What do I do if I find a Stray or Homeless Animal?

In County or Rural Area
Please Contact Us to report a possibly lost or homeless animal that has been located at your residence or area. Our members can work with you to try and evaluate the severity of the situation, assist to locate the owner or discuss bringing the animal in for proper medical attention and care. For mother cats with kittens please read information further down this page or contact us BEFORE trapping or taking in the kittens.

If an animal is turned into us all best efforts are made to locate an owner and if no documented owner is located then placed into care, vetted and placed for adoption.

Proof of ownership will be required of any found/surrendered animal before releasing.  Proof of ownership includes  identification such as microchip information or tattoo number (although sometimes located by the vet many times the information is not up to date or tattoo not recorded/illegible), Registration tags/number or private identification tags, Vet records and photos of the animal inside the home as a family member over various periods of time while the animal was in your care. Please have as many of these articles available when contacting us to allow us to see clear defining ownership and that the cat/dog was clearly a member of your family.

In Stettler Town Limits
Town of Stettler has bylaws to prevent or restrict animals at large.  If you locate an animal without tags or unknown to your areas you should contact the Alberta Animal & Municipal Enforcement Services or bring the animal to Stettler Veterinary Clinic to search for ownership and get proper medical attention if needed. 
If your animal is lost please contact Alberta Animal & Municipal Enforcement Services and Stettler Veterinary Clinic to see if an animal by your description has been turned in.  Articles to show ownership such as microchip information or tattoo number, Registration tags/number (as required by Town of Stettler), Vet records and photos of the animal inside the home as a family member over various periods of time while the animal was in your care will assist in getting your pet back home in timely fashion.  Due to Animal Serviced being located in Red Deer and animals being moved to adoption after being unclaimed for 72 hours it is recommended that you begin this search asap.

Stettler Animal Enforcement Services
During Office Hours:
403-742-8305 (Town of Stettler, Monday to Friday 8:30AM to 4:30PM)
403-347-2388 (Monday to Friday 10AM to 5:30PM)
After Office Hours:
403-347-2388 Leave a message and the on-call officer will return the call as soon as possible in emergency cases. Administrative or non-emergency calls will be returned when an officer is on duty.
Alberta Animal & Municipal Enforcement Services Officer on Call 7 days a week from 9AM to 9PM.

If found Injured or is an Emergency Situation
Please bring animal to nearest Veterinary clinic  and Contact Us or Animal Enforcement Services immediately.
What do I do if my pet is missing?
Please read the following articles on what to do in case of missing pet.  

Missing Cat
Missing Dog

Missing Pet Poster Template 

HELP I FOUND KITTENS! When locating a litter of kittens do not assume they are abandoned and Please do not forget about the Mother. Please contact us or read more information about Kittens and what to do if you find a Mother and newborns by clicking HERE.
Responsible Pet Ownership
Owning a pet is a privilege, but the benefits of pet ownership come with responsibilities.
Be a Responsible Pet Owner:
  1. Commit
    • Avoid impulsive decisions when selecting a pet.
    • Select a pet ​that's suited to your home and lifestyle.
    • Keep only the type and number of pets for which you can provide appropriate food, water, shelter, health care and companionship.
    • Commit to the relationship for the life of your pet(s).
    • Provide appropriate exercise and mental stimulation.
    • Properly socialize and train your pet.
  2. Invest
    • Recognize that pet ownership requires an investment of time and money.
    • Make sure your pet receives preventive health care (vaccinations, parasite control, etc.), as well as care for any illnesses or injuries.
    • Budget for potential emergencies.
  3. Obey
    • Clean up after your pet.
    • Obey all local ordinances, including licensing, leash requirements and noise control.
    • Don't allow your pet to stray or become feral.
  4. Identify
    • Make sure your pet is properly identified (i.e., tags, microchips, or tattoos) and keep its registration up-to-date.
  5. Limit
    • Don't contribute to our nation's pet overpopulation problem: limit your pet's reproduction through spay/neuter, containment or managed breeding.
  6. Prepare
    • Prepare for an emergency or disaster, including assembling an evacuation kit.
    • Make alternate arrangements if you can no longer provide care for your pet.
    • Recognize any decline in your pet's quality of life and make timely decisions in consultation with a veterinarian.
    Source: https://www.avma.org
More information on Responsible Pet ownership can be found under out educate/advocate section.