RESTIGOUCHE COUNTY S.P.C.A.
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Mission Statement
The RC SPCA, a registered non-profit organization (Canada Revenue Agency and Province of New Brunswick), exists to provide shelter, protection and care for unwanted, injured, abused and neglected animals; to reunite lost animals with their owners; to promote spaying/neutering of companion animals; to offer animals for adoption; to coordinate and present a variety of bilingual information programs that educate the public about animal welfare; to participate in local community events such as wellness fairs, children's programming, festivals and fairs; and to offer tours of our shelter to school students, service club members, seniors, people with special needs/challenges and other community groups. The RC SPCA receives no direct sustaining financial support from provincial or federal governments. All operating funds come from fundraising events and activities, generous donations from supporters, and contracts with local municipalities (for animal control and sheltering) )and agreements with two First Nations communities for whom RC SPCA provides sheltering services only. All of these community services have been ongoing for many years.
About This Cause
INTRODUCTION Below we share our organization’s history, animal welfare operations, services and their impact on our community, and our need for funding. We ask donors to consider making donations to RC SPCA in accordance with BENEVITY guidelines. Every donation appreciated. HISTORY Founded in 1985 by concerned local citizens dedicated to establishing the first animal shelter in our region, The Restigouche County SPCA (RC SPCA) received Canada Revenue Agency registered charity status in 1986; that registration continues today. RC SPCA was incorporated by the Prov. of NB in 1989. SHELTER FACILITY RC SPCA’s animal shelter operation in Dalhousie, NB is licensed annually by the New Brunswick Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NB SPCA), the provincial organization that enforces the New Brunswick SPCA Act, S.N.B. 2014, c. 132, as amended. Governing our organization is a local Board of Directors elected at the Annual General Meeting each year. In 1990, we began operating our first animal shelter in Dalhousie, situated on property we purchased and constructed from old donated surplus temporary/mobile public school classrooms. In 2010, because our shelter was falling apart and seriously inadequate for the growing number of animals we were caring for, we began a fundraising drive to build a new, state-of-the-art shelter according to construction standards/codes for shelters recognized across Canada and in conformance with handicapped accessibility regulations of both Canada and NB. In spite of serious economic downturn in our area, our funding drive succeeded due to tremendous efforts by volunteers plus significant donations from community citizens, businesses, local non-profit groups such as service clubs, school groups, seniors’ clubs, and others. Construction began in 2012 on land we purchased adjacent to our old shelter. To ensure support for local businesses and workers, we used local contractors from Restigouche County or close-by companies. Construction was completed in summer 2014, the old shelter was demolished, and our grand opening occurred November 1, 2014, with many community leaders, MLAs, mayors, councilors, service club representatives, donors and other citizens attending. In 2015 we received a modest, cost-sharing grant from Employment/Social Development Canada for paving our rough gravel parking area so challenged individuals (particularly seniors and special-needs visitors and users of wheel-chairs, walkers, or crutches) could more easily reach our handicapped accessible ramp. THIS IS THE ONLY CANADIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FUNDING THAT RC SPCA HAS EVER RECEIVED FOR CONSTRUCTION OR ONGOING OPERATIONS. SHELTER OPERATION AND SERVICES RC SPCA’s new shelter is the only shelter in northwest NB and we provide our services (see below) in both official languages. We serve a population of approximately 33,000 people across an area of 8500 sq.km. that includes 10 incorporated municipalities, 5 unincorporated areas (Local Service Districts), and a First Nations community. The closest other shelter to ours is almost two hours away and serves its own huge region in northeast NB. In terms of animal welfare services, we annually intake between 800 and 900 animals, usually cats and dogs (occasionally rabbits, pet birds, hamsters, etc.). Animals come from captures of strays, owner surrenders, anonymous after-hours drop-offs at the shelter, and some transfers from other NB shelters. All animals are examined immediately on intake and medicated according to need, vaccinated and groomed to be ready for adoption at the appropriate time. Annually we have between 800 and 900 outcomes of animals including adoptions, owner reclaims, temporary fostering by volunteers who rehabilitate animals prior to adoption, and occasional transfers to other NB shelters. The shelter is staffed seven days a week, including holidays. The shelter is fully bilingual, including visitor interactions, signage, onsite/offsite presentations, and communications with local/provincial media. Staff are bilingual. Our Animal Control Officers respond to calls from people in our area (24 hours/7 days via emergency cellphone and daytime land line). Animals are picked up and brought to the shelter unless owners can be identified immediately. Animals are held until claimed by owners and if not claimed within legally required periods are put up for adoption. We also provide shelter to unwanted, abused, abandoned, neglected and lost animals that we take in from various other sources such as RCMP/NB Dept. of Natural Resources captures (companion animals only), rural seizures of neglected/abused animals by provincial NB SPCA Animal Protection Officers, etc. We often have been a primary recipient of “puppy mill” adult dogs and puppies seized by NB SPCA in northwestern NB; unfortunately, the number of such seizures has grown. We may take animals from other shelters throughout the province, under agreements within the NB SPCA shelter network, as space permits. SHELTER STAFFING Our human resources are our most valuable assets. The shelter employs six F/T and two P/T workers and some casual employees as required. All receive specialized training, onsite hands-on learning sessions and offsite workshops presented by NB veterinarians, and online training. We take advantage of opportunities for local no-cost sources of short-term employees such as placements from local high school co-op programs, back-to-work placements from provincial and federal agencies, and occasional other appropriate learning/work assignments that may present themselves. VOLUNTEERS Besides their regular board/administrative duties, Board members frequently volunteer hands-on at the shelter itself. And we have many community volunteers who generously help with dog walking, cat socialization, cleaning animal cages, snowplowing, mowing grass, minor repairs, running errands, painting, and other tasks. COMMUNITY OUTREACH The shelter houses RC SPCA’s headquarters. We provide educational programs for community members, in French or English as appropriate to the audience. Shelter staff, with Board member input, develops these programs. Presentations at the shelter or offsite include: in-school presentations about animal care, welfare, spay/neutering and responsible pet ownership to school students throughout Restigouche; presentations to local organizations such as Golden Age and service clubs about pet ownership and our services; hosting very frequent bilingual onsite shelter tours for local day-care, school and church groups, First Nations families, seniors, and mentally/physically challenged individuals; spay/neuter info presentations to community groups in cooperation with a local veterinarian; exhibits and handouts at local event venues such as festivals, seasonal fairs, children’s programs, trade/professional shows, local radio station and local newspaper Public Service Announcements, etc. As resources and staff allow and as demand dictates, we may provide other socially-responsible programs such as: respite care for animals owned by elderly community residents (usually without charge until the animal can be either adopted or returned to the owner); temporary intake/care of animals owned by families undergoing crisis (such as separation, battered women and children leaving a home, etc.); temporary foster homes for animals in individual crisis situations (owner or family member ill or hospitalized and cannot care for animal for a period of time); and spay/neuter counseling and referrals services for individual pet owners throughout the area. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT Restigouche County has suffered recent significant economic downturns. We have lost several major industries and have had cutbacks in bus and passenger/freight rail service with associated employee layoffs and reductions in force. Our population base is falling, and many citizens are retired, on fixed incomes, unemployed or underemployed. Sadly, some owners must surrender their beloved pets to us because they simply cannot afford the cost to keep them. In spite of best efforts of our business community leaders, and with economic incentive help from the Province of NB, the county still does not have the economic base we once did. This has tremendously significant effect on the amount and number of donations we receive. FUNDING None of our sheltering, animal welfare activities, or community outreach can be accomplished without sustainable funding. One important funding source is our set of annual contracts to respond to animal control/nuisance/stray calls from residents of all Restigouche County municipalities plus sheltering facilities provided to the nearby Eel River Crossing (N.B.) First Nation and the Listuguj First Nation, (Quebec). These agreements have been ongoing for many years and work very well. Our RC SPCA Fundraising Committee works tirelessly year-round to raise operating funds through yard sales, several used book sales outlets, a used-goods thrift shop, 50/50 draws (licensed by the NB Government), auctions of donated goods, suppers, assisting at community fairs and festivals (clean-up crews, etc.) and other activities. We receive donations from individuals, businesses, service clubs, school groups, and others and we get contributions in memoriam of deceased persons and pets. We receive donations-in-kind of animal food and toys, cleaning products, labour to do repair jobs at the shelter or on our van, and occasionally equipment such as cabinets, small snow-blower, shovels, animal bedding, etc. NB SPCA receives NO direct grants or funding for our operations whatsoever from provincial or federal government departments. We received several modest cost-sharing grants from NB Regional Development Corporation for construction of our new shelter and two small multi-purpose buildings on our property near the shelter. We received one modest cost-sharing grant from Employment/Social Development Canada to pave our gravel parking lot. Any donations would be greatly appreciated. Charitable receipts will be issued.