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Hay River SPCA closes for good
Group disbands, donates funds to Northwest Territories SPCA

Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Monday, May 22, 2017

HAY RIVER
The Hay River SPCA is disbanding and donating any money it has to the territorial branch of the organization - two moves creating heated controversy in the community.

NNSL photograph

Heather Foubert, a former president of the group, said the statement was reviewed, amended and approved by the whole board. - NNSL file photo

A statement announcing the moves was sent out on May 10 by the SPCA board.

"It is with deep regret that we have to announce the disbandment of the Hay River SPCA," it reads. "This is not something that has been done without a lot of work and consideration as to what was the best avenue to take."

However, the SPCA's decision to disband and donate its money to an out-of-town-based group has created concern and even outrage, especially on Facebook.

"It's so sad to see the organization we built up over 11 years to be brought down to nothing, in just a little over a year," said Sandy Whitteker, a former president and bookkeeper for the SPCA.

Whitteker said there's an active group in the community that would have taken over the SPCA.

Kate Latour is also disappointed by the developments.

"As a former, long-term member and one-time president of the HRSPCA, and speaking for everyone who has been involved prior to this board, I can confidently say that we are very disappointed with this outcome," Latour stated by e-mail.

The statement from the SPCA board was released by Heather Foubert, the last president of the group, who describes herself as a spokesperson since the organization voted to disband in February.

She said the statement was reviewed, amended and approved by the whole board.

It does not include a figure of how much is being donated to the NWT SPCA, and when contacted, Foubert said she didn't have a figure in front of her, but that it is everything in the group's bank accounts.

Whitteker said she does not know the amount donated, but she noted financial records she saw up to March 2016 indicated the group then had about $38,000 in assets, and it may have received funding afterward from the town to run the animal shelter in an arrangement that ended Sept. 1, 2016.

The SPCA also received almost $11,000 from a month-long round-up of bills by grocery shoppers at Super A Foods in the spring 2016.

Both sides of the controversy accuse the other of misusing the group's money.

The lengthy statement noted the new board, which had been in place since January 2015, had to re-register the group as a society, meaning new bylaws were written.

"In the old bylaws it stated that in the event of the SPCA disbanding, the remaining funds were to be divided among local charities, not specifically to animal-based concerns," it reads. "The new bylaws do not say that."

The statement also reiterated the board's position that money raised in the Super A Foods round-up was for plans to build a new shelter, and not earmarked for a spay or neuter program.

The board also noted the town has always insisted no animals from outside of Hay River be given care at the shelter.

However, it pointed out the Northwest Territories SPCA has often helped in those situations.

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