Stronger Together: People, Animals & Communities
The Alberta SPCA responds to concerns of animals in distress across Alberta, including on farms and rural properties. When responding to these calls, peace officers noted that in some of these cases animal caretakers appeared stressed or unwell — signs that can be connected to challenges in caring for animals. Research shows farmers face higher mental health risks than the general population, and that animal welfare and human well-being often go hand in hand. However, there was no existing training and few resources for peace officers to access in these cases.
A One Health Approach
To address this issue, the Alberta SPCA teamed up with agwellAB’s lead researcher, Dr. Rebecca Purc-Stephenson. Through investigating peace officers’ field experience, Dr. Purc-Stephenson identified early, observable signs related to the property, animals, and their caretakers that may signal emerging welfare concerns.
Project Outcomes
Through this project, we were able to develop:
- The Wellness & Safety Indicators Tool for peace officers to use during investigations.
- Training to support rural mental health literacy, communication strategies and use of the tool Wellness & Safety Indicators Tool.
- Strengthened referral pathways so animal caretakers can access help earlier.
By supporting farmers, we are helping to drive our mission to protect, promote and enhance the well-being of animals across Alberta.
Financial support has been provided under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year, $3.5-billion investment by Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial governments that supports Canada’s agri-food and agri-product sectors.
To learn more about the project, download the summary report (January 2026).