The mission of Humane Society Yukon (HSY) has four core elements:

• To foster a caring, compassionate atmosphere towards animals;
• To prevent and suppress cruelty to animals;
• To promote a humane ethic and responsible pet ownership; and
• To operate one or more animal shelters.

HSY was founded in 1987 the organization originally consisted of nothing more than a fenced-in dog area on Andrea and Florian Lemphers’s rural acreage and a second telephone line in their home. In 1989, Humane Society Yukon was officially registered as a non-profit society in the Yukon.

Today, the Society’s Board of Directors focuses on animal welfare education initiatives throughout the territory, as well as the operation of the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter in Whitehorse.

The Mae Bachur Animal Shelter is operated by Humane Society Yukon and provides temporary accommodations for animals awaiting adoption. When it opened its doors on November 4, 1998, it was the first permanent animal shelter built in Canada north of the 60th parallel. The shelter has 18 dog kennels, 2 open cat rooms, and small communal areas to allow social interaction between the residents and potential adoptive parents. The shelter takes in and re-homes approximately 400 dogs and 100 cats each year and is a hub of activity with volunteer dog walkers and other members of the community visiting and volunteering at the shelter on a daily basis.