The newly formed Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan took over the enforcement of Saskatchewan's Animal Protection Act from 1 April.

This followed a decision by the Saskatchewan SPCA to narrow its focus to programs and services related to education and prevention of animal cruelty.

Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan executive director Kaley Pugh explained that Saskatchewan's Animal Protection Act states animal protection officers must be employed by a humane society so the only option was to start up a new one.

Kaley Pugh-Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan:

I think it's really important that we've been able to establish this organisation so that the enforcement work does continue.

There had been a potential for a void in these services and that's obviously not acceptable to anybody.

I think the other thing that's really important is that the staff that are coming along to the new organization are experienced and professional people that have been doing this type of work so it's really excellent that we were able to maintain that expertise with the new group.

I'll be the executive director of the organisation.

We will have an office person who's come over with us to the new organisation.

There'll be animal protection officers that are doing the work in the field and then the board of directors is actually made up out of a quite a large variety of people from around the province.

We have veterinarians, horse people, cattle people, a representative of the pork industry and some other folks as well.

Ms Pugh noted that the Animal Protection Act is fairly broad and applies to all animals including pets, fish, wildlife and farm animals.