The Battlefords Humane Society is looking to the future, with a new animal health management system, behaviour modification programs to make animals more adoptable and the goal of a new building in future years,
Shelter director Michelle Spark told supporters at a recent fundraising banquet she had the opportunity this past fall to travel to Chicago for a three-day training seminar for an animal health management system, returning home with an overwhelming wealth of knowledge, for which she is grateful.
Thanks to the seminar, she said, the shelter now has a full web-based medical system able to keep track of records, medication, grooming, surgeries and regular medical checkups. It has made life at the shelter so much easier, she said. Animals are thriving and can now go home to their adopted families with a complete medical history.
Spark said the system also keeps track of the length and reasons for animals' stays, and staff can access full reports for euthanasia rates, adoption rates and revenue compared to other shelters across Saskatchewan and Canada.
Spark, who is certified as a dog trainer, said this year there is a plan to put in place a behaviour assessment and modification program. The shelter will be able to assess each animal that comes in and decide if it is ready for immediate adoption or whether it needs modification. The plan also includes having ongoing behaviour modification and puppy training for people who have adopted from the shelter. Training programs could become an important source of revenue.
There will also be behaviour medication for cats, which is hard to find in a shelter, said Spark.
"Programming like this will reduce euthanasia and make animals more adoptable."
Spark was speaking at the Battlefords Humane Society's fourth gala fundraising dinner and auction. The first year proceeds went toward maintenance and operation of the existing shelter and the second year's proceeds went partly to a new building fund. The third year, half the proceeds went to the building fund and this year it all went to the fund. Although the final figures aren't in, this year's gala is expected to have raised between $35,000 and $40,000, at least $10,000 more than last year. This amount should bring the building fund to just over the $300,000 mark.
President of the Humane Society, Shawn Haas, thanked the individuals and businesses who contributed to the auction as well as the board members and shelter staff. Animal control and animal welfare in this community and other large communities is a challenging task, he said. Three groups of people make it possible, he explained, the City of North Battleford and its bylaw officers who provide animal control, the shelter, which provides animal care and adoption services, and the veterinary community, which is involved in education for shelter staff and provides emergency and medical care for the shelter animals.
"We are blessed all three work together well," Haas said. "In a lot of communities that relationship is disjointed or doesn't exist at all."
Recounting the history of the shelter, Spark, who took over as manager in November of 2010, said it was built in 1986 and early in 1987 opened its doors.
"It was a very small building consisting of an office, bathroom, eight dog kennels and seven cat cages."
The animals that came in were held 72 hours and then disposed of, said Spark.
"That may have meant being reclaimed by owners, adopted by new owners or euthanized."
In 1989, the humane society became a non-profit corporation. The society did all its own animal control as well as investigations and protection.
In 1991, the board of directors approached the City of North Battleford with plans for a new building. It was agreed the Battlefords Humane Society would raise $60,000 and the City would contribute $60,000. The society worked long hours at bingos and raised $25,000 more than needed. On June 26, 1994 the grand opening of the building still used today took place.
Spark said in 2005 about 800 animals came through the doors. Of those, 589 were euthanized.
"It was not uncommon for 30 or 40 animals to be taken over to the vet at one time," said Spark. "Not enough resources, not enough adoptions, not enough owners reclaiming their animals, not enough space and too many animals coming in all played a part in that."
In 2013, a total of 626 animals came through shelter doors.
"Eight-five per cent found loving homes, only 12 per cent had to be euthanized," said Spark. "What a change from 10 years ago."
Spark said when she became shelter manager, she was going to change the world.
"Well, I didn't change the world, but the last four years have changed my world."
Spark said she learned not everything is black and white and if they want to change the world they have to start with themselves. If they wanted people to stop putting animals in dumpsters or throwing them in ditches, to stop dumping them, to stop having accidental litters or to stop surrendering their pets, they had to give them alternatives.
"And if we wanted people to change, we had to teach them how," she said. "Education was key, teaching people that there is another way."
They've come a long way in the last 27 years, said Spark. She commended the 12 board members who volunteer their time, energy and hearts to the cause.
"Without them we would not be where we are today. I couldn't ask for a better group of people to work with."
She also commended the seven staff members she described as hard working, compassionate people "who put in way more time than they are paid for."
They help out with bake sales, microchipping clinics, transporting animals, staying late for out-of-town adoption, 24-hour care for orphans and sick animals, and more, she said.
She thanked the volunteers who help with cleaning, grooming, walking dogs and fundraising and the "phenomenal" vet clinic that goes above and beyond the call of duty on many occasions.
Spark said it takes about $180,000 per year to operate and maintain the shelter. The City of North Battleford provides $75,000 toward operational costs, maintains the shelter and conducts animal control. The Town of Battleford contributes $7,500 year for operational costs and $5,000 (not $500 as reported in last week's paper) toward the new building fund. The Brett Wilson Foundation contributes about $2,500 a year and they sometimes receive generous bequests from people who have passed on.
Looking ahead, she said, the future is bright - a better animal management system, better education, better programs and a bigger facility.
Looking back, 2013 was a positive year but also brought some struggles, including busted water pipes, flooding, plugged drains and a cold winter that brought the inevitable end for many animals, she said.
It also brought some pleasant surprises, such as two baby deer, a hawk, five baby ducks, two racing pigeons, four chinchillas and Penelope, the baby pot-bellied pig found running down Highway 16.
"Never a dull day at the animal shelter," laughed Spark.
