The Lethbridge Animal Shelter will get a new fenced dog run after council approved one time funding of $30,000.
It will be used for training, exercising and socializing dogs who are available for adoption and will be nearly 1,100 square metres.
The city says the shelter regularly operates at capacity and is lacking space for exercise and social activities. This year, there have been 54 dog adoptions from the shelter and the average stay is 37.5 days.
“These animals are staying in our facility longer and it is getting harder to encourage people to adopt,” says Skylar Plourde, director of services for Community Animal Services. “Thank you to council for bringing this motion forward and supporting it. This will be very beneficial to the dogs on the property. This space will add very valuable enrichment for these dogs, which will make them more adoptable.”
The city says a timeline for construction and opening will be announced later.
“Socializing, exercising, and getting to know a pet are essential components of a successful adoption process, including bonding, walking, and playing together,” says councillor John Middleton-Hope, who co-sponsored the motion with Councillor Jeff Carlson. “This dog run will provide a much more human approach to providing some exercise for dogs that are in kennels for the majority of the day.”
The money comes from council contingencies.