AARCS Safe Haven
Granting Second Chances
First of its kind for animal rescue in Alberta, AARCS opened its new Safe Haven and Veterinary Hospital in May of 2017. Staffed with veterinarians, registered health technicians, and tech assistants, we are helping thousands of homeless animals every year to get the medical attention they desperately need.
AARCS Safe Haven is designed as a temporary, emergency and quarantine shelter for our rescued animals.
There are NO adoptable animals at AARCS Safe Haven, please visit “Our Animals” to see profiles of our adoptable animals.
Granting Second Chances
First of its kind for animal rescue in Alberta, AARCS opened its new Safe Haven and Veterinary Hospital in May of 2017. Staffed with veterinarians, registered health technicians, and tech assistants, we are helping thousands of homeless animals every year to get the medical attention they desperately need.
AARCS Safe Haven is designed as a temporary, emergency and quarantine shelter for our rescued animals.
There are NO adoptable animals at AARCS Safe Haven, please visit “Our Animals” to see profiles of our adoptable animals.

The Power To Change Lives

Temporary Housing
AARCS Safe Haven can be used as temporary housing for newly rescued animals, until foster space becomes available.

Emergency Shelter
Safe Haven provides an emergency shelter for animals rescued from severe situations when there is no foster space available.

Quarantine Shelter
This well-equipped, hygienic facility is designed for the appropriate quarantine required by rescued animals when they first arrive into AARCS care.

Veterinary Hospital
First of its kind in Alberta, AARCS on-site veterinary hospital helps thousands of homeless animals each year. Read more below!

Donation Centre
Donations can be dropped off Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, or the bins at the rear of the building after hours

Headquarters & Operations Centre
Safe Haven also operates as a shared office space, and storage facility. It’s here that we provide space for training, volunteer meetings, and educational seminars.
CONTRIBUTE
Running an animal shelter requires extensive time, dedication, but monetary donations are always needed to help cover the cost of our many expenses.
There are a number of ways you can help contribute to our cause.
Monetary Donations
As a registered charity, AARCS will issue tax receipts for donations valued at $20 or more.
No gift is too small, 100% of your donation goes toward helping us do more to rescue animals in need.
Typical donations can cover:
Cover the cost of two bags of cat litter, or two fleece blankets for puppies
$25 Donation
Cover the cost of a bag of food for a dog or a cat
–
$50 Donation
Cover the cost of Spay/neuter and vaccinate for one dog
–
$250 Donation
Cover the cost of a humane dog trap often required to capture scared, injured, or feral animals
$500 Donation
Cover the cost a rescue and subsequent adoption of a litter of puppies
$1,000 Donation
Cover rent and utilities at AARCS Safe Haven, keeping our doors open for one month longer
$2,000 Donation
Become an AARCS Hero!
Sign-up as a Monthly Donor
Volunteering at Safe Haven
Dog & Cat Caregivers
Responsibilities of the dog and cat caregivers include walking, feeding and cleaning. This is day-to-day care required for animals currently staying at AARCS Safe Haven.
These particular positions require a three-shift per month commitment. Shift lengths range anywhere from one to three hours and happen seven days a week, three times per day.
Inventory Volunteer
Inventory volunteers are responsible for sorting, cleaning and storing the donations received at AARCS Safe Haven.
Administrative/General Shelter Volunteer
AARCS administrative volunteers are responsible for data entry, as well as a variety of other administrative duties. General shelter volunteers help with all of the tasks involved in the daily upkeep and maintenance of AARCS Safe Haven. Other duties include cleaning and organizing the office and common areas, as well as maintaining the outdoor spaces.
VETERINARY HOSPITAL
A Vet Hospital For Homeless Pets
The first of its kind for animal rescue in Alberta, AARCS opened AARCS Veterinary Hospital in May of 2017 on-site at our Safe Haven Shelter located in Calgary. Staffed with veterinarians, registered animal health technicians and tech assistants we are helping thousands of homeless animals each and every year get the medical attention they desperately need.
With two operating suites, a dental suite with dental x-ray, a full-body x-ray machine, and fully functional laboratory and pharmacy; AARCS can perform almost anything a normal veterinary hospital can do. From broken bones, gunshot wounds, and mange to deadly diseases such as parvovirus, AARCS is here to provide the highest quality veterinary care to those most in need.
The facility is designed to help homeless animals and is not open to the public. As a not-for-profit clinic, we are grateful for the support from the veterinary community as a number of volunteer vets, techs, and general public volunteers are assisting in the clinic on a daily basis. With the ability to do anything a regular animal hospital can do, we are able to treat all kinds of injuries and illnesses in-house.
- Spay/Neuter
- Vaccinations & Deworming
- Dental Surgery
- Leg Amputations
- Orthopedic Surgeries
- Broken Bones
- Obstructions
- C-sections
- Parvo Treatment
- Gun-shot Wounds
- and much more!
Check Out Our Clinic
AARCS is a leader in the animal welfare community, and Albertans turn to us for help. Approximately 3,500 animals come through AARCS programs each year. We have an exceptional medical program with some of the highest standards of care in the industry. This provides us with the ability to grant second chances to thousands of homeless animals.
We are always in need of donated medical supplies, this includes:
- Fluids
- Bandages
- Medical Equipment
- Surgery Gowns
- Cones
For more information on how you can donate or volunteer, please email [email protected].
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
AARCS is dedicated to honouring Indigenous history and culture and committed to working together in the spirit of friendship, cultivating authentic and respectful relationships with all First Nations.
AARCS Safe Haven and Veterinary Hospital is located on traditional territories of the Niitsítapi (Blackfoot Confederacy) and the peoples of Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta, which includes the Siksiká, Piikáni, Kainai, Tsúūt’ínà and Stoney Nakoda First Nation and that Calgary is home to Métis Nation of Alberta District III.
How You Can Help
Although we can provide care at reduced costs, it is still costly to provide extensive medical care to animals in need. In addition, all of the animals AARCS adopts out are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, micro-chipped and provided with parasite treatment. With the hospital now on-site, AARCS has become the go-to organization to take on major medical cases in homeless and abandoned pets.
Your support is greatly appreciated to keep our clinic operating and all donations are tax-deductible. Your generosity will make it possible to save the lives of homeless, abandoned and abused animals.