Cochrane & Area Humane Society

Name

Cochrane & Area Humane Society

Legal name

Cochrane and Area Humane Society

Website

https://cochranehumane.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cochrane & Area Humane Society is a registered Canadian charity operating an animal shelter in Cochrane, Alberta, providing adoption, foster, training, veterinary outreach, and community pet-support services across a 9-region service area, funded through donations, grants, adoption fees, and paid training/venue programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Shelter Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Shelters & Rescue Operations (AFAEALAB), Animal Welfare & Advocacy Organizations (AFAEALAC), Spay/Neuter & Population Control Programs (BPAGAIAE)

Keywords

• Animal shelter services
• Pet adoption programs
• Animal welfare nonprofit
• Dog training classes
• Humane society operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Cochrane

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Adoption Fees: Fees charged for adopting animals including dogs, cats, and small animals. Fees vary by animal type, age, and special designations (senior, special needs, inseparable pairs). Fees are one-time and include vaccinations, spay/neuter, microchipping, and health exams.
2. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals through the PAWS monthly donor program, single-gift cash donations, bequests, gifts of securities, life insurance, charitable remainder trusts, and property donations. Tax-deductible receipts provided.
3. Corporate & Community Donations: Cash gifts, payroll deductions, event sponsorships, program sponsorships, website advertising, and corporate fundraising from businesses. Includes tiered donor recognition (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond levels).
4. Dog Training Classes: Revenue from group and private dog training classes, agility classes, behaviour consultations, and PACE trainer certification program. Discounts offered to CAHS adoptees.
5. Venue Rental: Rental income from two facilities: Resource Room (535 sq ft, up to 30 people) and Rehabilitation & Education Centre (2500 sq ft, up to 100 people). Hourly, half-day, full-day, and two-day rates available.
6. Self-Serve Dog Wash: $10 per 30-minute session, open 7 days a week. Funds raised through the dog wash go toward caring for shelter animals.
7. Private Events: Revenue from hosting kids' birthday parties ($200 per party, up to 15 children and 4 adults), tours ($75), and school presentations ($75).
8. Private Off-Leash Park: Revenue from booking time slots at the private off-leash dog parks (Abbie's Acres and other parks). $12 for 30-minute bookings, $20 for 60-minute bookings.
9. Membership Fees: Annual membership with benefits including monthly e-newsletter, tax-deductible receipt, and voting privileges at the Annual General Meeting.
10. Grants: Grant funding from organizations including PetSmart Charities, Calgary Foundation, Cochrane Foundation, Four Feet Companion Foundation, Alberta CFEP, Town of Cochrane, and Pedigree Foundation.
11. Retail Store (Norm's Nook): On-site retail store featuring Royal Canin pet food, toys, treats, leashes, and accessories. Proceeds support homeless animals.
12. Fundraising Events: Annual events including Wags & Whiskers Gala, Summer Tails 50/50 raffle, Sip & Paint Night, Puppy Yoga, and third-party fundraisers.
13. Vehicle Donations: Through Donate A Car Canada partnership, vehicles are accepted and either recycled or sold at auction, with proceeds to the shelter.
14. Corporate Community Partner (Sponsor Energy): Sponsor Energy customers select CAHS as their charity of choice; CAHS receives $50 per signup and TELUS donates $50 for new product purchases with promo code.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Cochrane & Area Humane Society operates a community-based animal shelter that provides intake, rehabilitation, adoption, and foster placement services for homeless, surrendered, lost, and unclaimed animals. Its core offerings include Animal Adoption (dogs, cats, and small animals) with full medical care bundled into fees, the Foster Program for temporary in-home animal care, and a Training & Education division offering group classes, private training, behaviour consultations, and the PACE trainer certification program.

Product overview

The Cochrane & Area Humane Society operates as a unified shelter services organization offering animal admission, adoption, and foster programs as its core operations. The product portfolio centers on the Animal Adoption and Foster Program as the primary service, supplemented by Training & Education offerings including Group Dog Training Classes, Private/Semi-Private Training, Behaviour Consultations, and the PACE trainer certification program. Additional services include the Private Off-Leash Dog Park, Self-Serve Dog Wash, Lost & Found services, Community Outreach programs (Emergency Boarding, Pet Safe, Pet Food Bank), Youth Engagement programs, Venue Rentals, and the Norm's Nook retail store. Fundraising events such as the annual Wags & Whiskers Gala and Corporate Puppy Snuggles program support operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Norm's Nook: Retail store within the CAHS facility featuring Royal Canin pet food, toys, treats, leashes, xpens, and other accessories for cats and dogs. All proceeds directed towards saving homeless animals. Named in memory of Norman, the shelter cat who resided at CAHS for 15 years.
• PAWS Monthly Donor Program
• PACE - Positive Approach Canine Education

Products and services

• Animal Adoption Animal adoption services connecting homeless dogs, cats, and small animals with loving families. Includes adopter profile assessment, adoption counseling, meet-and-greet sessions, and post-adoption support resources. All adoption fees include vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery, microchip ID, tattoo, parasite control, health exam by a licensed Animal Health Technologist, and complimentary post-adoption health exam at participating vet clinics.
• Foster Program Foster volunteer program providing temporary homes for animals requiring extra care, recovery, or socialization outside the shelter environment. CAHS covers all expenses for foster animals; cost-free to volunteers. Managed through the Volgistics portal with coordinator support. Application via online form.
• Group Dog Training Classes Certified professional dog training classes using positive reinforcement techniques. Includes puppy obedience, basic obedience, agility, rally-O, fearful dog, and reactive dog classes held at the Rehabilitation & Education Centre.
• Private and Semi-Private Dog Training One-on-one or small group training sessions tailored to individual dog needs, covering basic obedience, agility, and behaviour modification at the CAHS Rehabilitation & Education Centre. Private: $325 for four one-hour sessions; Semi-Private: $275 per person for four one-hour sessions (max class size of four). Discounts offered to CAHS adoptees.
• Behaviour Consultations Professional behaviour consultations addressing problem behaviours and complex challenges including reactivity, fearfulness, separation anxiety, and aggression using positive reinforcement methods. Initial 60-minute session: $150; Complex & multi-problem (90 minutes): $225. Discounts offered to CAHS adoptees.
• PACE - Positive Approach Canine Education Professional dog trainer certification program combining classroom learning with hands-on training. Prepares students for CCPDT certification with mentorship from certified behaviour experts.
• Private Off-Leash Dog Park Fully fenced off-leash dog parks with mountain views, including Abbie's Acres (2.5 acres) and additional park areas available for booking in 30-minute or 60-minute intervals at $12 or $20 respectively. Located at 43128 Township Road 274, Rocky View County.
• Self-Serve Dog Wash Self-service dog washing facility open 7 days a week (8am-7:30pm), providing tubs, drying areas, and supplies for $10 per 30-minute session. Funds raised through the dog wash go toward caring for shelter animals.
• Lost & Found Services Lost and found pet reunification services including stray animal intake, owner identification, and community outreach to help reunite lost pets with their families. CAHS partners with YYC Pet Recovery and Cochrane Alberta Lost & Found Pets Facebook groups.
• Pet Surrender Services Compassionate animal surrender process for owners unable to keep their pets, including intake counseling and alternatives to surrender when possible. No fees within service area; $500 per pet outside service area for cats/kittens/dogs/puppies, $100 per pet for rabbits/birds/small animals.
• Community Outreach Programs Support programs including Emergency Boarding, Pet Safe Program for domestic violence survivors, Pet Food Bank (supported 943 pets last year), and the Rural Rescue & Support Program including the Stoney Nakoda Preventative Program (spayed/neutered 46 pets last year).
• Youth Engagement Programs Kids programs including birthday parties ($200, up to 15 children and 4 adults), facility tours ($75), school presentations ($75), and scholarships for students pursuing animal or human care careers.
• Venue Rentals Meeting and event space rentals including a 535 sq ft Resource Room (up to 30 people) and a 2500 sq ft Rehabilitation & Education Centre (up to 100 people). Hourly, half-day, full-day, and two-day rates available.
• Corporate Puppy Snuggles Corporate team-building experience bringing puppies to workplaces for stress relief and team bonding, at $350/hour with CAHS providing puppies, supplies, and experienced handlers. Directly supports animals in care.
• Norm's Nook Retail Store On-site retail store featuring Royal Canin pet food, toys, treats, leashes, xpens, and accessories for cats and dogs. All proceeds directed towards saving homeless animals. Named in memory of Norman, the shelter cat who resided at CAHS for 15 years.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,137 animals adopted last year
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Sponsor EnergyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerElectricity retailer partnership where customers can select CAHS as their charity of choice. CAHS receives $50 per signup, and TELUS donates $50 for new product purchases using promo code.
• Donate A Car CanadaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVehicle donation partnership where Donate A Car Canada accepts vehicle donations (cars, trucks, RVs, boats, motorcycles) on behalf of CAHS. Free towing provided; vehicles recycled or sold at auction.
• Global Pet Foods CochraneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal pet supply store supporter. Wish list items available for purchase at this retailer.
• Pet Valu CochraneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal pet supply store supporter. Wish list items available for purchase at this retailer.
• Amazon Wish ListminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline wish list platform for donors to purchase needed supplies directly.
• Cochrane Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Pet Food Bank program. Individuals accessing the food bank receive vouchers for pet food that can be redeemed at CAHS.
• Alberta SPCAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial animal welfare organization. Listed as a partner organization for animal wellbeing network.
• Town of Cochrane Animal ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government animal services partner. Supports responsible pet ownership and handles bylaw enforcement for cats and dogs.
• Alberta Institute for Wildlife ConservationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for wildlife and animal welfare support within the network.
• Humane CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational animal welfare organization. Listed as a partner organization for the animal wellbeing network.
• Rocky View County BylawcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty bylaw enforcement partner for animal services in surrounding areas.
• MD of BighorncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal district bylaw services partner for animal welfare in the region.
• Tsuut'ina NationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Nations community partner within service area.
• Stoney Nakoda NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Nations community partner. CAHS operates a Stoney Nakoda Preventative Program for spay/neuter services. Service area includes Stoney Nation.
• YYC Pet RecoveryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFacebook community group for lost and found pets in the Calgary region. CAHS directs community members to post found animals on this platform.
• Cochrane Alberta Lost & Found PetsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal Facebook group for lost and found pet reunifications in the Cochrane area.
• PetSmart (Cochrane location)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRetail partner location for cat adoptions. Animals displayed at the PetSmart location for adoption, increasing visibility and foot traffic for shelter animals.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ASPCA: Large U.S. national animal welfare organization offering adoption, training, veterinary, and advocacy programs; represents a much larger broad incumbent whose multi-revenue model parallels CAHS's diversification strategy.
• Humane Canada: National federation of Canadian humane societies and SPCAs; CAHS is a listed partner, and member shelters typically share programming, training, and advocacy models that make this a relevant peer for governance and standards comparison.
• Alberta SPCA: Provincial animal welfare organization with a broader enforcement, advocacy, and education mandate; overlaps with CAHS on humane education and is listed as a core CAHS partner for animal wellbeing.

Others

• PetSmart Charities: Major U.S. animal welfare grantmaker and adoption funder; listed as a core financial partner for CAHS and serves as an adjacent ecosystem participant that drives adoption placement standards across North American shelters.

Direct peers

• Edmonton Humane Society: Provincially co-located humane society in Alberta providing shelter, adoption, training, and community programs; operates at a larger scale than CAHS and represents the closest in-province operational comparable.
• Calgary Humane Society: Large regional humane society serving Calgary and surrounding areas; operates the same core shelter, adoption, and training programs as CAHS but at significantly greater scale. CAHS explicitly excludes the City of Calgary from its service area, defining it as a direct comparable.
• BC SPCA: Multi-branch SPCA running shelter, adoption, training, and community programs across British Columbia; equivalent organizational model with multiple revenue streams and similar volunteer-driven operating philosophy.

Regional players

• Winnipeg Humane Society: Prairie-region humane society with comparable program mix (adoption, training, surrender services, retail) and similar reliance on a mix of donations and fee-for-service revenue; useful operational and structural benchmark.
• Toronto Humane Society: Large urban Canadian humane society delivering adoption, training, and veterinary services in a different geography; valuable benchmark for revenue diversification (training, retail, events) at a larger scale.
• Ottawa Humane Society: Mid-sized Canadian humane society operating shelter, adoption, training, and community programs; comparable mid-tier operational scale to CAHS in a different provincial market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CochraneHumane
• Instagraminstagram.com/cochranehumane
• Xx.com/CochraneHumane

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cochrane & Area Humane Society