P.E.I. Humane Society launches fundraising push to help finish new shelter's key facilities

The P.E.I. Humane Society's new shelter is nearly complete, but with a few key features still unfinished, the organization is making one last fundraising push to let it fully equip the space.

The upgraded facility on Sherwood Road in Charlottetown has been in the works for the past decade. The current shelter at the same site is 7,400 square feet, while the new one measures over 18,000.

One of the major features to be added is a surgical suite, which the society says will significantly cut down on veterinary costs.

Ashley Travis, the humane society's development and communications co-ordinator, said the society can spend up to $200,000 a year on surgical procedures.

"Over half the animals that come into the shelter aren't spayed or neutered... Vaccines, spay, neuter, amputations, things like that, they all cost money, and we're sending those out of house right now," Travis told CBC's Island Morning.

"In the new facility, we'll be actually sending them down the hall. So it's going to make things a lot faster and a lot cheaper."

She said the shelter has a staff veterinarian who will be able to perform those procedures on-site. But to equip the suite, the society needs about  $100,000.

"We're literally starting from scratch. We need everything from centrifuges to special surgical lights to, you know, a dental facility."

The society is running a fundraising campaign called Pawsport to Paradise, where people can buy tickets for a chance to win vacation prizes. Tickets cost $150, and only 1,000 will be sold. More information is available on the society's website.

New 'fear-free' dog kennels

Part of the money raised will go toward new dog kennels. Travis said the current kennels, in use since the shelter was built more than 30 years ago, are outdated compared to the current humane standards in Canada.

When designing the new shelter, the society worked with a provider to build kennels that meet the "fear-free design standard" now recognized around the world, she said.

"We can paint the walls in a soothing colour. We can choose lighting that reduces anxiety. But if the kennels themselves, where the animals are literally living, don't meet that standard, then it throws all the other work out the window," Travis said.

She added that there has been a delay in getting the kennels, so staff will likely move into the new building later this summer, but the dogs will remain at the old facility until the kennels are installed.

The society doesn't have a confirmed grand opening date yet. Travis said they're aiming for late summer. The current focus is getting the building wired for internet and phones, and installing other equipment and furnishings.

Public dog park idea dropped 

Initially, the new facility was going to include a public dog park, but Travis said that plan has changed.

"It ended up just being a little too much for our team to manage. And so what we're doing is, once the space is hydroseeded and everything starts to grow, then we will put in a private dog park for our use."

As for the original building, Travis said the society is exploring options to turn it into a social enterprise site that could help generate income to support the shelter in the future.