The Red Deer and District SPCA is looking at hiring an animal protection officer focused on animal abuse complaints.
The pet adoption centre has been working with the City of Red Deer for several months on what can be done to better serve animals, particularly when calls of animal abuse are climbing.
Executive director Julie McInnis said the option of hiring an officer is being explored.
“I started doing research on the costs and things and I’m just in the process of putting a proposal together to the city on what it would look like,” said McInnis.
McInnis said she understands the Alberta SPCA is being stretched thin across the province.
This week, the Alberta SPCA reported its calls of animal abuse had jumped last year by 17 per cent — 149 calls in 2009 from 127 in 2008.
There is one peace officer who handles calls during the day, but after about 5 p.m. and on weekends there is no Alberta SPCA enforcement officer to investigate calls of abuse and perhaps lay charges under the provincial Animal Protection Act. Another officer has more of a supervisory role.
“It would be really hard to hire somebody that would work just evenings and weekends,” said McInnis.
During times when Alberta SPCA staff aren’t around, people can call the RCMP or Alberta Animal Services in Red Deer.
McInnis said her agency receives phone calls, but because it is not an enforcement agency, it must refer those calls on as well.
She’s not sure when such a person could be hired since the city just finished its 2010 budget and the SPCA has a tight budget, too.
ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com