There is a possibility that some residents in the R.M. of Ste. Anne might soon have access to free spay and neuter clinics for their pets. 

Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue hopes to offer these clinics throughout the region in an effort to gain control of a booming cat population in the Southeast. 

The rescue has applied for a $4,000 grant from the R.M. of Ste. Anne to fund two clinics, one in spring and one in fall. 

If the grant is approved, Vice President Graham Pollock says the rescue would organize the clinics and work with local vet clinics. 

While they are working on the details as to the capacity for each clinic and who qualifies, this venture is dependent on funding as well as partnership with local vet clinics. 

“We want to offer this to families that genuinely cannot afford the vetting costs,” says Pollock. 

Stray and feral animals are often looked after by kind-hearted people, he adds, but they cannot afford the cost of getting the animal spayed or neutered. The rescue hopes these clinics will help to reduce the stray animal population in the Southeast, especially for cats, which make up the majority of animals that come into the rescue.  

Pollock says the organization has made grant requests in the past, but this is the first time they are asking for help to offer spay and neuter clinics. 

The R.M. of Ste. Anne is the first council approached by the rescue to help fund these clinics, and Pollock says it would be ideal to offer this in Steinbach, the R.M. of Hanover as well as R.M. of La Broquerie. Most of the animals came from these four communities. 

Although Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue are willing to take on organizing these clinics, Pollock says this can only happen if there is enough financial support as well as commitment from the local vet clinics. 

Pollock presented this information at a recent council meeting for the R.M. of Ste. Anne. He also highlighted some details from the 2022 report for the animal rescue. Council heard that volunteers fielded over 700 calls for service last year, and they report the vast majority of animals taken in were listed as strays. 

Here is the breakdown of where the 291 animals came from and were supported by the rescue: 

  • City of Steinbach: 80  

  • RM of La Broquerie: 59  

  • RM of Hanover: 52  

  • RM of Ste. Anne: 32  

  • RM of Emerson/Franklin: 14  

  • RM of Piney: 10  

  • RM of Reynolds: 9  

  • RM of De Salaberry: 6  

  • RM of Ritchot: 6  

  • RM of Springfield: 3  

  • Other: 20 

Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue sent out letters in fall to municipal governments with a request for financial support, based on the number of animals that came from each municipality. 

Some councils are still considering these requests. 

For the R.M. of Ste. Anne, the rescue is asking for $4,200 toward operating expenses. 

“In 2022, our total expenses were $178,000 and our total vetting costs for last year were $117,000,” Pollock told R.M. of Ste. Anne council. “So, a large portion of our yearly budget is made-up on of vetting costs for the animals.”

Around mid-April, council will publicize its decision on these and other grant requests.