First Nation in Saskatchewan denied license to hold spay and neuter vet clinic

The veterinary licensing and regulatory body in Saskatchewan has denied an appeal by Sturgeon Lake First Nation (SLFN) and the Canine Action Project of a decision not to grant a temporary clinic license. The First Nation and the group have partnered for more than 10 years on spay and neuter clinics. The Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association (SVMA) has denied the license for a temporary vet clinic that SLFN, located 30 km northwest of Prince Albert which the chief said is “a proven program that protects both public safety and animal welfare.” “Our partnership with Canine Action Project works,” said Christine Longjohn. “It is trusted by our members, grounded in our community’s needs and supported by more than a decade of results.” Band Council member Anita Parenteau said the clinics are a big undertaking and people were looking forward to bringing their pets in for care. “We were in just in disbelief when we heard the clinic was denied. It’s just very disappointing because there are a lot of people counting on the clinic for spay and neutering and things like deworming,” Parenteau said. The Canine Action Project (CAP) is a volunteer organization of veterinarians, vet techs, students and lay people who put on spay/neuter and wellness clinics in First Nations communities like Sturgeon Lake. According to a news release, since 2015, “the partnership has helped humanely manage dog populations while improving community safety through preventative veterinary care.” The release said that between January 2025 and March 2026 alone, the program responded to 328 requests from residents, facilitated 45 spay and neuter procedures, helped 33 animals receive urgent veterinary care, and removed or rehomed 63 animals. Meagan Schmitz, co-executive director of the CAP said they had applied for a temporary facility license as they’ve done in previous years, but were denied. The license allows them to provide vet care outside of an SVMA inspected and approved vet clinic. “We had submitted our application and then we received notice that the application was being denied based on the fact that there were established veterinary services within 150 km or two hours of Sturgeon Lake, which was really surprising to us, because for one, there’s never been a distance related criteria for the temporary facility licenses and for two, we received approval and did an on-site clinic in Big River First Nation in June which is also within 150 km of a vet clinic, so we didn’t understand where this came from,” Schmitz said in an interview with APTN News. Schmitz said they appealed the decision supported by a letter from Longjohn and surrounding veterinary clinics saying they were in favour of an on-site clinic. Nearby vets said they couldn’t have absorbed the volume of pets that would have seen during an on-site clinic but the SVMA still denied the license. SLFN said denying the clinic “ignores the realities facing northern and Indigenous communities and threatens a proven program that protects both public safety and animal welfare.” The veterinary licensing and regulatory body in Saskatchewan has denied an appeal by Sturgeon Lake First Nation (SLFN) and the Canine Action Project to allow them to carry out a long running program for pet spaying and neutering. The veterinary licensing and regulatory body in Saskatchewan has denied an appeal by Sturgeon Lake First Nation (SLFN) and the Canine Action Project to allow them to carry out a long running program for pet spaying and neutering. The nation said the community-led initiative “has become a cornerstone of responsible animal care, disease prevention and public safety in Sturgeon Lake.” “A clinic on a map is not the same as accessible care,” said Longjohn. “Financial hardship, limited transportation and systemic inequities do not disappear because a clinic exists within a prescribed radius.” In its submission to the committee, the Nation argues many families cannot realistically transport one or more animals long distances to receive care, making preventative veterinary services effectively out of reach despite the presence of off-reserve clinics. According to the news release, Canadian research shows that cost, transportation, limited infrastructure and service availability are significant barriers to veterinary care in northern and Indigenous communities. Additional studies it said, show sustained veterinary outreach programs improve animal welfare, reduce health risks and strengthen community well-being. Management of dog populations on-reserve has been a longstanding issue in many communities. The danger of dog over-population was underscored by a tragedy on Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation in Manitoba on July 17, when the body of 37 year old Amanda Nobiss was discovered. She had travelled to the nation July 16 on behalf of K9 Advocacy Manitoba and an autopsy determined her injuries were consistent with a dog attack. Schmitz says during a 2022 clinic at Sturgeon Lake First Nation, 96 spays and neuters were carries out and 46 wellness exams were done on already sterilized pets. “We are hoping a meaningful discussion happens between the SVMA, CAP and Indigenous leaders about equitable access to veterinary care in Saskatchewan,” Schmitz says. APTN reached out the SVMA for comment but has so far not heard back. Continue Reading