About

For many, animals are beloved family members, friends and companions. When they are sick or injured, owners experience a variety of emotions and challenges.

As part of the treatment team at the WCVM Veterinary Medical Centre, the Veterinary Social Work Program is here to support you through this difficult time.

How we can help

  • Offering emotional support during diagnostic testing, treatment or euthanasia
  • Helping you communicate your questions and concerns to your medical team
  • Helping you communicate your questions and concerns to your veterinary medical team
  • Providing referral to community supports if needed after you leave the medical centre or after an animal's death
  • Helping you communicate your animal's illness and possible death to your children
  • Helping you and your family work through your loss
  • Support and referral for farm stress due to issues with your herd or production animals
  • Support and referral for family members who are caring for seriously ill pets
  • Support and referral for issues such as abuse (animals/people) and alcohol/drug addictions

Resources

Quality of life decision-making scales
Created by the University of Tennessee Knoxville VSW

This website includes resources to aid clients in their discussions about their animal's quality of life with their veterinarian. Please contact Veterinary Social Work (VSW) at the WCVM Veterinary Medical Centre should you need additional support. 

Pet loss support

Information on grief and loss and pet loss support resources in Saskatoon, Sask. 

Mobile crisis units across Saskatchewan

Free 24/7 crisis support available across Saskatchewan. A crisis could include: 
  • Suicidal feelings, thoughts or plans
  • Child abuse and neglect (when the Ministry of Social Services — Child Protection is closed)
  • Marriage and family problems
  • Overwhelming emotions
  • Relapse of mental illness
  • Problems with drug and alcohol use and abuse
  • Worries about safety
  • Older adults/seniors in distress
Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Service (Mobile Crisis) — 24/7 hours 
306-933-6200
Regina Mobile Crisis Unit — 24/7 hours
306-525-5333
Northeast Crisis Line — 24/7 Northern Saskatchewan
1-800-611-6349
Piwapan Women's Centre — Crisis Line, 24/7 hours
306-425-4090
Prince Albert Mobile Crisis Unit — 24/7 hours
306-764-1011
West Central Crisis and Family Support Centre
Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.; 1 to 5 p.m. 
306-463-6655
After hours: 306-933-6200
Saskatchewan Problem Gambling Helpline
1-800-306-6789
Kids Help Phone
1-800-668-6868

HealthLine 811

HealthLine 811 is a confidential, 24-hour health and mental health and addictions advice, education and support telephone line available to the people of Saskatchewan. It is staffed by experienced and specially trained registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses and registered social workers.
Call 811.

Suicide Crisis Helpline

A safe space to talk: call or text 9-8-8 any time of day or night. For more information, click on the following link:

Get Help | 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline (988.ca)


General emergency preparedness

Companion animal emergency preparedness

Pet emergency checklist: emergencies can happen at any time. Plan ahead and prepare an emergency kit for your pets. 

Equine emergency preparedness

Equine emergency checklist: emergencies can happen at any time. Plan ahead to protect your horses. 

Production animal emergency preparedness

Herd animal check list: the Animal Health Emergency Management (AHEM) project provides a summary of action plans and emergency phases for producers so that you can take action to better prepare and protect your herd. 

 


 

Farm Stress Line

Calls to the Farm Stress Line are answered by Mobile Crisis Services, a non-profit, community-based agency providing crisis intervention services in Saskatchewan since 1974. Whether it is information, conflict or crisis, the first step is communication. Call before the problem becomes a crisis.
1-800-667-4442

Intimate partner/domestic violence safety planning for pets
Created by Community Veterinary Outreach

A checklist for individuals leaving a domestic violence relationship and for professionals helping clients planning to exit violent relationships to safely plan for pets.

Click here to download safety guidelines.

 


ViolenceLink.ca

ViolenceLink.ca provides information about the link between animal abuse and domestic violence. The website includes resources for survivors, professionals and more. 

Click here to visit the ViolenceLink.ca website.


Animal care guidelines for emergency co-sheltering
Created by Community Veterinary Outreach 

Best practices for those emergency housing facilities interested in implementing co-sheltering services for people and their animals.

Click here to view the animal care guidelines online. 


Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of Saskatchewan

The Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of Saskatchewan (PATHS) is the member association for agencies that provide intimate partner violence services across Saskatchewan. Members include women’s shelters (also known as domestic violence shelters, safe shelters, transition houses, or interval houses), second stage shelters, and counselling centres that offer counselling and support to survivors of IPV.

Click here to view the PATHS web site.


Pet safekeeping in Saskatchewan

The victims of interpersonal violence and abuse may stay in a violent situation in order to protect their animals. Some victims risk their own lives by returning home in order to feed and care for their animals. Animal safekeeping programs help promote the safety and wellbeing of individuals leaving a violent situation by providing short-term temporary care for their animals.

Click here to view the Saskatchewan SPCA site (Animal Safekeeping)


Family Services Saskatoon

Family Services Saskatoon offers a variety of support services for survivors of intimate partner violence. Visit the Family Services Saskatoon website and expand the “Individuals” section to access information on various topics.

  • Intimate Partner Violence Outreach — a safe and secure place to access confidential individual services.
  • Women’s Intimate Partner Violence Weekly Group — an open group for participants who have experienced violence to learn about the cycle of violence, to support one another, and to share personal experiences with weekly facilitator-led discussion topics.
  • Abuse and Beyond — a group to explore the impact of abuse on your life and move toward healthy and positive relationships.
  • Invisible Scars: Exploring Emotional, Verbal and Psychological Abuse (free service) — an eight-week group that explores the impact of emotional, psychological and verbal abuse in your life. Providing support and resources to heal from “invisible scars."
  • Domestic Violence Court Caseworkers click here to view the brochure

For more information or to access any of these free resources, please: 

  • call Family Services Saskatoon at 306-244-0127
  • speak with an intake worker and ask to be referred for domestic violence/intimate partner violence support 

Click here to view the Family Services Saskatoon website.


New Hope Dog Rescue Hospital Care Program 

The Hospital Care Program can provide temporary care for dogs while their owners recover in the hospital. A patient's dog(s) can stay with a foster home for up to a maximum of 90 days.

If you are a client of the WCVM Veterinary Medical Centre (VMC) who needs this service, please contact the WCVM's veterinary social work program for a referral (306-966-2852). 

For health care providers and community support agencies, click here to provide referrals for clients needing a referral.

Pet food banks

The positive impact of animals on human lives is well documented. Improved mental and physical health, along with unconditional love and companionship are key factors of the bond between people and our pets. They’re family.

Proper nutrition is a vital component in the health and well-being of all animals. By providing pet food, we hope to alleviate one of the many pressures faced by families that may be experiencing food insecurity. Together, we can prevent families from being forced to decide whether they keep their pet or surrender their loved one to a shelter or rescue.

Click here to visit the Saskatchewan SPCA site (Pet Food Bank).

SVMA Member Wellness Support Program

The Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association (SVMA) began subsidizing professional counselling services for members in 2012. Professional Psychologists and Counsellors (PPC) is based in Saskatoon and provides access to over 40 therapists across the province by referral.

These counselling services are available to all registered veterinarians and registered veterinary technologists (RVTs) in Saskatchewan. 


 

Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals

Housing, Public Spaces, Employment and Education — Saskatchewan Human Rights Legislation

The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code requires the accommodation of persons with disabilities.

Under this legislation, “disability means: (a) any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement, including: (i) epilepsy; (ii) any degree of paralysis; (iii) amputation; (iv) lack of physical coordination; (v) blindness or visual impediment; (vi) deafness or hearing impediment; (vii) muteness or speech impediment; or (viii) physical reliance on a service animal, wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device; or (b) any of the following disabilities: (i) an intellectual disability or impairment; (ii) a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in the comprehension or use of symbols or spoken language; (iii) a mental disorder.”

Click on the following resources to access information on the rights of service animals and emotional support animals in housing, public spaces, employment and education.

Service animals:

Emotional support animals:

Contact Us

  • Ask a WCVM veterinarian or staff member about social work services
  • Call 306-966-2852 for social work services