A cat is pictured at the Medicine Hat SPCA on Wednesday (photo by Ross Lavigne)

By Charles Lefebvre

SPCA

Medicine Hat SPCA aiming to improve transparency

Aug 7, 2019 | 5:15 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — The Medicine Hat SPCA is looking to turn a new page after allegations of a lack of transparency and accountability that arose earlier this year.

Back in January, CHAT News reported that the organization was accused of lacking transparency and accountability in its operations.

It followed news that a boxer cross named Luhan was returned to the shelter in December 2018 and euthanized after biting his new owner. Another incident saw four feral cats transferred to the Alberta Pound and Rescue Centre, where two were later euthanized.

The SPCA brought in an outside agency to investigate, which determined the shelter needed to examine its culture and policies.

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Tarynn Haag, president of the Medicine Hat SPCA board, says the organization has been making changes to how they run.

“As of right now currently, the only thing we have formally adopted is our new organizational values,” she said. “Those are going to be the foundation and the framework to make the policies and procedures that we need to run our organization.”

Haag adds the allegations of lack of transparency had an impact on the shelter this year in terms of the amount of adoptions and donations received.

“Donations and adoptions, they do fluctuate from year to year, from month to month, so what I do know right now is that we’re very low on our cash operational funds, and, that we’re very full in our shelter with felines, we have multiple kittens and cats,” she said.

Haag says the values the SPCA has adopted are integrity, respect, professionalism, sustainability and education. The staff are also undergoing additional training and taking a greater role with running the shelter, and a new nine member board is in place.

“We believe that by making these changes, we will be ensuring the animals in our care will receive humane treatment, and that we are acting responsibly and respectfully inside of our organization,” she said.

The organization hopes to be able to move forward from the events earlier in the year.

“I do believe that the issues brought forward earlier this year have brought us where we are today, and we’ve now dedicated the year of 2019 to change,” said Haag. “So we’re looking to the future, and hoping those issues to remain in the past, but they’re not forgotten.”

Haag says the SPCA is in need of donations to help run the shelter, which can be made at the office during regular hours. The organization will also be hosting an adoption event in September to help with the increase of cats and kittens in the shelter.