Caregiver Resources

Sad view of an alone brown dog lying in the kennel - an old wooden house.

Proper Dog Shelter

Providing your dog with proper shelter is a requirement of the Animal Protection Act as caregivers must ensure their animals ...

Making Compassionate Choices

Determining if and when to euthanize a beloved horse is a difficult decision. Having the courage to make compassionate choices ...
Yellow Labrador retriever sitting outside with flowers and grass in the background.

Managing Your Dog’s Separation Anxiety

For many guardians, leaving their dog home alone while they head out for the day is part of their routine. ...
Jack Russell Terrier walking through forest by path, on a leash, with their caregiver.

Animals and Outdoor Smoky Conditions

When it’s smoky, keeping animals outside can be potentially harmful. Wildfires can cover large areas with smoke, creating unsafe air ...
Sheep standing outside while nursing lambs.

Livestock and Hot Weather

As temperatures rise during the summer months, hot weather can become a serious concern for livestock. Taking proactive steps during ...
Energetic dog running through shallow water with a stick in its mouth.

5 Tips for Pet Caregivers This Summer

Summer is upon is and Alberta is starting to heat up. Across the province people and pets are gearing up ...
Donkey outside in a grassy field with a fence in the back.

Six Animal Tips for Emergency Preparedness Week

May 4–10 is National Emergency Preparedness Week in Canada. From wildfires to snowstorms – and even floods, Alberta has no ...
grey and white cat with a light-colored coat and striking eyes, peering through a circular opening in a shelter environment.

Tips for Finding the Right Shelter or Rescue

Adopting an animal is an exciting and meaningful decision, and finding the right shelter or rescue is just as important ...

Two cows outside, side by side looking at the camera with other cattle in the back.

Myth Busting With The Alberta SPCA

When it comes to animal welfare, there’s no shortage of misunderstandings. From how dogs communicate to how livestock handle Alberta ...
Young horse and foal standing near a wooden fence in a grassy paddock, with trees in the background.

Parasite Control in Horses

Effective parasite control is a critical part of responsible horse care. Horses are susceptible to a variety of internal and ...
A healthy adult horse and foal grazing in a lush green pasture with trees in the background.

Senior Horse Quality of Life Scale

Determining if and when to euthanize a beloved horse is a difficult decision. Having the courage to make the decision ...
A horse and foal grazing peacefully in a green field with yellow flowers, surrounded by trees

Laminitis & Founder

With the onset of summer and pastures growing lush, some horses are at risk of pasture-induced laminitis. Laminitis is an ...
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Abused or neglected animal

Under the Animal Protection Act, peace officers have authority to investigate concerns of animal abuse or neglect if there is reason to believe that an animal is:

(a) deprived of adequate shelter, ventilation, space, food, water or veterinary care or reasonable protection from injurious heat or cold,
(b) injured, sick, in pain or suffering, or
(c) abused or subjected to undue hardship, privation or neglect.

Does your concern meet these requirements?

Animal that is in immediate danger
Who to call

In Edmonton:
311
Edmonton Animal Care & Control Centre

In Calgary:
403-205-4455
Calgary Humane Society

Outside Calgary and Edmonton:

1-800-455-9003 or complete online

Alberta SPCA

 

What you need when you call:
Address, details (must be firsthand), date and time, description of owner and animals

What next

If your concern is regarding intentional cruelty to
an animal, contact your local police or RCMP. If the
animal is in immediate danger, call 911.

If not, start again.

Abandoned animal

Stray animals and abandoned animals are different.
An abandoned animal has been intentionally left behind by their owner or caretaker, without proper care or intention to return.

A stray animal may or may not have an owner or caretaker, and is wandering at large (off the owner or caretaker’s property).

Wildlife

Contact a wildlife organization near you.

Who to call

In Edmonton:
311
Edmonton Animal Care & Control Centre

In Calgary:
403-205-4455
Calgary Humane Society

Outside Calgary and Edmonton:
1-800-455-9003
Alberta SPCA or complete online

Is the stray animal injured?
Who to call

Companion Animals
In Edmonton:
311
Edmonton Animal Care & Control Centre

In Calgary:
311
Calgary Animal Services

Outside Calgary and Edmonton: 
Contact municipal enforcement / bylaw office

Livestock
Contact Livestock Identification Services at 1-866-509-2088.
After hours, contact your local non-emergency police line

Short-term pet care during crisis

Review our materials

Surrendering an animal

Contact your local animal shelter.