The words we use are important and what we say and how we say it can have a big impact on the people around us. At AARCS, we have worked hard to be culturally understanding and we continue to learn and understand more about the people we assist daily.  Another area we are learning more about is being trauma-informed and understanding the barriers faced by those who are place-at-risk, and experiencing poverty or discrimination.    During a recent planning session with the cat team, we discussed the surrender form and surrender agreement — how these forms are used and the proces ..read more

Remi, formerly known as Jazz, has adjusted to her new home very quickly. She absolutely loves car rides and going on walks (she’s great on her leash too!). She’s become fast friends with her adopter’s parents’ dog and they have the best time together, fighting over one toy despite the fact that they almost have two of every other toy. Despite the fact she’s still just a puppy, she knows not to chew shoes, furniture, or anything else she’s not supposed to chew, but she makes quick work of her toys! She is also apparently a pretty big foodie, so her adopter is working with her to get her ..read more

Have you ever seen a posting on Facebook or Kijiji about a litter of free barn kittens?  The idea of getting a free kitten may be appealing but before you hop on the bandwagon of welcoming a “free floof” into your home, here’s some things to consider. One of the biggest benefits of adopting through a reputable organization such as AARCS, is that all dogs, cats and rabbits come vetted, including spay/neuter surgeries prior to adoption. Overpopulation of pets in Alberta is a vast problem, which is why we encourage everyone to become part of the solution by ensuring your pets are sp ..read more

You are online at an animal adoption website.  Low and behold, there is a profile of a beautiful sweet creature that you have immediately fallen in love with.  When you first checked out the website you were not sure of what you were going to do.  But seeing that cute lovely face, you are sure that you want to bring this creature into your life.  You email the one who is in charge straight away. So, you made the decision to adopt a pet.  Good for you!  That is a wonderful thing you can do for both yourself and for the adorable animal in question.  However, t ..read more

A sweet star from AARCS is loving her new home.  Now named Winnie, she has embraced her new surroundings and humans like a champion.  Winnie was well trained by her foster family and with the information given to the adopted family, she was able to fit right in.  It just goes to show how wonderful and helpful it is to foster a pet that is in need of some love.  Fosters prepare these pets for a lifetime full of incredible memories.   Described as an amazing, loving, and friendly puppy, Winnie makes friends everywhere she goes with her people.  Her favorite thing ..read more

Just like humans, our pets need enrichment to spice up their life! Typically when our pets lack enrichment, they get bored and we tend to see more behavioral issues such as chewing on furniture, jumping up on counter tops or going after your favourite pair of shoes.  Providing enrichment for your pet may seem like a lot of work, but surprisingly it doesn’t require much to keep your fur babies happy. You don’t have to burn a huge hole in your wallet or sacrifice a lot of your time to give the gift of enrichment either – keep on reading to find out how! There’s no better time than the p ..read more

Phil was a bundle of energy that came to AARCS as a puppy.  Now with his new family, he is named Whiskey (perfect name for him).  This peppy little guy is motivated by treats and his training was a breeze because of that fact.  Since his first day he has become the best well-behaved dog that a family could have and has seamlessly transitioned into the family with no fuss.  He loves training and has learned so much.  Whiskey loves to take long walks and play fetch with his family. He is also a very smart dog with the help of his enrichment toys and shuffle mat to ..read more

Ouch!  Your sweet tiny kitten just pounced on your bare foot.  These sharp little claws and pointy teeth sink into your skin.  It’s like a miniature beartrap clamping onto your ankle.  Out of surprise, you jump out of your chair and shake the kitten off you.  Don’t worry!  You didn’t hurt your kitty but it left some nice long scratch marks on you.  That playful little sneak still has that fire in its eyes that say, “I’m coming back for more.”   Oh no!  Who knew that this adorable ball of fluff would be such a terror?  Although they are endear ..read more

Kennel cough – what is it exactly? Simply put, it’s a highly contagious respiratory disease. This illness is a nightmare for animal shelters, as dogs can contract it very easily in places where there are large amounts of dogs present. It spreads through airborne droplets, direct contact, or contaminated surfaces, which means that essentially everything has to be cleaned and disinfected when this disease rips through a shelter. Fortunately, it’s quite easy to treat and the mortality rate is very low, however in more severe cases it can be fatal. Symptoms of kennel cough include a very no ..read more

Animal protection is an issue that has risen to the forefront of global priorities! There are countries that have stepped up to the challenge over time and amended or created laws that are much stronger for the protection of animals, and there are some countries that unfortunately have not. Canada as a whole has certainly come a long way with these laws. The original animal cruelty section of the criminal code was enacted in 1892, and A LOT has changed since then. Additionally, a lot of the laws differ from province to province, so cohesion and consistency across the board are harder to ach ..read more