AnimalKind Online
August 2026
Enforcement is only one side of animal protection. While our peace officers have been busy across the province investigating a record high number of calls, our team has also been hard at work behind the scenes, leading root-cause prevention initiatives to help improve animal welfare in our province.
By supporting caregivers, educating communities and advocating for animals, we can help protect Alberta's animals and advance animal welfare.
2026 AWS
Improving Communities Through One Health
We are only a few weeks away from our 2026 Animal Welfare Symposium presented by Vétérinov, coming up on Thursday September 10th in Calgary! The AWS is focused on improving communities through a One Health Approach.
Launched in 2025, this event brings together animal welfare leaders for meaningful discussion on current issues and potential solutions that impact communities across sectors.
This year’s topics include animal hoarding, livestock welfare, public perception of wildlife welfare and access to veterinary care in Canada. The speaker lineup brings a wealth of experience and knowledge. From veterinarians to animal protection officers, community leaders to public health experts, this will be an opportunity for collaboration, learning and professional development for individuals working across the animal welfare and related fields.
The next day, in the same venue, PetSmart Charities of Canada is hosting the Connecting Pets and People Summit. This free event is aimed at shelter and animal rescue staff and volunteers and is focused on best practices in sheltering and reducing barriers to pet adoption.
To learn more about the 2026 AWS click here!
What Is One Health?
One Health is an approach that recognizes the health of people is connected to the health of animals and our shared environment. Many of the world’s complex challenges such as climate change, food security and disease impact all living beings and our shared environments. Using a One Health approach brings together experts across fields to address challenges through perspective sharing and collaboration
Smidgey's Story
Late last year, Smidgey was one of seventeen beagle-collie crosses living inside a dilapidated mobile home in rural Alberta. Garbage had piled up inside. Food was limited. Urine and feces had soaked the floor. Many of the dogs were showing signs of serious health concerns when our peace officers attended the scene.
It was clear that the animals needed to be rescued. Smidgey and the rest of the animals were taken by our peace officers to safety where they could begin to recover.
While some of the dogs found new homes right away, Smidgey and 10 others spent the next 11 months in temporary care. Thanks to the support of our generous donors, our team continued to fund vet care and housing costs for them while we worked to find an adoption centre that could take them.
This past week, Smidgey was finally moved to an adoption centre that had space for her and officially put up for adoption. After almost a year, she is now waiting for her new family.
Her journey highlights that it can be a long and difficult process many dogs face after being rescued. But thanks to donors like you, the Alberta SPCA is able to ensure they are safe and cared for even after being rescued!
A donation today can help protect more animals like Smidgey. Click here to support animal protection and welfare.
Smidgey's Story
Late last year, Smidgey was one of seventeen beagle-collie crosses living inside a dilapidated mobile home in rural Alberta. Garbage had piled up inside. Food was limited. Urine and feces had soaked the floor. Many of the dogs were showing signs of serious health concerns when our peace officers attended the scene.
It was clear that the animals needed to be rescued. Smidgey and the rest of the animals were taken by our peace officers to safety where they could begin to recover.
While some of the dogs found new homes right away, Smidgey and 10 others spent the next 11 months in temporary care. Thanks to the support of our generous donors, our team continued to fund vet care and housing costs for them while we worked to find an adoption centre that could take them.
This past week, Smidgey was finally moved to an adoption centre that had space for her and officially put up for adoption. After almost a year, she is now waiting for her new family.
Her journey highlights that it can be a long and difficult process many dogs face after being rescued. But thanks to donors like you, the Alberta SPCA is able to ensure they are safe and cared for even after being rescued!
A donation today can help protect more animals like Smidgey. Click here to support animal protection and welfare.
New Perspectives: Education and Strategic Initiatives
Summer has been flying by for our Education and Strategic Initiatives (ESI) team, and with school right around the corner, the team is hard at work developing new resources for educators across Alberta while still focusing on long-term root cause prevention work.
“Our team was fortunate enough to be joined by two summer staff this year,” said Alberta SPCA Director of Education and Strategic Initiatives, Melissa Logan. “Chisom and Kotaro brought different perspectives and experiences. Their insights helped us develop stronger educational resources and explore research to identify practical solutions to animal welfare challenges.”
The ESI team operates the humane education program, providing teachers with free classroom-ready resources to help students learn about the importance of animal welfare. Chisom, a full-time teacher, joined the ESI team this summer and brought her classroom experience to help create new project-based learning materials for next year’s humane education program.
In addition to the humane education program, the ESI team invests in prevention, advocacy and animal welfare leadership through a number of programs. One focus for them this summer was digging into root-causes of prevalent issues in the animal welfare sector. Kotaro, who is studying animal health science at the University of Alberta aided the team through a wide range of research into practical solutions.
“Animal welfare is connected to the people, communities and systems that support it,” said Melissa. “Having team members with different perspectives helps us look more broadly at these connections and strengthen our prevention-focused work.”
These jobs were funded through the Canada Summer Jobs Grant, which helps Canadians 30 and under find practical work and further their careers.
We rely on generous Albertans to fund our work. Animals across the province are better protected because of people like you.
Right now, you can support the Alberta SPCA by purchasing your tickets to our August Heads & Tails Lottery on sale until Monday September 7th! Our jackpot is now more than $80,000 and growing fast — the winner takes half! Every ticket directly supports our animal protection, humane education and pet safekeeping work, all while giving you the chance to win cash!
Make An Impact
Your Contributions Keep Animals Safe
If you believe animal enforcement, pet safekeeping and humane education are critical to keeping Alberta’s animal safe, making a gift to the Alberta SPCA today contributes directly to animal welfare in our province.
80% of our funding comes from generous people like you.