THE BATTLEFORDS - The community response to news that someone stole the animal shelter’s dog food has been overwhelming, says one of the board members.
Nicole Leinenweber, board member and volunteer with the Battlefords Humane Society following a break-in that resulted in all of their dog food supplies being stolen, said, “Yes, we had some local news coverage and then I put the social media post up on Wednesday evening (after the Tuesday overnight break and enter) and it went ‘viral’ with over 40,000 views on Facebook alone, as well as many on Instagram. “
It wasn’t just about puppy love as Leinenweber said businesses and individuals showed up all day on Aug. 29 with pallets and truckloads of dog and puppy food, as well as donations of cash and e-transfers from small to large.
“Each and every donation is very appreciated. We have not been able to properly inventory all the food and cash donations but to say the least, it’s been overwhelming. More plans are in place I understand with some of the businesses in the Battlefords having had or will have pet food sales for people purchasing food for us, and some people planning on having a bake sale to raise money for us”
The BHS board member said she acknowledged, in her initial social media post about the break-in, that the community and surrounding area is amazing, and that fact has clearly been borne out.
“We have more than replenished our food supply and future donations would preferably be monetary donations or cat and kitten food, soft canned dog/puppy food. All donations will go to helping vulnerable animals.”
The building this animal shelter is currently in has been operating as a stray holding facility since at least the early 70s. In May of 1980, SPCA incorporated no local grants or funding for organizations or municipalities.
There is currently a new shelter under construction.
Humane Society History
The Humane Society president met with city council on May 7, 1986, to discuss the possibility of establishing an animal shelter in the community. By Oct. 31 of that same, year, the Humane Society of the Battlefords was incorporated, and as of June 29, 1987, the animal shelter officially opened.
Leinenweber adds, “The animal shelter started off small, it started off as what is now the health unit. This meant the shelter was very limited in the number of animals it could house. From approximately 1995 until 2000 there were numerous animals which were humanely, put down due to disease outbreak and not having room to house the animals.”
In approximately the year 2005, the Humane Society became a no kill shelter, and the vaccination program and spay neuter program were implemented. Prior to this when animals were adopted, there was an agreement made with people to ensure their animals were spayed and neutered, and they were given a reduced rate at the vet.
The BHS offers a range of comprehensive programs and services designed to address the diverse needs of the animal population in the community. This mainly included care for distressed and displaced animals that came in their care.
“We are committed to providing comprehensive veterinary care, nutrition, rehabilitation, and enrichment activities to optimize the health and happiness of our animals. We actively engage in spaying and neutering efforts to combat the challenge of pet overpopulation, support responsible pet ownership, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable future.”
Adoption services match loving and caring homes with all of the animals at this location which are in need of a forever home. Lifetime adoption support is provided for all families who adopt animals from this centre.
Multiple other services are offered through the humane society in the Battlefords. The organization also coordinates a Facebook group to help reunite lost pets with their owners, as well as educate the public through social media, and in public about responsible pet ownership.
“Our operations are run by both paid staff and volunteers. Currently, we have about seven staff members and require more, so much volunteering is happening to help keep us operational. Recruitment and retention are perennial problems as we are always low on operating budget and the physical structure of the facility itself does not currently lend itself to an easy workplace (it is hot in the summer, lack of ventilation, overcrowded and old and crumbling basically),” acknowledges Leinenweber.
There is currently a new shelter under construction and the board is hopeful that their ability to attract and keep staff and volunteers will improve once they move into it, projected for spring of 2025.
While the surge of support following the theft announcement was immensely helpful and appreciated there are other things the community can do for the BHS, which Leinenweber outlines:
Walk our dogs! Just show up any afternoon except stat holidays and connect with our staff so you can take our dogs for walks. Our dogs will love you for it.
Apply to volunteer – www.battlefordshumanesociety.com – there are numerous ways to be a volunteer, we are certainly always looking for volunteers at events.
Please donate, on a monthly basis or lump sum, as we are, frankly, almost always in fairly dire need of operating funds. Currently, although we have had amazing community support to raise funds for the new Shelter, we are still short of our goal and do not want to borrow, so we are still looking for donations towards the new Shelter as well. You can donate on our website at www.battlefordshumanesociety.com or by e-transfer to [email protected] or by check or cash at the Shelter.
At Battlefords Humane Society, we had a vision and we are in the stages of completing that dream:
Step One: Buy the Land for a New Shelter! - check! The land location is on highway 4 north of North Battleford, going out of North Battleford, the land is on the Service Road just past Outback RV.
Step Two: Build a business to provide operating income for the Shelter - check! We require a significant amount of operating income every year to help us pay for staffing costs, vet bills, etc. etc. Fundraising is helpful but we are always stretched. As such, our sister facility, BHS Boarding and Grooming business which provides boarding, daycare and grooming, was built to be able to help fund the daily operating costs of the Humane Society Shelter.
Step Three: Build the new Shelter - in progress! We are so excited that the Shelter build is now happening and we will be looking to move over as soon as it is completed! This new Shelter will provide a safer and more comfortable environment for the vulnerable animals we provide care to, as well as the staff and volunteers.
There are currently 114 animals in care at the BHS, with over 70 onsite. Usually, a couple dozen cats at the Cat Café in Saskatoon, a cat or two at PetVAlue in North Battleford and rest in foster care are part of these numbers.
“Most of the animals we have in our care are cats, but we have lots of dogs and puppies as well - probably about 25% dogs and puppies at any given time and 75% cats and kittens. Although we do a good turnover, we are constantly full to the point we must stop intake such that we don’t endanger the animals we already have by overcrowding.”
Since the waning days of the COVID-19 pandemic, animal shelters in North America and certainly in Canada, have been in crisis and some Shelters have been in such dire straits they’ve had to close their doors.
Leinenweber affirms their organization have been doing all they can to cope and adapt but it’s not been without some terrible times, speaking honestly.
A surge in abandoned animals as a result of people who adopted or bought COVID puppies and kittens, and with some resulting in them deciding they did not want to keep the animals when COVID was over.
There are many sad stories as a result of backyard breeders or puppy mills as these litters are usually not vaccinated, fixed or microchipped and with the demand no longer there, litters are being dumped leaving the humane society to intake them, vaccinate them and fix them.
“We have had at BHS, no less than a few times in the past year, people throw cats and kittens out the window of their vehicle as they go by our Shelter or just kittens and cats dumped in a box outside the Shelter overnight – completely distressing to the cats and our staff/volunteers. This work is hard and our staff is paid at nonprofit wages and our volunteers are unpaid. This is work that can lead to burnout/distress, so to have a community response like the one we had on Wednesday, is more healing to our animals and hardworking staff and volunteers than you can possibly imagine,” says Leinenweber
