The sad exterior of the Avonlough building alone is enough to suggest it’s time for the Quinte Humane Society to relocate. Photo by Jacob Willis
By Jacob Willis [1]
BELLEVILLE – It’s about time the Quinte Humane Society [2] gets a facelift.
The animal shelter is in the process of abandoning the old, run-down site on Avonlough Road in favour of a state-of-the-art new facility. They’re counting on community donations to contribute to the build.
The budget for this relocation is $5 million. Thanks to the generosity of local businesses, governments and individuals alike, they’re only around $2 million away from reaching that goal as QHS begins to launch a campaign to raise funds.
“We have to get out of this current shelter,” says executive director Marilyn Lawrie. “We’ve been here 51 years now – and it was old when we first got here.”
A glimpse into the constricted living space these animals have to call home. Credit Quinte Humane Society.
Lawrie describes a harrowing scene inside the shelter. Dogs and cats antagonize one another from cramped cages that pit them face to face. Volunteers and potential adopters stand “elbow to elbow” in an overcrowded reception area. The roof leaks. The water well is a constant source of grief from workers due to persistent malfunctions.
After Quinte West city council approved a million-dollar loan on March 8, QHS will be able to sign a contract with TaskForce Engineering to break ground on a new facility by mid-to-late June. The new location, at 34 Wallbridge-Loyalist Road, will provide much more comfort for the animals and convenience for volunteers.
Campaign manager J-C D’Amours explains what this relocation will mean for the animals.
“They have the right to a healthy shelter and a healthy lifestyle. Animals get stressed very easily, and in the atmosphere we have now it’s not a stress-free environment.”
Larger kennels, indoor/outdoor play areas, and separation between species highlight the new features the animals will enjoy. For the volunteers, there will be more space in reception, better facilities and a focus on accessibility for disabled persons.
But this is only the first phase of a three-step plan. Originally, the project had a budget of nearly $10 million to incorporate a community centre and animal health clinic. The deplorable conditions of the current building made the relocation urgent, so when the provincial government declined to commit to extra funding that forced the QHS to cut down on amenities to move forward as soon as possible.
“Right now we’re focusing on the core animal care,” D’Amours says. “But in the future we hope to add the community centre and clinic as extensions.”
With the community’s support, the Quinte Humane Society could become a modernized facility for healthy animal care with great working conditions. You can click here [3] to make a donation to the shelter.