Animal Rescue Foundation of Alberta

Monetary Donation | Article by: Cindy Cherry

ARF’s philosophy is that since animals have little ability to choose their owners, we as a society must act in their best interest, and they accomplish this in many ways. They place animals for adoption in loving, caring, stable, and lifelong homes by arranging temporary foster homes. These homes receive a pet that has been provided with any medical intervention needed, plus vaccinations, de-worming, and spaying/neutering prior to adoption.

One of their most recent accomplishments is the “Purr Project” – Modeled on a similar program in the U.S., memory care (dementia) residents bottle feed, play with and socialize orphaned kittens in preparation for adoption into the community. This project is the first program of its kind in Calgary. Kittens rescued by ARF are fostered at memory care facilities and cared for by the staff and residents. Once Kittens are of age, they are spay/neutered and adopted out of the community following ARF’s adoption procedures.

Their Spay and Neuter Initiative is made up of several small rural communities that they work with that have populations with limited income or financial resources. Many of these community members are animal lovers who have taken multiple stray or unwanted cats into their homes. The Rural Spay/Neuter Initiative will allow residents in Mountain View County, Rocky View County, MD Willow Creek No. 26, and Cardston County, to have their cats spayed/neutered, given permanent identification through microchipping, and administered their first FVRCP and rabies vaccines for only $50 at ARF’s veterinary clinic partners. The goal of the program is to reduce the overpopulation of cats in Alberta’s rural communities, while promoting the health and welfare of cats in that province.

In 2009, ARF formed an initial committee and began fundraising efforts for the “Pad for Paws”. Through grassroots fundraising and a lot of work from various volunteers, ARF has raised the funds to purchase a building in the hopes of building a safe and sustainable facility in which recently rescued dogs and cats can be taken. This facility is important, as a lot of the dogs/cats that are rescued by ARF tend to come from deplorable and neglectful situations resulting in these animals carrying potential viruses and parasites that can be passed on to otherwise healthy dogs/cats. Not only does this facility provide a quarantine section but various other sections including a training area, office, classroom etc. This project is scheduled to open in June, 2019.

To view some of their dogs that need a home, please visit: https://arf.ab.ca/animals/dogs/  

The joy of seeing a success story.

People of action.  Seeing a need and fulfilling it.