Nunavut’s only animal shelter is scheduled to be demolished
 
The Iqaluit Humane Society (IHS), Nunavut’s only animal shelter, has learned that its city-owned building will be demolished in 2021. If the group cannot raise enough funds to secure a location, there will be zero animal services in the nearly two million square kilometer territory.

The fully volunteer-run organization has launched its “Million Dollar Mission” with the goal to build a new, modern and permanent home for the Society. The new self-sustaining facility will be a multi-service centre and will include larger space for the animal residents to help reduce stress and assist in infectious disease control.  

Each year, 350 to 500 dogs and cats are re-homed through the no-kill non-profit. As the communities are fly-in only, the group faces unique challenges such as caring for animals in Arctic weather that reaches -40 degree °C, coordinating flights south to Ontario to new homes, and bringing in animals from smaller communities. There is currently no full-time or emergency veterinarian in Nunavut. The IHS is therefore a critical resource for care across the entire territory.
 
But the only way that the Society can achieve these goals is through the public’s support via donations. So far $200,000 has been raised to date, including a $60,000 grant from PetSmart Charities.
 
To learn more about this campaign and how to donate, visit the Iqaluit Humane Society’s GoFundMe page .

FAST FACTS:

• The current home of the Iqaluit Humane Society is owned by the municipality and will be demolished in 2021.
• The $1 million goal will help build a new facility that includes outdoor pens, a clinic space, indoor housing and a grooming space.
• The Society re-homes animals from communities across Nunavut with zero animal services, offering a vital lifeline for hamlets.
• There is no full-time or emergency vet in the territory, making the IHS’s free vaccine and spay/neuter clinics vital to animal health and population control efforts.
• Without the IHS, homeless animals will have no place to go.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE IQALUIT HUMANE SOCIETY

• GoFundMe
• PayPal 
• CanadaHelps
• Electronic Money Transfer (Canada only): comms@nunavutrescue.ca
• Facebook (Canada only) 
• Apparel/Merchandise

The Iqaluit Humane Society

The Iqaluit Humane Society was officially incorporated in 2007 and is a registered non-profit with the CRA. The IHS aims to enrich the lives of domestic animals and people through re-homing services, medical care, education, and advocacy for the prevention of cruelty to animals in the Territory of Nunavut. Since its creation, IHS has rescued and re-homed over 10,000 animals, provided free spay/neuter and vaccine clinics to low-income families, educational programs, and more. They are the only humane society in the remote Canadian Arctic territory of Nunavut and help other communities across the vast land.