Regional Animal Rescue Group Serious About Brick and Mortar Facility

By Dan Guetre and Angelique Forest

After over a decade of rescuing animals, and with seven years under their belt as a registered charity, Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue (SAAR) has grown the organization to a point where a facility has become a necessity.

Before SAAR became a reality, Michelle Neufeld along with a couple of animal loving friends had created a reputation of bringing stray and abandoned pets into their homes.

“My understanding is that people would find strays or abandoned animals and knew that Michelle and her friends would take them in,” said Graham Pollock, Vice President of SAAR. He shared that it grew from there. “Initially, they received no funding other than some donations from friends and other animal lovers.”

In 2016, recognizing a need, the rescue applied for and received their not-for-profit status as a charitable organization.

“As a result of that a board of directors was formed to oversee and direct the organization,” explained Polluck. “Michelle was president of the organization at that time. Now the board has grown in the past two or three years to now being comprised of 9 individuals.”

Polluck joined the Board two years ago and oversees the grants process to seek funding from the Province, municipal and private donors.

As the reputation spreads, so do the number of people contacting the group.

“In 2022, the rescue received over 700 calls for service,” said Polluck. “We don’t really have a defined service area and we receive calls from as far away as Whitemouth, Lac du Bonnet, Emerson, Dominion City.”

While not being able to respond to all the requests, Polluck admits that calls also come in from as far away as Winnipeg, Lac du Bonnet, St. Malo, and Sprague.

Polluck clarified that SAAR is not an animal control service. Most municipalities have those in place.

“However, we will respond to animals that are in need of veteri-