Soaring costs threaten closure of farm animal sanctuary in Eastern Townships

SAFE, an animal sanctuary in Mansonville in the Eastern Townships, is among a growing number of shelters in Quebec facing financial difficulties. This raises concerns that it may soon have to close its doors.

The founder of SAFE, Catherine Gagnieux, said she launched her passion project seven years ago.

“The first three [animals] were sort of a telling adventure. They were three pigs on the way to slaughter. And somehow, they escaped the truck they were on, and they were on the loose for a month,” recounted Gagnieux.

“They were 500 and 600 pounds each. I had never looked after pigs, so it was a big awakening for me.”

That's how Gagnieux began accepting lost and abandoned animals. Roosters, plenty of hens and ducks, and even steers headed for the slaughterhouse ended up on Gagnieux's 64-acre property.

“At the very beginning, I was using my own savings. I had run a daycare for 35 years, sold it before I moved. So that was my source of financing until I said, ‘we have to do better than that.’”

Most animal refuges rely on donations to operate, and it worked for many years. That is until COVID-19 broke the model. Volunteers were harder to recruit, and the costs of food and power skyrocketed.

“This summer, we had a huge amount of vet bills. One of our steers fell and broke his horn, and it was vet bills on top of vet bills. Big amounts. So even though we're surviving, any big thing that happens knocks us off track,” she said.

Animal shelters like this one are not eligible for grants.

A similar refuge near Vaudreuil-Dorion had to close because of a lack of funding. Another shelter in the Eastern Townships could close early next year unless donors step up.

Gagnieux said that closing SAFE would be devastating for her.

“We made a promise to these animals that they could live their lives peacefully until the end. We really need help,” she said.