the life of Saving Grace Animal Society, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to slow down.”
Medical surrenders are also up, especially dogs. McClughan estimated that over 75 per cent of the dogs that come in have some sort of medical condition.
“It just seems that the animals we’re getting the calls about are ones that have been neglected for a while, and so their injuries have become quite extensive,” she said.
There currently is an intake freeze for the cat program.
McClughan said it is difficult to turn animals away, especially with the approaching winter, but they have no choice.
“Right now we are turning people away, every single day, and it’s hard to know if that animal is going to make it until we’re going to get to it. Are they going to find a spot somewhere else? It’s a really hard thing to have on your shoulders.”
Money is also tight. The shelter has had to cancel its in-person fundraisers due to the COVID-19 restrictions; fundraisers like its annual comedy night which raises more than $15,000.
“Our bank account is lower than it’s ever been,” McClughan said.
Currently, the shelter takes its animals to a vet in Ponoka, and with the increased intake of medical surrenders, the shelter is experiencing a surgery backlog.
“We have one surgery day a week, and that surgery day can accommodate about 30 animals and lately we’ve been having upwards of 50 to 60 animals that we need to get surgery on so we’re kind of backlogged on that side,” she said.
Last December, the Brick by Brick Campaign was launched to raise money to build a private vet clinic next to the current shelter. To date, $290,000 has been raised, but donations have come to a stand still.
“If we were able to operate our own private vet, we could do surgeries throughout the week, any time of day, and that would also allow us to have the animals a little more accessible to the public, adoption-wise as well,” she said.
The shelter is looking for volunteers, donations, and individuals looking to adopt. For more information, and to donate, visit the shelter’s website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Being harassed at work? What to consider when deciding what to do next
If you've been the victim of workplace harassment, it can be difficult to feel you're not alone - and even more difficult to know where to go with a complaint.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Half of Canadians support TikTok ban, with U.S. concerns 'trickling' north: poll
A new poll indicates 51 per cent of Canadians support banning the social media app TikTok, after a U.S. bill aiming to do just that passed in the House of Representatives.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.