Departments
Alternative Care
The focus of Alternative Care is to develop collaborations across North America with breed rescue organizations, and other Humane Society’s to help home animals with special needs and or behaviour concerns. The Foster Parent Program also facilitates these animals by finding temporary housing to provide growth, medical or behaviour help for these animals till they are able to move to adoption.
Animal Admissions
The Calgary Humane Society is an open admissions facility. The admissions staff takes in 7000-8000 lost and surrendered animals annually. Fifty per cent of the animals we receive are strays, and thrity per cent are owner surrenders. The Admissions Department actively investigates and searches tattoo, microchip, and other forms of database to reunite as many of the animals to their original owners as possible. We offer resources and information to finders of animals and owners of lost pets that will help in the reunion of the animal.
Animal Adoptions
Adoption Counselors ensure successful matches of animals with potential adopters. Medical or behavioural concerns (if any) are reviewed with potential adopters as well as offer information on training for the animal’s success. A variety of questions are asked of adopters regarding residence, activity level, lifestyle etc.
Animal Care
The Animal Care Department is responsible for maintaining clean and sanitary conditions in all areas where animals are housed and provide humane, fair and equal treatment of all animals under care. Animal Care also provides food, water, proper bedding, litter areas, and behavior enrichment.
Animal Health
Animal Health provides compassionate, humane health care to all animals admitted into the facility. Each year, and with new state of the art equipment, Animal Health is able to provide more veterinary services to each animal, giving them the best chance at adoption. CHS is not able to provide free or low cost veterinary care (including spay/nueter) for your animal, or provide veterinary advice over the phone. Our veterinary licence is limited to animals under CHS care. You can contact medi-card at 1.888.689.9876, who offers a payment plan for vet fees. You may qualify for the low cost spay/neuter program, contact the city of Calgary at 3-1-1. If you cannot afford the medical care your animal needs you can surrender your animal into CHS care.
Behaviour
The Behaviour Department offers a variety of dog training classes, private consults, behaviour courses and educational materials (via the Pet Gear store). Behaviour also assesses all incoming dogs with our Behaviour Interview tool and works with special needs dogs. Our Behaviour Team is experienced in working with dogs that present different behaviour concerns, such as; touch sensitivity, resource guarding concerns, arousal control issues, fearfulness, and dog to dog reactivity.
Communications
The Communications Department oversees all aspects of communication including media avenues of print, television, and radio. Additional responsibilities include the CHS website, brand identity, print material, and community and public relations. All social media including Facebook, YouTube and Twitter are managed by the department. All creative materials such as photographs and videos are shot and created by the department as well.
Humane Education
The focus of Humane Education is to promote empathy and responsible pet ownership. This is accomplished through presentations to children and youth, our Kids for Animals club and summer camps, and school tours.
Pet Gear Store
The Pet Gear Store has specific inventory aimed at; the humane treatment of animals, best practices for training, and behaviour correction. The Pet Gear Store is open weekdays from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Protection and Investigations
The Protection and Investigations Department consists of Peace Officers, Animal Welfare Responders and a Dispatch/Call Centre. The Peace Officers investigate allegations of animal neglect and abuse and enforce the Animal Protection Act of Alberta. The Animal Welfare Responders transport stray animals from veterinary clinics, attend public animal emergencies and trap at-risk cats. The Call Centre fields all public inquiries and neglect/abuse reports and acts as dispatch for field staff.
Resource Development
Resource Development is responsible for securing and maintaining the resources needed to implement the plans and programs of the organization. Where appropriate, in collaboration with like-minded groups and organizations. This includes various fundraising initiatives and annual events such as the Dog Jog, and Cocktails for Critters.
Violence Prevention
The Violence Prevention Program (VPP) is responsible for raising awareness on the connection between animal abuse and interpersonal violence. The VPP is also responsible for running the Pet Safekeeping and Emergency Boarding Programs.
Volunteer Resources
Volunteers are an integral part of all services offered by CHS. CHS has twenty one different volunteer programs from Kitty Karma to Dog Walking.