Community Pet Wellness Clinic

The Cause

At AARCS we are dedicated to not only helping homeless pets, but also addressing the reasons why they end up in our care. Whenever possible, keeping pets in their homes and preventing animals from coming into the shelter. We know that humans and animals can develop a strong bond and that pets provide love and companionship for many people. This initiative was born out of the pressing need to support those who, despite their love and commitment to their pets, struggle to afford the basic necessities. With basic costs continuing to sky-rocket with the current state of the economy, many people are struggling to feed themselves or find affordable housing. In many cases, financial hardship forces pet owners to consider surrendering their animals to shelters, which can be a heartbreaking decision and place additional strain on already overburdened animal shelters. By offering veterinary services, our project aims to prevent such outcomes, ensuring that pets can remain in loving homes where they belong.

Recently, AARCS’ received approval to provide in-house veterinary care for approved clients. Due to licensing restrictions, we previously had to outsource this care to local veterinary clinics and were only allowed to provide veterinary care to shelter pets and our First Nations clients in-house. This new approval means we can offer services to all our clients, including low-income, seniors, clients with disabilities or those who just need a helping hand. This new approval will drastically reduce the costs, ultimately helping more people and pets while also reducing the strain on animal shelters that are running at capacity.

The idea is to host four Community Pet Wellness Clinics that will provide pet wellness, microchip, and vaccine specifically for pets belonging to low-income individuals, seniors, and other vulnerable populations. The project addresses the critical need for accessible and affordable veterinary care in communities where financial barriers often prevent pet owners from providing the necessary care. By focusing on underserved populations, we will enhance animal welfare, support the human-animal bond, and ultimately improve the overall health and well-being of both pets and their owners.

Who Will it Benefit?

This project will be focused in Calgary and include clients who are low income, seniors, and vulnerable families and individuals with pets. Many of these clients rely on their pets for company and companionship. They are amazing pet owners and having a pet gives them purpose and keeps them active and moving. The project will ensure their pets receive the basic medical care that will keep them healthy and possibly prevent further medical issues down the road. Each pet will receive a thorough physical examination conducted by licensed veterinarians or veterinary technicians prior to receiving vaccines, deworming and a microchip (if required). We can do some limited screenings for common health issues, including dental disease, ear infections, skin conditions, and mobility problems. If the animal is not spayed/ or neutered we will offer to these clients to consider this and direct them to either our spay/neuter program or one of the many other programs in the city. In addition, we will provide education for pet owners on maintaining their pet’s health, including proper nutrition, exercise, and disease prevention. For those who need it, we can also provide food and supplies from our Pet Food Bank. As a result the owners and their beloved pets will benefit from this project.