Swift Current SPCA annual appeal raising funds to care for homeless pets
Funds raised through the Swift Current SPCA's annual financial appeal to southwest residents will help the non-profit organization to take care of stray, lost and unwanted pets.
The $23 for '23 campaign is asking southwest residents to support shelter operations with a donation towards the provision of a vital service to the region.
Jo-Anne Schatkoski, development manager for the Swift Current SPCA, said this annual appeal is a key part of the organization's fundraising efforts each year.
“It's very important,” she mentioned. “It provides a huge amount of our donations every year.”
There is an additional option this year to make a $50 for 50 years donation in celebration of the animal shelter's 50th anniversary.
“We're doing lots of fundraising this year for the 50th anniversary,” she said. “It's quite a feat for any non-profit to make 50 years of operating without government funding. It's a huge deal. So we wanted to add the $50 for 50 years for this year.”
Every dollar raised through the annual appeal is essential to ensure the continuation of shelter services, because the organization does not receive any provincial or federal core funding and it is also not affiliated with or funded by the Saskatchewan SPCA.
The Swift Current SPCA is a volunteer-directed, registered charity serving the entire southwest region. It relies on community support in the area to raise most of the funding required for the operation of the shelter.
“Our operating costs a year right now are between $450,000 to $500,000 and 85 per cent is community funded,” she noted. “We get 15 per cent government funded, because we operate the pound for the City of Swift Current. So we get funding from that, but 85 per cent of our funding is raised in the community, with people in our community holding bake sales, garage sales, and activities like our annual cupcake sale.”
Schatkoski emphasized all funds raised for the Swift Current SPCA are dedicated to various activities in support of caring for animals at the shelter.
“Not a dime of any of our fundraising efforts leave Swift Current, unless it's to go to a vet, if we can't get room with our vets in town and it has to go to Maple Creek,” she said. “But it all stays in the southwest and it goes to support our animals with food, with medicines, our vet bills are always a huge expense for us, and then of course wages for our few staff members and operating costs at the shelter.”
Inflationary pressures have an impact on shelter operations and the success of fundraising efforts. People are experiencing the impacts of the higher cost of living, which might make it difficult for them to support the Swift Current SPCA with a donation. The expenses at the shelter are also going up at the same time.
“It's hard right now with inflation so high,” she said. “Inflation hits us not only with the fundraising efforts in raising more money, but also with pet food and medication. All that goes up too. So it hits us on both sides, with fundraising and the cost of everything.”
Shelter staff care for between 500 to 600 animals a year. It is a no-kill shelter and animals are cared for until they are adopted by new owners.
“Sometimes animals come in that are injured and some of them very badly,” she said. “We do whatever we can to save them, and that costs a lot of money.”
It can take a while before an animal will find a new home. In the meantime, the shelter will have a variety of expenses, including daily care and food as well as spay, neutering, and vaccinations. Adoption fees will therefore assist with the cost of caring for animals.
“The adoption fee does not cover what we pay out for that animal, but we just want some of that back so we'll keep operating and save the next animal,” she said.
The COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on fundraising efforts, but the Swift Current SPCA has resumed regular in-person activities. However, the pandemic has an ongoing impact on volunteering.
“We don't have the volunteers anymore,” she said. “A lot of our volunteers are older and they're afraid to come out and volunteer when they're going to be around a lot of people, because COVID is still out there. So people are backing off from volunteering and that's where we're having a big problem right now. We need volunteers in order to have any event.”
The Swift Current SPCA has been providing shelter services since 1973 and various activities are planned to highlight and celebrate this 50th anniversary milestone. These activities will hopefully also help to raise awareness about the valuable service offered by the shelter, which might benefit fundraising efforts.
The Swift Current SPCA social media platforms will be used during the year to highlight 50 different ways to support the shelter. There is going to be a 50 years Furball 50/50 draw with a chance to split $10,000 and a 50-year bottle drive asking for 50 cans or bottles from all households in the southwest. The annual SPCA Radiothon will also be a 50-year celebration.
The big anniversary event of the year will be the Halloweenthemed gala on Oct. 21 at the Legion Hall. The planning of this celebratory bash has already started and a lot of volunteers will be needed to help out at the event. Only 300 tickets will be available, which will be going on sale soon. The $75 ticket price will include dinner and live entertainment featuring popular party band Men Without Shame.
“We're going to have a silent auction and different auctions, 50/50 draws and we're going to have lots of dancing and lots of fun,” she said.
There are various ways to donate to the $23 for '23 campaign. Donations can be mailed to the Swift Current SPCA at P.O. Box 1163 Stn Main, Swift Current, S9H 3X3 or call the shelter at 306-773-1806 to make a donation using VISA or Mastercard. Another option is to send donations through an electronic funds transfer (EFT) to treasurer@spcaswiftcurrent.com and donations can be made online at the