Limited visitation for cats. See Details HERE
At the end of September, our volunteers took on a major project at the shelter—a complete renovation of our dog area.
We’ve always prided ourselves on giving our animals large and comfortable enclosures, but our dog kennels had seen better days and it was time we gave our pooches an upgrade.
The first step in the process was to move our dogs into temporary foster homes so we could get to work on demolition.
Once our dogs were settled into their temporary homes, our volunteers got to work dismantling everything in the area to make way for brand new kennels that had been custom-ordered 10 weeks earlier. The shelter was given a deep clean and the walls, windows and floors sparkled.
Once we had cleared out the space, the new kennels were received, assembled and installed. The dividing wall between the kennels and the visitor/preparation area was redesigned with functionality and security in mind and new drawers, cupboards and counters were installed. Then everything needed to be painted. There was so much painting!
About four weeks after we started, the dogs were returned to their brand new kennels.
The entire operation involved more than 50 volunteers, and two corporate groups—one from BDO Canada and the other from Modern Niagara—who came in to donate their time and help us complete this project on time.
Lots of research went into choosing the new kennels as we wanted something that was customizable to our space, would offer sturdier walls and doors, and would give our volunteers more room to work. But as an organization that’s funded entirely by donations and fundraising, we also had to find a solution that fit our budget. The kennels we chose ticked all these boxes and although this was a major expense for our small shelter, we know it’s the right choice for our dogs.
We now have nine private enclosures that allow the dogs to have their own space while they’re at the shelter. The dogs aren’t able to see each other when in their kennels which reduces their stress and hopefully will cut down on barking. This has the added effect of making the shelter quieter for our cats, who can be bothered by loud barking.
The area is also better organized, with proper storage for food, medication and of course, toys. And with proper separation of areas, it’s safer for the dogs and volunteers.
This project was made possible in part by a generous donation from Prophix, a software company located in Mississauga. Through their Corporate Responsibility Award, we were given a $25,000 donation, which we used to help with the costs of the kennels. It was a substantial amount for our project and we’re very thankful to the Prophix team.
And of course, we couldn’t do this without the support of our amazing volunteers, corporate groups and everyone who donates to our rescue.
We want to give a special thanks to Doug Evans, our Facilities Manager, Tish Jerome, our Dog Shelter Manager, and the many other volunteers who were involved in the planning and execution of this project.
