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By Sheldon Spackman

Pawsitively Fabulous

Blackfalds recognized as ‘most pet-caring community’

Jan 15, 2021 | 8:10 AM

A local pet boarding company and humane shelter has recognized the Town of Blackfalds as being North America’s ‘most pet-caring community’ in 2020.

Jim deBoon, owner/operator of Klassic Kennels, which also provides animal control services, says when going through their year-end statistics, he discovered a marked improvement in the reunification of lost dogs and cats with their owners in Blackfalds.

deBoon says Blackfalds saw 98 per cent of lost dogs reunited with their owners last year, and 46 per cent of cats.

“If you do what I do for a living and you’re an open admission shelter, and you understand that the national averages are one to three per cent return to owner for a cat in open admission shelters in North America, you kind of have this vision down the road, a dream someday that you’ll get to 50 per cent of your cats picked up going home,” says deBoon. “Blackfalds almost hit it and so did Penhold.”

Penhold also scored well with 100 per cent of lost dogs reunited with their owners in 2020, along with 42 per cent of cats.

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deBoon says in order for a community to be recognized it must have both a cat and dog bylaw, (or ordinance in the case of a U.S. city), and Animal Control must take in 100 per cent of requested dogs and cats (open admission facility).

He notes that a perfect score would be 200 (100 per cent of dogs and 100 per cent of cats picked up and sent back home), but acknowledges that 200 is virtually impossible as animals are injured, some feral (cats with no owner and aggressive), and as with any animal, some have life taking illnesses like parvo, distemper and feline leukemia, among others.

Community scores based on currently known 2020 statistics:

Town of Blackflads – 144 (98% of dogs reunited, 46% of cats = 144)

Town of Penhold – 142 (100% of dogs reunited, 42% of cats = 142)

City of Lacombe – 130

Town of Eckville – 130

Town of Bentley – 120

City of Leduc – 116.5

City of Calgary – 116

City of Brooks – 100

City of Red Deer – 97

Fort McMurray – 92

City of Medicine Hat – 86

deBoon feels strongly that the community of Blackfalds needs to know how well they’re doing in caring for pets.

“While I haven’t spoken to every community in North America, I have called the ones that have the best reputations and the highest standing in the field, and none of them are close,” he exclaims. “And I use the example of the City of Calgary because they have basically claimed that title for more than 20-25 years. They’re 28 points behind Blackfalds.”

deBoon says he’s highly confident the statement he’s making is true, even though he can’t categorically verify it right now.

“It always starts with leadership first,” he explains. “When I say leadership, our agency has strived for almost 38 years to get animals home the best, and that’s why for at least the last 10 or 15 years our numbers have exceeded Calgary’s.”