Past Wakefield Animal Welfare Grant Recipients

2024 Grant Recipients

In 2024, $1000 micro grants were awarded to the following:

• Abbotsford Police Foundation: Financial Care Package for Retired Police Service Dogs.  Once a dog has been retired from the Abbotsford Police Department, they are often adopted out. But given the physically demanding nature of their work and that they are moving into ‘senior’ dog territory, they may often need care and special diets that may be out of reach for homes that can take them in. This grant will help cover the fees associated to both food and annual vet bills for retired police dogs that have served and retired from the Abbotsford Police Department.
• Circle F Horse Rescue Society: For the Herd. The Society focuses on the care of horses that are surrendered to them. Sometimes, owners can no longer care for their horses. Sometimes, the care for a horse overwhelms their owners. There are many reasons that horses end up at Circle F and they work hard to rehabilitate and provide new homes for horses that come to them. Their ‘For the Herd’ project is their most significant cost; it includes the feed, farrier and veterinary care to do this work so their horses may be adopted in the Valley and throughout BC.
• Elizabeth’s Wildlife Center Society: Safety Issue on Outside Stairs. Elizabeth’s Wildlife Centre is located on acreage that is hilly and therefore stairs are required to access the pens for recovering birds and small animal. These stairs are used by staff and volunteers multiple times a day, to feed and care for the animals. With our wet climate, the wooden stairs have rotted and require significant repair. This grant will help address a critical safety issue and ensure that staff and volunteers have safe access to the animals they care for.
• Fraser Valley Humane Society: Cat Health Program. The Fraser Valley Humane Society accepts many surrendered cats and kittens each year. As a result, their vet bills are significant as they spay and neuter, vaccinate, and treat for fleas and worms. This type of care is required for the health of all the cats in the shelter, as things like fleas and upper respiratory infections can spread quickly. This care also prepares cats for adoption.
• Paws for Hope Foundation: Better Together Abbotsford. This initiative will support 8 Abbotsford families with 12 pets to access ongoing preventative and urgent vet care at South Fraser Animal Hospital. They are also linked to services like pet friendly housing, end of life support, & licensing to help pet families stay together.
• SAINTS Rescue: Provide Ongoing Specialized Vet Care. This project will ensure senior and special needs animals receive ongoing veterinary care, including treatments, diagnostics, surgeries, and rehabilitation. Many require chronic condition management, pain relief, and specialized care to enhance their well-being and quality of life.

2023 Grant Recipients

In 2023, $1000 micro grants were awarded to the following:

• Abbotsford Police Foundation: Financial Care Package for Retired Police Service Dogs.  Provides cover of fees associated to both food and annual vet bills for retired police dogs that have served and retired from the Abbotsford Police Department.
• Elizabeth’s Wildlife Center Society: Enhancing Survival Through Specialized Foods. As a certified wildlife rehabilitator, Elizabeth has learned (over 37 years of experience) that better specialized foods for baby birds and small animals can significantly enhance recovery so they can be released back into the wild. However, these formulas are very expensive.
• Paws for Hope Animal Foundation: Better Together Abbotsford. This program supports 13 Abbotsford families with 19 pets to access ongoing preventative and urgent vet care at South Fraser Animal Hospital. They are also linked to services like pet friendly housing, end of life support and licensing to help pet families stay together.
• SAINTS Rescue: Support Veterinary Costs. Through out the year we visit clinics 3-4 times a week, with our animals whether they are senior, are palliative or special needs. We have over 100 animals either on site or in foster care which require out support. Vet care is one of out highest costs, followed by payroll as we have staff 24/7.
• Zajac Ranch Society: Zajac Ranch for Children Miniature Goat Shelter. For this project, we plan to build goat shelters and install fencing the seamlessly integrated into the ranch’s petting zoo. These durable shelters will not only ensure the safety of the animals, but will also become focal points for nurturing profound connections between children and animals.

2022 Grant Recipients

In 2022, small grants were awarded to the following:

• Abbotsford BCSPCA – $3,000 to the Abbotsford Low Cost Spay / Neuter Program. The program will provide low-cost spay/neuter and a microchip for a cat for those community members who qualify through a low-income qualifications chart from one of their associate vet clinics.
• Fraser Valley Humane Society – $3,000 for Feral Socialization. Program that traps feral cats but then also works on socializing stray and feral cats to a degree that they are adoptable as indoor pets. This program is a far better alternative for the cat and helps reduce the homeless cat population.
• Heart on Noses a Mini Pig Sanctuary – $1,800 for Ramp It Up. Provides wood ramp structures with a low grade to help senior animals get from housing to the ground for those animals who can no longer do steps.
• Hug a Bull Advocacy & Rescue Society – $3,000 for HugABull Reach. The program is geared towards offering free or low-cost spay or neuter services to ALL breeds of dogs in Abbotsford to reduce the pet overpopulation problem. They work with indigenous communities, homeless and low-income or otherwise struggling individuals.
• Tiny Tales Pony Rescue Society – $2,600 for Operation Safe More. Building new paddocks and shelters to bring in more minis or ponies, as well as to cover the additional costs of higher hay costs.
• Abbotsford Police Foundation – $1,850 to the Financial Care Package for Retired Police Service Dogs. Provides cover of fees associated to both food and annual vet bills for retired police dogs that have served and retired from the Abbotsford Police Department.
• Circle F Horse Rescue Society – $1,850.00 to the For the Herd program. This program helps cover the costs of feed, hay, farrier and veterinary care required to successfully rehabilitate all horses at Circle F, and to allow them to be adopted back into the community.