The Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) of Alberta is an animal rescue organization helping dogs and cats in Alberta.
Founded in 1995, ARF is a volunteer-based organization and registered non-profit charity. Our mission is to rescue stray and unwanted dogs and cats rural areas and communities with limited resources and place them in loving, permanent homes while providing programs to reduce pet over-population.
Please note that we do not accept owner surrenders of non-ARF pets; if you find yourself in a situation where you cannot provide for your pets, please contact the Calgary Humane Society.
What We Do
ARF provides care, stability, medical assistance and lifelong homes for our rescue animals. Since animals have little ability to choose their owners, we must act in their best interests. Some of the ways we do this are by:
- Placing animals for adoption in loving, caring, stable and lifelong homes
- Arranging temporary foster homes, including providing medical interventions to animals in need of serious medical care
- Vaccinating, de-worming, and spaying/neutering animals prior to adoption
- Providing spay/neuter and educational programs to residents of communities with limited resources
- Practicing and promoting reward-based training techniques for dogs
ARF is a proud founding and contributing member of the Animal Welfare Coalition of Alberta.
Our Sponsors
The cats, dogs, volunteers, and members of ARF are profoundly grateful for all support provided to our organization. We would like to thank the following organizations for their generous donations.
Animal Rescue Foundation History
Since the beginning, ARF has relied on volunteers, foster and adoptive families and donors – each of whom allow us to provide ongoing support for Calgary rescue animals.
It started in 1992, when Calgary chiropractor Dr. Laurie Flavin saw a need, and began placing stray and abandoned dogs from Calgary Animal Services into suitable homes. By 1994, she was known as the “Dog Lady.” After being approached by the Animal Control Officer of the Siksika Nation, Laurie became aware of the huge dog and cat over-population problem in many Alberta’s communities and decided to take on the enormous task of rescuing those dogs and cats and finding homes for them.
Once she started, it became apparent that one person alone could not handle the influx of dogs and cats, so Laurie, along with the help of two friends, decided to form a charitable organization and in July 1995, the Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) of Alberta was formed.
Today, ARF has rescued more than 5,600 dogs and 3,600 cats, and there is more work to be done. Help us continue providing animal welfare services to Southern Alberta’s dogs and cats in need: donate, volunteer, adopt, or foster an animal.
