Crown cleaners

Good evening folks!

We have become aware of false and harmful rumours circulating about our organization. These claims suggest that we euthanize large numbers of animals for unreasonable reasons and that we are somehow hiding how we operate. These statements are simply not true.

The individual(s) spreading these rumours are not members of our staff, not volunteers, and are not involved in the day-to-day operations of our shelter. Unfortunately, misinformation like this has the potential to damage the trust our community has placed in us and discourage support for the animals who depend on that support.

The Prince Albert SPCA continues to be committed to transparency, compassion, and responsible animal welfare. Every single member of our team is deeply passionate about improving the lives of animals in our community. We celebrate every adoption, every reunion, every recovery, and every second chance. We also carry the weight of the difficult cases that most people never see.

The reality of animal welfare is that not every animal who comes into our care can be saved. Some arrive suffering from catastrophic illness, severe injury, or conditions where the kindest and most humane option is euthanasia to relieve their distress. Under Saskatchewan’s animal protection legislation, allowing an animal to continue suffering is not acceptable, and we have both a legal and ethical responsibility to prevent unnecessary pain.

There are also rare occasions where an animal is assessed as posing a serious risk to public safety or to other animals. We have a responsibility to our community not to place an animal where it is likely to seriously injure a person or another pet. These decisions are never made lightly or by one individual. They are made collaboratively with our leadership team and our veterinary professionals after careful assessment of all available options.

If an animal can be helped, we will do everything reasonably possible to make that happen.

In the spirit of transparency, we also want to share the reality of these difficult decisions. Since January 1, 2025, the Prince Albert SPCA has cared for 2,163 animals. During that time, 137 animals—approximately 6.3% of those in our care—were humanely euthanized. Every one of those decisions was made because it was determined to be the most compassionate option for the animal due to severe injury, serious illness, or because, after careful behavioural assessment, the animal was deemed unsafe to place for adoption.

These decisions are never made lightly, by one individual, or out of convenience. They are made collaboratively with the support of our veterinary team and leadership, and in accordance with the requirements and responsibilities set out under Saskatchewan’s Animal Protection Act. Our responsibility is to act in the best interests of the animals in our care, while also ensuring the safety of our community. Every decision is made only after careful consideration of all available options and with compassion at the forefront.

Freddy is a wonderful example of the length our team has went for the animals in our care. Despite living with a chronic medical condition, he was given every opportunity, and members of our team personally stepped forward to ensure he could receive the care he deserved. Reacher spent nearly a year in our care before finding his forever home this past spring because we believed he deserved the right match. Stories like these represent who we are.

We routinely go beyond what is required of us.

The Prince Albert SPCA is contracted to provide poundkeeping services not only for the City of Prince Albert, but also for the RM of Prince Albert, the Town of Shellbrook, the RM of Buckland, and the RM of Lakeland. We serve multiple communities across our region.

While we wish we could accept every animal needing help, the reality is that we have a limited number of kennels and finite resources. We simply cannot take in every animal from every situation. This is not because we lack compassion—it is because capacity is a very real limitation faced by shelters across Saskatchewan and across Canada.

The issue is not that shelters or rescues don’t care enough. The issue is that there are simply more unwanted and vulnerable animals than any one organization—or even all organizations combined—can realistically accommodate.

We are incredibly grateful to the many rescue organizations, independent rescuers, foster homes, and volunteers throughout our region who work tirelessly alongside us. Animal welfare is a shared effort, and every organization is doing its best within its available resources.

Many people may also not realize that, under our municipal contracts, impounded animals are only required to be held for 72 hours (excluding weekends and statutory holidays). We choose to exceed those requirements. Animals without identification are held for a full seven days, and when an owner is identified or identification is present, we hold them for ten days to provide every reasonable opportunity for reunification.

When those holding periods expire without an owner coming forward, those animals are then assessed for adoption.

The funding provided through our municipal contracts helps cover those initial impound periods and contributes toward basic expenses, including spay and neuter procedures. It does not cover extended stays that can last weeks or months, emergency medical treatments, specialized veterinary care, behavioural rehabilitation, staffing, utilities, food, cleaning supplies, or the countless other costs involved in providing quality care.

Every day, our staff and volunteers give these animals the very best care possible.

The number of animals euthanized represents only a very small percentage of the total number of animals that come through our doors. While even one difficult decision is heartbreaking, suggestions that euthanasia is performed casually or for unreasonable reasons are simply false.

If you have questions about the realities of humane euthanasia in animal welfare, we encourage you to speak with local veterinary professionals. They understand the medical, ethical, and legal responsibilities involved in these decisions and can provide valuable perspective.

No one feels the heartbreak of not being able to save every animal more than the people who dedicate their lives to this work. We carry those decisions with us every day. We don’t need to be reminded of the animals we couldn’t save—we remember every one of them.

What keeps us moving forward is knowing that every day we are making a difference for countless others.

We could not be more proud of our team. Even when faced with criticism, misinformation, and discouragement, they continue to show up with compassion, professionalism, and unwavering dedication. They lift one another up, support each other through the hardest days, and never lose sight of why they chose this work.

Animal welfare should unite us, not divide us. We encourage everyone who cares about animals to support one another, work together, and focus our energy on addressing the real issue: reducing the number of unwanted, neglected, and vulnerable animals in our communities.

Finally, to our supporters—thank you.

Thank you to those who volunteer, foster, donate, adopt, advocate, and encourage our staff through both the joyful moments and the heartbreaking ones. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to understand the work we do behind the scenes.

Your support allows us to continue helping thousands of animals each year.

We will remain focused on what matters most: providing compassionate care, serving our communities with integrity, and giving every animal in our care the very best opportunity we can.

That is our commitment, and it always will be.

-
Ashlee Bober- Manager of Operations
Brent MacDonald- President of the Board

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