Accountability

Established in 1964, the Regina Humane Society (RHS) exists to provide an animal welfare shelter for neglected, abused and abandoned animals as well as investigation services to enforce The Animal Protection Act of Saskatchewan and The Criminal Code of Canada. These services have been funded through voluntary donations and self-generated income. In 1988, the City closed their pound and entered into an agreement with RHS for the Society to provide care and housing of city animals. In 1998, the contract with Bylaw Officers was up for renewal, and bylaw enforcement was also contracted to the Society.

RHS operates as a Canada Revenue Agency registered charity, and is therefore exempt from paying income tax and can issue official donation receipts for gifts it receives. RHS receives no government funding and is not a United Way agency. RHS is not affiliated with any national or provincial humane organizations nor any local or regional humane societies or SPCAs; each is a grassroots, independent and autonomous not-for-profit organization serving individual community needs.

RHS operates in Saskatchewan under The Non-profit Corporations Act and is regulated by the RHS bylaws, which identify the organization’s name, purpose, membership composition, fees and meetings, duties of officers, and wind-up procedures. According to those bylaws, the RHS mandate is as follows:

  • ensure the humane treatment of animals;
  • provide the facilities and amenities for this purpose;
  • encourage the humane treatment of animals by all means possible;
  • encourage spaying and neutering of all dogs and cats which are family pets;
  • develop and promote an education program stressing responsible pet ownership and care;
  • carry out these objects in the City of Regina and surrounding districts; and assist other municipalities or other individual people requesting our assistance.

RHS is an animal welfare organization, rather than an animal rights organization. Animal welfare is the viewpoint that animals, especially those under human care, should not suffer unnecessarily, including where the animals are used for food, work, companionship, or research. This position focuses on the morality of human action or inaction, as opposed to making deeper political or philosophical claims about the status of animals. RHS directs its energies to inspire and mobilize society to create a world in which all animals and, in particular, those animals whose lives we can influence, enjoy as a minimum five essential freedoms of animal welfare:

  • freedom from hunger and thirst
  • freedom from pain, injury and disease
  • freedom from distress
  • freedom from discomfort
  • freedom to express behaviours that promote well-being

  • Accountability

    The Regina Humane Society (RHS) organization and its employees serve and are accountable to the membership and a number of community stakeholders including:

    • Members, adopting families, volunteers, donors and sponsors who are the core of our organization.
      Daily someone adopts an animal or donates money so that more animals can live better, healthier and more enriched lives.
    • City of Regina administrators, politicians, community members, public health, safety and service workers (police, fire fighters, meter readers) who rely on RHS employees who provide support services involving public health and safety and the continuation of the courts.
      A dangerous dog is removed by RHS employees from a playground, which saves children from serious injuries.
    • Professionals who help RHS operate through sponsorship, promotions or professional advice including local media and businesses, financial planners, lawyers and accountants.
      A lawyer helps their client prepare a will leaving their legacy with the RHS to help animals for the future.
    • Veterinarians, animal welfare/rights groups, individuals and the pet care industry.
      RHS works with charitable animal welfare groups to provide accessible spay/neuter services as well as donating excess supplies.
  • Code of Conduct

    The RHS Board of Directors, all employees including permanent, term, contract and work placements, and foster families are bound by the RHS Code of Conduct which clarifies expectations and creates an environment that fosters disclosure of contravention.

  • Privacy Policy

    Purpose:

    To comply with the intent and requirements of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (Canada)(PIPEDA).

    Scope:

    All operations and all levels of the Society.

    Background:

    With full implementation effective January 1, 2004, PIPEDA covers the collection, use or disclosure of personal information in the course of any commercial activity. Commercial activity has broad application including charitable uses. Compliance must at a minimum, meet the ten (10) fair information principles set out in PIPEDA.

    Policy:

    The following policy will be available on the Society’s website or at the request of any person who inquires:

    The Regina Humane Society’s Privacy Policy was designed to comply with the federal Personal Information and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) in ensuring the privacy of personal information. The components of the Policy are:

    1. Collection and use of personal Information:
      1. To make a donation, adopt a pet, become a volunteer and/or member, the Regina Humane Society (the Society) collects personal information, which is necessary to process the transaction, identify you and/or facilitate your involvement with the Society.
      2. This personal information is maintained in a private database secured in the Society’s offices. Access to this database is limited to those employees, representatives or volunteers of the Society who have a need to know the information for a legitimate business purpose.
      3. In any request by the Society for information, you will be asked to indicate if you do not want the Society to contact you for the purposes of providing information to you about the Society’s activities, current animal issues and care, and other topics that the Society thinks would be of interest to you.
      4. If you opt not to be contacted by the Society, your opt-out will be recorded, and any new uses of your personal information will require your further consent.
    2. Disclosure of personal information:
      1. For animal-specific information, the Society may share your personal information with registered veterinarians who require that information to care for the animal.
      2. We occasionally use carefully selected and approved mail services to help us save money and facilitate distributing materials. Your personal information may be temporarily shared with those contracted service providers, but they may only use that information for the purpose of providing the service they have been contracted to provide, and are not permitted to store, share, exchange, or sell that information.
      3. Membership lists may be distributed as required under Saskatchewan Non-Profit Corporation Act requirements.
      4. The Society will not share information with other third-parties without your consent unless compelled to do so by law, under a court order, or by government authority.
      5. The Society may aggregate information for statistical purposes, but if aggregated, this information will be de-identified so as not to contain any information that would identify you or be used to contact you.
    3. Accessing your information or making an inquiry or complaint:
      1. You can request that your information be reviewed and/or updated by you, subject to proper identification. A request can be made by contacting the Society’s Privacy Officer at 543-6363 Ext. 222.
      2. If you have a complaint or inquiry about our policy or regarding the handling of your personal information by the Society, the Society’s Privacy Officer is authorized to investigate your complaint or address your inquiry.
  • Ethical Fundraising

    At the Regina Humane Society we know you trust us to ensure that your donation is used to help as many animals in our care as possible. To guarantee the highest level accountability and transparency in our fundraising efforts we have adopted and endorse the following ethical codes:

     

    In addition, all members of our development and fundraising team are active members of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and our Director of Development holds a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation.

    By adhering to these standards we are acting in accordance with the generally accepted practices for soliciting and managing donations. It is our commitment to you as a valued supporter.

  • Audit

    Regina Humane Society (RHS) annual financial statements are audited by Virtus Group Chartered Accountants & Business Advisors LLP. Members of the Audit Committee are independent of management. All committee members are financially literate and several members are considered to be financial experts. The Audit Committee oversees RHS’ financial performance and ensures the integrity, effectiveness and accuracy of the corporation’s financial reporting, control systems, processes and audit functions.

  • Strategic Planning

    In alignment with the organization’s mandate, mission, vision, values, the Regina Humane Society (RHS) uses the balanced scorecard model for strategic planning. This framework uses financial and non-financial measures to determine progress towards the organization’s strategy.

    The strategy is RHS’ change agenda – it is an itemized list of objectives and actions that an organization does so it can be sustainable for the future; however, the day-to-day business goes on. In addition to the strategy components of this plan, key measures and targets for business-as-usual activities are identified. These provide employees with clarity about measures and targets that management and the board are working toward.

  • Enterprise Risk Management

    Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) is a process used to manage risks and seize opportunities. The Regina Humane Society (RHS) ERM framework includes identifying a comprehensive list of negative events or circumstances that could impact the organization, assessing them in terms of likelihood and magnitude of impact, determining a response strategy, implementing the strategy, and monitoring progress.

    This process allows RHS to avoid issues and capitalize on opportunity in a more holistic manner while creating value for stakeholders, including donors, employees, customers, partners, regulators, and society overall.