06/24/2026
Worth the read. Rescues need help, and renters need to be able to find affordable homes that allow pets. They enrich our lives so much! 💕
I need to share what’s really happening in Alberta right now because the guilt and anxiety so many of us feel isn’t a personal failure—it’s a system that is completely overwhelmed. And we need to talk about what WE can actually do about it.
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What’s Happening Right Now in Alberta
1. Shelters are beyond capacity—and closing intake
Second Chance Animal Rescue Society (SCARS) has closed animal intake entirely due to financial pressures. They normally help 1,800–2,200 animals a year, but they’re saying “we aren’t able to keep up.” Donations dropped at the end of 2025 and they came into this year without the reserves they need to operate. They’ve had to make the heartbreaking decision to stop taking animals in .
This isn’t an isolated case. Every organization right now is completely full and in crisis almost daily—but animals just keep coming . When a major rescue has to close intake, it has ripple effects across the entire system because other shelters and rescues have to absorb the animals they can no longer take .
2. Housing is the #1 reason people are forced to surrender
Here’s the brutal reality: less than 10% of lower-cost rentals in Calgary allow pets . Yet 53% of Calgary households have pets .
Over 500 animals are surrendered to Calgary Humane Society every single year—not because they aren’t loved, but because their families can’t find housing that allows them . More than half of renters with pets have reported being denied housing because of their animal .
Unlike some provinces, Alberta has no law that prevents landlords from making “no pets” policies. Landlords can legally refuse tenants with pets unless it’s a certified service animal—emotional support animals aren’t protected here .
Property managers themselves say landlords have had bad experiences and are now “pet shy,” even if it means turning away responsible pet owners . The gap between the number of pet-owning households and pet-friendly housing is widening every day.
Tenants pay ‘Tenant Insurance’ IT Typically Covers for Dog Owners !!
Having this specific coverage as a tenant and dog owner shows you are a responsible pet owner.
· Liability for Injuries and Damage: This is the most important part. Your policy's liability coverage (often $1M or $2M) is designed to protect you if your dog bites someone, causes injury, or damages someone else's property. This can cover legal fees, medical bills, and compensation .
· Damage to Other People's Property: It covers cost if your dog destroys a neighbour's garden or damages property belonging to others ( landlords) ….
The Core Argument
"You're not taking on risk by renting to me and my dog—I am. My tenant insurance protects you."
3. Abandonment is rising and it’s devastating
Just this week, 21 cats were abandoned in Rubbermaid totes at the doors of Border Paws Animal Shelter in Lloydminster. The shelter is already operating beyond capacity and now has to find space, supplies, vet care, and foster placements for all of them .
The shelter said it plainly: “Dropping animals off and driving away doesn't make the problem disappear. It simply transfers the burden to an already overwhelmed shelter system.” Staff are exhausted, over capacity, but still fighting .
4. Rescues are desperate for fosters
NASAP has paused dog intakes because they have no foster homes—they 100% rely on them . SCARS currently has over 475 animals in care but only about 200 active foster homes. If they had even 100 more foster homes, it would be “so beneficial for all the dogs waiting for placement” .
Fostering saves lives. It allows animals to decompress from the shelter environment, show their true personality, and get adopted faster. And rescues cover all the costs—food, vet care, everything . The hardest part is letting go, but as one foster said, “without you, some of them wouldn't survive” .
5. Low-welfare breeding operations are adding pressure
The Alberta SPCA has been taking in dozens of dogs from single seizures of low-welfare breeding operations. Instead of one or two animals from a file, they’re seeing large numbers that add significant stress to an already overwhelmed system .
At the same time, only 21% of people who acquire a dog choose to adopt from a shelter or rescue . There’s a persistent myth that shelter pets are worse pets—but there’s no evidence that dogs adopted from shelters are more aggressive, less trainable, or less healthy overall. In fact, most shelter animals are mixed breeds, which can lower the risk of inherited genetic conditions .
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What WE Can Do—Right Now
1. Foster—even short-term
This is the single biggest thing we can do. Rescues need crisis cover, temporary placements, and people willing to open their homes for even a few weeks. Fostering gives animals a chance to decompress, and it frees up shelter space for animals coming in. Most rescues cover all costs—food, vet care, supplies . If you’re on the fence, try it. “If you hate it then we won't give you another animal, but if you fall in love with it, then we'll give you a million animals” .
2. Push for pet-friendly rental legislation
Alberta landlords can legally refuse tenants with pets . We need to demand change. Calgary Humane Society and the City of Calgary just launched a Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative to work with landlords, provide toolkits, and advocate for policy change . We need to push for similar initiatives across the province—and ultimately, for legislative change.
We can:
· Write to our MLAs demanding pet-friendly rental protections
· Share the Calgary Humane Society landlord toolkits with property owners we know
· Advocate for pet deposits instead of blanket bans
3. Support programs that keep pets with their families
AARCS had a Compassionate Care Program that helped over 100 animals stay with families facing financial struggles—but it closed due to demand and limited funding. They’ve launched a $20,000 fundraising campaign to reopen it, which would help about 75 animals .
Calgary Humane Society also offers a Continued Companionship Program—751 people used it this year—and the main reason for surrender is still housing, not affordability . These programs work. We need to support them and push for more.
4. Adopt, don’t shop
Only 21% of people adopt from shelters or rescues . Every animal adopted from a rescue frees up space for another animal in need. Before looking at a breeder, check rescues first. And if you see a breeder who won’t show their facility, sells without health records, or keeps animals in crowded conditions—report them .
5. Donate to rescues directly
SCARS is in financial crisis. Other rescues are hanging on by a thread. Donations dropped at the end of 2025 and now they’re struggling to cover food, medical care, and staff . Every dollar helps. Even $5 helps pay for food, litter, or vet care.
Reed Salmon Foundation shows your donation money put to work . Transparency and support for the smaller platforms lets you SEE your money working .
6. Support community programs
· Pets of the Homeless programs provide pet food to families in need
· Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) programs help manage feral cat colonies humanely
· Paws Up Program builds insulated dog shelters for outdoor animals in Indigenous communities—but they have 35 animals waiting to come into care with no foster homes
7. Share—don’t shame
When people post about needing to surrender, don’t judge. Share resources. Share foster opportunities. Share pet-friendly rental listings. The problem isn’t individual people—it’s the system that has left all of us without options.
8. Of course SPAY/NEUTER your pets . ALWAYS . No if’s and’s or buts …
It also allows your dog to more easily go to doggy daycare .. and kennelling facilities.
