Dogs do not understand jurisdictional boundaries.

They do not know when they have crossed from provincial land onto First Nations reserve land. They only know when they are hungry, injured, freezing, abandoned, neglected or suffering.

Yet jurisdiction can complicate who responds, what authority they have, and how quickly an animal receives help.

We are calling on the Government of Alberta to work directly with First Nations governments and the Government of Canada to establish clear, workable and humane animal-protection systems for First Nations reserve communities in Alberta.

This is not about blaming First Nations communities.

Many Indigenous residents, rescuers, advocates and community leaders are already doing everything they can with limited resources. The problem is a system that can leave animals — and the people trying to help them — caught between jurisdictions.

We are asking for:

Clear protocols identifying who has authority to investigate animal-welfare complaints on reserve lands.
Practical mechanisms allowing qualified animal-protection officers to respond when animals are in distress, where legally authorized.
Cooperation between Alberta, Canada and First Nations governments instead of jurisdictional buck-passing.
Sustainable funding and support for community-led humane dog-management programs.
Access to spay/neuter, vaccination, identification and veterinary services.
Humane approaches to roaming and overpopulation instead of preventable suffering or indiscriminate culling.
Better coordination between communities, animal-protection agencies, veterinarians and legitimate rescue organizations.
There are already Indigenous-led programs demonstrating that humane animal management can work.

We aren’t asking governments to take control away from First Nations.

We are asking governments to work together so jurisdiction is never the reason an animal is left suffering.

One province. Different jurisdictions. One basic standard:

An animal in distress deserves help.

No borders when it comes to animal welfare.

Sign this petition and ask the Government of Alberta, First Nations leadership and the Government of Canada to work together on a permanent, enforceable and properly resourced solution.