Mae Bachur Animal Shelter welcomes new executive director
Dan Moore brings administrative background, passion for animals into new role
The Yukon Humane Society has a new executive director who, not surprisingly, is passionate about animals.
Dan Moore will be stepping into the role running the day-to-day operations of the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter in the New Year.
He and his wife lived in the Whati, N.W.T., for 10 years before moving to Whitehorse in 2010, where Moore has worked as an infrastructure fund manager for the Yukon government.
Moore says during his time in Whati working as the community's senior administrative officer, he took in strays and turned his home into an "ad hoc" SPCA, always caring for a minimum of four dogs.
"The dogs that were strays, it's almost like they communicated with each other that this is the place to go."
New direction
At the time, stray dogs in Whati had a otherwise bleak future.
"Unfortunately the first act there was to destroy the dogs."
Moore said Whati's chief and council were supportive of taking a new direction. He helped get a temporary shelter built for the dogs and developed a partnership with the N.W.T. SPCA to send homeless dogs to new homes outside of the community.
The Mae Bachur Animal Shelter finds homes for approximately 300 dogs and 100 cats every year. One of the first challenges Moore will face when he starts his new job on Jan. 4. is trying to secure new funding and sponsorships. The Yukon Humane Society has had ongoing financial troubles.
Moore replaces Betty Irwin, who was let go by the board of directors last August.