By BreAnne Reich

Central Alberta Humane Society

Feb 10, 2023 | 8:00 AM

The Central Alberta Humane Society opened its doors in 1976 under the name Parkland Humane Society SPCA. The name was amended in 2017. New name, but the same society and facility and the same small, local independent charity. The Central Alberta Humane Society’s mission is simple: We are committed to helping animals and the community and inspiring change through education.

“We’re a local charity that is not government funded,” says Kelly Richards, Fund Development Coordinator. The facility costs 1.4 million dollars per year to operate. Approximately ten percent of the funding comes from municipal contracts. The remaining ninety percent is raised through adoptions, community programs, fundraising events, and donations.

“When the community is struggling,” says Kelly, “We also struggle.”

The vision and values of the Central Alberta Humane Society are a compassionate, engaged community that respects and supports animals’ rights to the five essential freedoms: freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition, freedom from discomfort, freedom from pain, injury and disease, and freedom to express normal behaviour.

“Our important work of caring, rehabilitation and rehoming companion animals in our community never ends,” says Kelly. “We teach that animals are sentient beings and strive to educate our community on pet care and responsibility.”

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Notes Kelly, this education helps foster respect for all animals’ lives in Central Alberta and beyond.

“We believe our success is built on supporting our community as our community supports us.”

The Central Alberta Humane Society is a true community builder with many valuable community programs.

• A pet bank to assist struggling pet owners in feeding their pets during tough times.
• Emergency Boarding Program for pets of people in crisis or temporarily displaced from their homes.
• A spay/neuter program for low-income pet families call PALS. A subsidized program for pet owners to have their animals spayed or neutered at a reduced rate.
• A cremation facility – a respectful option when community members lose their pets.

Says Kelly, “Unlike many rescue organizations, we do not bring in animals from other provinces to rehome, but instead focus on animals in our Central Alberta community that need help.”

The Central Alberta Humane Society provides medical care and rehabilitation to ensure that animals are healthy, up to date on vaccinations, spayed/neutered and microchipped before finding a new home.

“We operate on a managed intake “capacity for care” system,” explains Kelly. “What this means is we do have intake wait-lists for surrenders, as animals in crisis receive priority.”

The society does not intake past capacity, and animals live at the facility until they have homes. The more adoptions through the society, the more local animals the society can intake and help.

The Central Alberta Humane Society is located at 4505 77th Street in Red Deer. Online at cahumane.com. A strong community builder. A society making a difference in Red Deer and Central Alberta.