Many urban dwellers consider dogs family. To some that doesn’t make a lick of sense. But for canines and humans registered in Second Chance Animal Rescue’s 20th annual Tails on the Trail, it’s an opportunity to enjoy fresh air and camaraderie with their best friend.
The SCARS fundraiser’s core activity is centered on a 2.5 or 5 km pledge walk that starts at Lions Park on Saturday, July 20 and winds along the Sturgeon River’s banks. In 2023, the walk raised about $45,000.
Other assorted activities planned for this family-friendly day include an agility course, pet friendly beer gardens, vendors and a barbecue. In addition, SCARS is arranging a 50/50 raffle, bottle drive and entertainment.
“We started small, and it’s grown and grown. This is going to be a fun event,” said Brenda Leonard, SCARS fundraising coordinator.
The volunteer-run SCARS rescues abandoned, neglected or roaming pack dogs in northern Alberta from reserves, rural areas and forested regions. Rescue teams and bylaw officers trap dogs running wild and turn them over to SCARS. Many dogs have buckshot in them from foraging while others are caught in traps. Still others are hit by cars and left in ditches.
Last year through the efforts of Athabasca’s headquarters, Morinville’s facility and a home network of foster parents, the non-profit rescued 397 dogs and cats. While the figures are impressive, they come with a cost.
“Since COVID, our expenses have tripled and quadrupled. In our last financial report our income was $2.6 million. However, in 2023 we were $100,000 in the red,” Leonard said.
Some of the rescue’s biggest expenses are veterinary bills. To make animals healthy for adoption, they are spayed, neutered and dewormed. Some of the more severely injured receive emergency operations or amputations. In addition, veterinarians recommend euthanizing animals too severely injured or sick to make a recovery.
“We partner with some very good veterinarians who give us special rates. But our monthly vet bills are quite large. One month we had a $75,000 vet bill,” said Leonard adding costs vary from month-to-month.
A second area where donations have dropped is cat and dog food.
“Less food is being donated. It’s the times. Everything costs more. But every rescue deals with the same thing. We’ve had a huge intake in the last year and food hasn’t gone quite as far. Keeping animals fed is quite a task. We will gladly accept donations of food, especially puppies and kittens. We’re very short of food for them.”
SCARS is also organizing a meet-and-greet of adoptable dogs and cats during the walk.
“But it’s not on-the-spot adoption. We would encourage people to fill out applications online. They look so cute when you see them, but looks don’t tell you what level of energy they have or if they’re right for you. By filling out an application online, it gives families a cooling off period to decide if they want the responsibility.”
Since Saturday is St. Albert’s downtown market day, SCARS expects a large number of people stopping by Lions Park to enjoy the day.
“The trails make it a very popular walk, and it will go rain or shine.”
Tails on the Trail starts at 10 a.m. sharp and ends at 4 p.m. For more information or to sign up for the walk visit www.scarscare.ca.