Our Mission

The Cochrane & Area Humane Society is a charitable organization dedicated to promoting and preserving the well-being of animals, sustained by volunteers and the community.

Our Vision

Pets Deserve Loving Homes - Loving Homes Deserve Pets.

Our History

Teddy found his forever home in December 2002. Photo by volunteer Darwin Wiggett.

The Cochrane & Area Humane Society was founded in 1998 as a collaboration between Charlene Ruttle, the Town of Cochrane Animal Control Officer, and Tracy Keith, our Executive Director. The shelter was set up in a small building on a surplus municipal lot. In 2000 a mobile home was acquired through funding from the Community Lottery Board, to be used as office space and to house cats available for adoption.

The Society incorporated on March 10, 1998, received charitable status February 1999 and currently consists of an executive board of eight directors, three full-time employees, three part-time employees and approximately eighty active volunteers.

With the rapid growth of the Town of Cochrane, the Society has seen an exponential growth in its activities. In 2001 the shelter saw nearly 5 times as many animals come through its doors than in 1998, with 575 animals compared to 119 in 1998. To meet this increase and allow for projected future growth, the Society needs to expand the size of its physical facility. Plans are in the works for a new building.

The Cochrane & Area Humane Society staff and volunteers strive to find loving homes for all of the animals that come into their care. They work hard at socializing the shelter animals, offering playtime for the cats on a daily basis and even teaching the dogs basic obedience and manners so that the transition into a new home is easy for everyone. The staff knows that when a well-socialized animal is placed in a good home, the result is a successful and permanent adoption.

The Cochrane community continues to demonstrate their strong support of the Society through volunteerism, sponsorship, memberships and donations of cash, food and supplies. On behalf of the animals, the shelter staff and volunteers extend a warm thank you to all who have supported them over the years.