Who we are

Second Chance Animal Rescue Society (SCARS) is a non-profit Athabasca and Edmonton area based registered charity. 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.

What we do

SCARS helps communities by intaking pets that are unwanted or slated for euthanasia. We intake pets from remote area dog pounds and veterinary clinics that act as the pound. We also intake 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. Every pet receives a health check, spay/neuter, vaccinations, and a microchip. We take in as many homeless pets as our resources allow. We typically have over 400 pets in care and find loving homes for over 2,000 every year through adoption.

We care for animals in three ways. Our Athabasca Second Chance Country Refuge serves as first stop for animals coming from northern pounds, houses some of our sanctuary animals and is a foster home for animals with special needs. Our Morinville Rescue Centre (MRC) houses adoptable pets, emergency intakes, and animals that are part of our Spay-neuter-Return program. Most of our adoptable animals live with foster home volunteers.

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.

We also have a Working Cats Program to rehome under socialized cats to barn or shop homes, and a lost-and-found pets program in conjunction with bylaw/animal control. As our resources allow, we also respond to emergency requests from communities impacted by natural disasters, such as wildfire emergencies. SCARS relies solely on support from the community. In our 20 years of operation, we have placed over 16,000 animals in loving homes.

Why we do it

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

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