Founded in 1988 and based in Yellowknife NT, Northwest Territories Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NWT SPCA) works to improve the quality of life for all pets in the North. The charity runs a 3200-square foot shelter that can hold 40 dogs and 10 cats at a time. The shelter opened in October 2012. Other programs include a Community Spay and Neuter program, a Northern Community Pet Food and Supplies program, the Northern Dog Transfer Network, a Foster program and a Community Vaccination Clinic.

In 2016/17, NWT SPCA’s shelter took in 659 animals – 555 dogs, 97 cats, four rabbits, two ferrets, and one finch. Most animals came from North Slave or Dehcho, but other areas of intake were South Slave, Nunavut, Beaufort Delta, Yellowknife, Sahtu and births from sheltered animals. The shelter found homes for 240 animals during the year and an additional 73 were adopted out of the Territory. Its Northern Dog Transfer Network transferred 313 animals to southern animal rescue organizations.

Ci found more program information in the charity’s 2015/16 annual report; the report states that the Community Spay and Neuter performed 36 procedures during the year, while the Community Vaccination clinic saw 74 clients. Between vaccination clinics and in-shelter vaccinations, NWT SPCA vaccinated 416 animals during the year. The charity also reported 20 approved and 10 active foster families in its Foster program. With its Northern Community Pet Food and Supplies program, NWT SPCA reports sending thousands of pounds of food to communities in need every year.

Ci received incomplete, unaudited financial statements from the CRA after making a formal request for the charity’s audited financial statements with accompanying notes.

NWT SPCA is a micro-cap charity with total donations and special events fundraising of $295k in F2016. Administrative costs are 4% of revenues and fundraising costs are 31% of donations and special events. Per dollar donated to the charity, $0.65 goes towards its programs, which falls just within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. Ci notes that the charity’s T3010 CRA filing reports administrative costs of $222k and fundraising costs of $101k, which would mean that for every dollar donated, $0.12 goes to its programs. 

The charity’s reserves of $147k consist only of cash and can cover only 49% of annual program costs, indicating a funding need.

This charity report is an update that is currently being reviewed by NWT SPCA. Comments and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on July 6, 2017 by Katie Khodawandi.