The North East SPCA (NESPCA) is in danger of closing the Harry and Eve Vickar Shelter.
The Melfort-based organization, which serves the entire northeast, has issued a warning that a closure is imminent of the Harry and Eve Vicker Shelter.
According to Vice President of Communications Bill Wood, a longtime board member and supporter of the shelter since it was constructed the pandemic and other challenges have put them in dire financial shape.
“I think the number one question that we have for the community of Melfort is do you want an animal shelter in Melfort?” Wood said.
“We have had problems before but nothing to this extent, meaning that if we don’t raise enough money we’re working off a mortgage of $350,000. But if we don’t reach probably $200,000, maybe $250,000 by the end of November we are going to have to shut down,” Wood explained.
He said that if the shelter did close they would transfer their animals and would have to start from square one.
“Our biggest problem years ago was COVID, and we lost all of our volunteers and high mortgage rates, the current economy and inflation rates are very, very high,” Wood said.
The organization is sending a mail out and has organized a GoFundMe fundraising campaign. A business canvas is also taking place, to increase their corporate donations. Residents can also visit their website to donate. They also have a fifth-anniversary celebration planned for November
“But we’re hoping that we can see our way in the next little while and see what happens,” he said.
Wood explained that the shelter has given over 700 animals a second chance.
“And we’re a busy shelter. We’re a very, very busy shelter. We’ve got a number of dogs. We’re to capacity with our cat population at the present time,” he said.
Wood said that if they could pay off the $350,000 mortgage the organization would have to close the shelter.
Wood said that he is often asked why the organization constructed the Harry and Eve Vickar Shelter rather than retrofitting an existing building. He answers that retrofits are very expensive.
“From the beginning, we were given the land by the city and we do get a tax break from the city as we continue,” he said.
Wood explained that it costs $14,000 a month to run a shelter and this surprises people.
“Shelters in Saskatchewan, they get no grants. Granting is not available from the government or anything like that. So every shelter is on their own just to raise funds,” he said.
“The thing is that shelters do get a lot of food contributions and litter contributions and merchandise contributions, which is very, very good, but it still doesn’t beat cash.”
He said that they decided to construct a new building from the beginning because of the price to retrofit for a shelter including things like new plumbing, furnace and air systems.
Wood said there are many things local businesses, corporations or individuals could do to help, such as paying the utility bill of $1300 for a month. The SPCA’s vet bills are $2,000 a month, the mortgage is $3,800 a month. Wood said that some of these can be recouped such as vet bills.
“We were running month to month and then we were running every three weeks or so, but now we’re down to, it’s almost day by day or it’s week by week,” Wood said.
In the GoFundMe, which was set up by Wood it states that they believe the Animal Shelter is a positive aspect for North East Saskatchewan. They add that their many volunteers and board members believe that providing pets and companions for the population serves an important purpose in Northeast Saskatchewan.
Visit their website anytime and learn more. Official tax receipts will be offered for donations over $20.
“There are lots of different ways to donate, but every donation counts. If you took your coffee money from a month. If 1,000 people took their coffee money from one month, who knows how much we would have. We would probably be in the neighbourhood of $10,000. If the population wanted to do that,” Wood said.
