SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
With the NWT SPCA approaching the capacity of how many animals it can take, the organization has turned to crowd funding to help manage the costs.

Sucky, a German Shepard who has lost the use of his back legs, has become the shelter's dog over the years. - Joseph Tunney/NNSL photo

"I'm afraid we're soon going to be at a point that we're going to have to say, 'No' and that kind of goes against why we started this organization," said shelter president Nicole Spencer. "I'm hoping people will realize that we're struggling and that we do need money."

During the last few months the no-kill shelter, located on Deh Cho Boulevard, has been running near capacity with the most dogs they've ever had.

While the NWT SPCA can hold up to 30 adult dogs and 10 cats, it has 20 dogs and eight puppies right now, eight cats and four kittens and various other animals at the shelter and in foster care.

She said the shelter also has five nursing dogs, with another one coming, further complicating the issue.

Spencer said it costs $25,000 to manage the shelter monthly and according to its annual general report the total expenditures in 2015 were over $400,000.

She said while the organization has money in the bank, if financial aid stopped, the shelter could only be able to operate for another six months.

Adoptions and donations

"It's a worry that we've worked so hard to get a shelter, buy the land, employ people and bring it to this point, (but) it's always a struggle to make sure we have the money for the coming months."

Spencer said the shelter applies for grant money, but that cash must be used for specific projects, not day-to-day operations.

According to its annual general report, the two of the main ways the shelter offsets its costs is through adoptions and donations.

Because of this, Spencer has started a GoFundMe online fundraising page with the goal of raising $50,000. As of Thursday at noon, the page has raised $12,860 as of Friday morning.

She said with the money raised she'd like to hire an additional person to help manage the shelter.

Another big way the shelter raises its money is by hosting special events throughout the year.

Spencer said the Memorial Dog Walk and 5k Run, scheduled for this Sunday, is a good example of a way people could support the shelter.

"If you want to pledge somebody running, you can contribute that way," she said.

The dog-walk portion of the event is in memory of Maurine Goldsmith, a volunteer at the shelter who passed away two years ago. Goldsmith was a part of the organization during the time it was attempting to get a shelter and the volunteers wanted to continue her memory by having the walk and offering a scholarship in her name.

The shelter desires to see as many animals adopted or transferred as possible, but Spencer said it can't keep up with the number of animals being brought in, considering these animals come from across the Northwest Territories. Right now, she's looking to find a van to help with the transfer of animals and food to the communities.

While the GoFundMe page is intended to help the NWT SPCA in the short-term, Spencer is also asking the territorial government create a long-term solution.

"Our mandate is to look after the unwanted and neglected and unhealthy animals of the North," Spencer said. "We can't do that properly if we don't have the funds . We're an essential service as far as I'm concerned. If we disappeared there would be a lot of chaos. Also a lot of unhappy and dead animals."

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