Humane society seeks $500K over five years from county
New jobs as 24,360-square-foot headquarters to be built on Technology Drive
Peterborough County councillors will consider giving $500,000 over five years to the Peterborough Humane Society’s capital campaign during its 2019 budget deliberations after hearing an update on the effort Wednesday.
In 11 months, Our Pet Project has raised $6 million toward a $10 million goal, including $1.5 million from the city and $2 million from the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA), executive director Shawn Morey said in a delegation.
The humane society’s planned new 24,360-square-foot facility on a 20-acre site at 1999 Technology Drive is now shovelready, he said, explaining how the new facility will be a regional/provincial hub that will bring 20 new jobs to the city.
Those jobs will be phased in, he explained later. The spay/neuter clinic, a priority effort that is expected to be selfsustaining, will represent half of the new jobs while the rest will relate to adoption and education programs.
A shortlist of tenders for the build has been prepared; The society aims to use as many local companies as possible to construct the building, Morey added.
The new home will house three business types: An animal care and education centre, a low-cost spay/neuter clinic and a first-of-its-kind dog rehabilitation centre, funded by the OSPCA. The latter will offer training to help get more dogs into homes and therapy.
“Our focus is on our health and animal health,” Morey said.
In the campaign, the humane society has been trying to reinforce that message, that animals make us better and bring us a sense of self.
“If you are an animal lover, this is an easy conversation,” he said, highlighting the economic benefits to the county and how people will drive upwards of 240 kilometres to access services at the new regional centre.
The humane society will also be asking the province and federal government for money. Meetings have been scheduled with the local MPP and MP, Morey said.
Coun. Scott McFadden said local veterinarians have told him they are concerned over the impact the new high volume spay/neuter clinic will have on their own privately funded business and asked how many jobs could be lost.
“In our vision, zero,” Morey replied, explaining how the humane society aims to serve those who wouldn’t be able to afford it otherwise. “Our hope is our local vets will actually flourish as a result of the new services we will be providing.”
Coun. Bev Matthews said the competition could be a positive thing. “It’s $100 to walk in the door and then if you need work done, it’s another $500 ... it goes on and on.”
After asking a question, Coun. Sherry Senis made a joke about the executive director’s earlier comments about the project site.
“Most dog owners are already shovelready,” she said, prompting laughter and a request for a show of hands to see how many county councillors own pets – five.
NOTES: The new Peterborough Humane Society is expected to open next summer or fall.… The organization is currently located in 6,200 square feet at 385 Lansdowne St. E, built as a dog impound in 1956.