AARCS hoping to raise $500K to build new vet clinic

The Alberta Animal Rescue Crews Society (AARCS) has found forever homes for thousands of cats, dogs and other pets in the city. Now the organisation needs help raising $500,000 to build a vet clinic of its own.

AARCS is relocating to a facility in the southeast Foothills Industrial Park, where officials want to add an in-house vet clinic. They say this will save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.

"That's what's so exciting about it," said AARCS executive director Deanna Thompson.

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"We will be able to do everything in house, we get so many animals that have broken legs and different types of illnesses and injuries and the savings are going to be enormous."

AARCS has spent about $1 million on vet bills this year, officials said.

A new clinic will improve the animals' care by cutting down wait-times for appointments, said AARCS volunteer Phuong Ngo.

"I remember one dog we had that was in a car accident, he had to wait weeks for a surgery to be done, that was kind of heartbreaking," Ngo said.

"So now that we'll have the vet hospital he'll be able to be seen more quickly."

The shelter has started a social media campaign, calling for donations.

AARCS officials hope to move into the new facility in the spring of 2017.