(File photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Kathy Gallant

Local RCMP members assist animal rescue efforts

Oct 16, 2017 | 1:42 PM

Saskatchewan RCMP officers have taken their affinity for animals to a new level.

While on duty, various members started an unofficial paw patrol. In various communities, they have encountered a number of strays found malnourished, with matted hair, or injuries.

Const. Lindsey Badger of the Meadow Lake RCMP is one officer who works with animals, along with several of her colleagues from Meadow Lake and Loon Lake.

“We make sure they get the medical attention they need, and then ship them off to shelters,” she said. “Meadow Lake [and District Humane Society] (MLDHS) has been awesome. But we’ve also brought them to shelters in Alberta, and southern Saskatchewan.”

When the local shelter is full, the members themselves have fostered the animals until a rescue location is available.

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One particular dog who was rescued from the Loon Lake area was found with hundreds of porcupine quills, unable to eat. The aptly named ‘Quill’ was fixed up by local vets, and with support from MLDHS was adopted to a home across the country in New Brunswick.

Badger said while detachment members know they can’t help every single animal, she and other officers will do what they can to help and support the community.

“It takes nothing for us to stop and help them and you’re literally changing their whole world,” she said.  “We’ll also try to help people with proper shelter, we’ve helped people move dog houses and I’ve dropped off food to people in the past.”

Jillian Doucet, President of MLDHS said shelter staff developed a positive working relationship with RCMP members from Meadow Lake, Loon Lake, and other northern communities over the last number of years.

“Having the Humane Society working with the RCMP gives those animals a place to go so they have a second chance at finding a new home,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of RCMP members bring us dogs and cats over the years. It’s really great to have the RCMP in these communities, they are frontline rescuers to animals that otherwise wouldn’t get the care and the help that they need.”

kathy.gallant@jpbg.ca

On Twitter @ReporterKath