A widely known native animal rescue, Second Probability Animal Rescue Society (SCARS) has opened a brand new shelter to quickly home animals in want, northwest of Edmonton.
“This facility opened about three months in the past. We are able to home about 40-50 cats and canine,” mentioned Amanda Annetts, the rescue’s consumption coordinator.
“We wanted this facility a lot for SCARS as a result of consumption demand is so extremely excessive proper now.”
Whereas SCARS is seeing numerous adoptions, the requests for assist proceed to pile up.
“On daily basis I’d get up with 10 to fifteen messages for cats alone. Sylvie, our president, handles canine and he or she’s in the identical boat,” Annetts mentioned.
“Whether or not they’re dumped, whether or not they’re strays, or whether or not they’re surrendered, it is simply been a relentless season for all rescues.”
Proper now, SCARS has greater than 400 animals in care – double the 200 or in order that they’re used to.
The Westlock Veterinary Middle performs 15 to twenty spay and neuter surgical procedures for them every week. However now SCARS has extra assist proper subsequent door.
“We do work with Morinville vets to assist with vaccinations, vet checks, if somebody is available in sick, it is simply that straightforward,” defined Annetts.
The brand new location additionally means a contemporary batch of volunteers, together with about 20 workers from the close by Champion Pet Meals manufacturing unit.
Christine Pendlebury is Champion’s director of product growth and innovation. She says she and her colleagues swing by on their lunch break to assist.
“Change trash cans, do no matter it takes. After which additionally strolling the canine and we hope to have canine in our workplace to assist with socialization,” she defined.
Pendlebury mentioned Champion Pet Meals additionally frequently donates meals to SCARS.
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The brand new shelter permits the rescue to additionally assist in smaller communities.
“We get a number of calls and requests from all around the space — even in Gibbons, Morinville, Cardiff — these areas the place there are stray drop-offs,” Annetts mentioned.
Lori Trudgeon has been volunteering for SCARS since 2008, doing all types of various jobs: from communications coordinator, to foster care, to canine strolling and serving to with spay and neuter clinics.
“I do know that the animals are chilly, they’re hungry, they’re scared, they’re injured and I can not sleep at evening figuring out they’re on the market with out attempting to assist in some capability,” Trudgeon mentioned.
One of many volunteer applications she is enthusiastic about is named Partitions for Winter.
“We construct canine shelters which can be insulated. We take them to communities and provide individuals who cannot afford to spay and neuter their pets a free spay or neuter after which we additionally give them a canine shelter,” she defined.
“They make an enormous distinction. They’re the distinction between life and demise for a lot of animals within the communities.”
Trudgeon mentioned teams of volunteers who can construct the shelters are at all times appreciated — as are provides.
READ MORE: Alberta Animal Rescue Holds All Its Applications: ‘We’re Simply Attempting To Survive’
SCARS remains to be in search of extra volunteers to stroll the canine and foster the cats in care.
Donations are additionally drastically wanted.
“We at all times want meals, we want litter, pet meals, moist cat or kitten meals can be on the record – we could not get sufficient of that,” Annetts mentioned.
The common grownup canine or cat spends a month in care, whereas puppies and kittens are typically adopted in about 10 to fifteen days, SCARS mentioned.
Anybody considering adopting an animal ought to contact SCARS earlier than going to the shelter.
“So you will really fill out an software on-line after which we’ll contact you and you’ll come down and meet your match,” Annetts defined.
“(Pets) will be such an asset to your life. If you find yourself lonely they’re your greatest good friend, when you’re unhappy on the finish of a piece day they are going to make you chuckle. They will allow you to observe,” Trudgeon mentioned.
“They offer a lot greater than they take from us.”
SCARS additionally has a shelter additional north in Athabasca that primarily homes pets that can’t be adopted – both for medical or behavioral causes – and the group’s adoptable animals are cared for by way of foster care in non-public houses.
SCARS is run nearly totally by volunteers and depends on cash raised by way of membership, donations, sponsorships, grants and different fundraising efforts. Anybody who can donate, or develop into a company sponsor, can discover extra info on the SCARS web site.
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