'A painful decision': Saskatoon SPCA will no longer investigate animal abuse, neglect
The city's animal protection organization says it will soon stop investigating cases of alleged animal abuse or neglect.
The Saskatoon Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) will cease its enforcement role on April 1.
The SPCA shared the news in a release sent to media on Monday.
"To my knowledge, the Saskatoon SPCA and the Regina Humane Society are the only law enforcement agencies in Saskatchewan funded through donation," Saskatoon SPCA executive director Graham Dickson said in the release.
"This was a painful decision for our organization. We simply do not have the resources or funding to equip our officers properly and safely enforce the provincial law the way our community needs."
The SPCA said a request for provincial funding was turned down last year.
The Regina Humane Society was also involved in the pitch for funding, the SPSA said.
In its release, the SPCA pointed to $2.8M in provincial funding it says the non-profit Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan has received over the past three years for enforcement purposes.
"We will work with government to support the transition and advocate for the enforcement of the Animal Protection Act in Saskatoon," Dickson said.
"Animal abusers must be held accountable."
In 2021, the Saskatoon SPCA investigated 865 cases of alleged animal abuse or neglect, according to the organization.
It will continue to operate the city's animal shelter, municipal pound and provide adoption services.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police inaction allowed Texas massacre to continue with catastrophic consequences: experts
The decision by police to wait before confronting the gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde was a failure with catastrophic consequences, experts say. When it was all over 19 students and two teachers were dead.

Indigenous B.C. filmmaker says he was refused entry on Cannes red carpet for his moccasins
A Dene filmmaker based in Vancouver says he was "disappointed" and "close to tears" when security at the Cannes Film Festival blocked him from walking the red carpet while dressed in a pair of moccasins.
Putin warns against continued arming of Ukraine; Kremlin claims another city captured
As Russia asserted progress in its goal of seizing the entirety of contested eastern Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin tried Saturday to shake European resolve to punish his country with sanctions and to keep supplying weapons that have supported Ukraine's defence.
Police inaction moves to centre of Uvalde shooting probe
The actions — or more notably, the inaction — of a school district police chief and other law enforcement officers have become the centre of the investigation into this week's shocking school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
'What happened to Chelsea?' Vancouver march demands answers in Indigenous woman's death
Around a hundred people gathered at noon Saturday at the empty Vancouver home where Chelsea Poorman’s remains were found late last month to show their support for her family's call for answers and justice.
Canada to play for gold at men's hockey worlds after victory over Czechia
Canada and Finland won semifinal games Saturday to set up a third straight gold-medal showdown between the teams at the IIHF world hockey championship.
Tear gas fired at Liverpool fans in Champions League final policing chaos
Riot police fired tear gas and pepper spray at Liverpool supporters forced to endure lengthy waits to get into the Champions League final amid logistical chaos and an attempt by UEFA and French authorities to blame overcrowding at turnstiles on people trying to access the stadium with fake tickets on Saturday.
48K without power one week after deadly storm swept through Ontario, Quebec
One week after a severe wind and thunderstorm swept through Ontario and Quebec, just over 48,000 homes in the two provinces were still without power on Saturday.
Explainer: Where do hydro poles come from?
The devastating storm in southern Ontario and Quebec last weekend damaged thousands of hydro poles across the two provinces. CTVNews.ca gives a rundown of where utility companies get their hydro poles from, as well as the climate challenges in the grid infrastructure.