About SCARS

About SCARS

Second Chance Animal Rescue Society acknowledges we are on Indigenous land in Treaty 6 territory. Land occupied, travelled, and cared for by Indigenous peoples since time immemorial. SCARS operates within the traditional meeting ground, gathering place, and travelling route of the Nêhiyawak (Cree), Anishinaabe (Saulteaux), Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), Métis, Dene, and Nakota Sioux.

Our mission

Our mission is to make a positive impact on animals and people by engaging with others to rescue and care for animals in need, share knowledge, and provide access to services and resources.

Our Vision

A world where all animals are valued and treated with compassion, where no animal is left behind.

Our Values

Inclusion: An environment where everyone feels heard, valued, and able to contribute to SCARS’ mission.

Compassion: Being open-minded, non-judgmental and empathetic demonstrating an understanding and concern for animals and the communities in which we are involved.

Integrity: Consistently acting and speaking in a meaningful manner, that creates trust with our stakeholders and gives a voice for our animals.

Resilience: The ability to learn from and adapt to change and challenges through perseverance, personal strengths and our support systems.

Who we are

Second Chance Animal Rescue Society (SCARS) is a non-profit Edmonton and Athabasca based registered charity. SCARS relies on money raised through memberships, donations, sponsorships, grants, and other fundraising efforts.

Click here to read our annual reports.

Our charity registration number is 863478467 RR0001

Our Fundraising Efforts

Second Chance Animal Rescue Society (SCARS) is a Society incorporated under the laws of Alberta. Our registered address is 9920 – 107 Street, Westlock, Alberta T7P 2K6. SCARS plans to raise approximately $2.5M in 2024 through fundraising campaigns. It is estimated to cost the organization approximately $200,000 to raise this amount. Funds raised go to support rescue costs, care and medical attention for rescued SCARS animals, and to support our mission. Our mission is to make a positive impact on animals and people by engaging with others to rescue and care for animals in need, share knowledge, and provide access to services and resources. For further information regarding donations, please contact Sylvia Christiansen at 780-466-SCAR (7227) or email scars@scarscare.ca

What we do

SCARS helps communities by taking in pets that are unwanted or slated for euthanasia. We take in as many homeless pets as our resources allow. We typically have over 400 in care and find loving homes for over 2,000 every year.

We collect pets from remote area dog pounds and veterinary clinics that act as the pound. We also take in stray and abandoned pets, many of which are sick or injured. Every animal is given a veterinary and behavioural assessment and any medical care or rehabilitation it requires. We spay/neuter, vaccinate and microchip every animal that comes into our care.

Preventing pet overpopulation is also a big part of what we do. SCARS actively works within northern Alberta, partnering particularly with First Nations and Métis communities, where there can be a lack of accessible and/or affordable pet services.

Our Spay-Neuter-Return program provides spaying and neutering, vaccination and micro-chipping for owned pets, and our Walls for Winter program provides those who participate in SNR with an insulated pet shelter.

Our Guarantee

Once a SCARS pet, always a SCARS pet. If you can no longer keep your SCARS pet for any reason, please contact us and we will arrange with you to accept the animal back into our care.

However, SCARS does not typically accept other owner-surrendered animals unless they are from one of our target communities. SCARS has many homeless animals waiting for a spot to become available and their life depends on it, therefore we give priority to homeless and abandoned animals. Many of SCARS animals come from northern communities that have no pound or small pounds that have time restrictions on them.

Why we do it

SCARS is dedicated to reducing the number of homeless and abandoned animals in Northern Alberta. We believe there is a suitable home for all homeless animals, young or old. We believe pets deserve proper care and people deserve to live in safe communities with healthy, happy pets.