Prince George's SPCA now has a new lease on life - literally.
On Friday morning the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations announced it has signed a 30-year lease on 1.18 hectares of Crown land.
The North Cariboo District Branch of the BC Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal's eventual new home is beside Exhibition Park.
It plans to build a 10,000-square foot community animal and education centre, a 3,000-square foot barn for horses next to a paddock that will be used for daily exercise, and a 26-stall parking lot.
The outdoor dog pens will be near the main building and an outside storage shed behind the centre. At an April public meeting, some residents complained about potential for noise. Monday’s announcement notes the new facility will have a 20-metre treed buffer between the barn and the existing off-leash dog park and more trees to buffer the barn from the outdoor dog kennels, “to isolate and reduce any possible stress on the horses from dog barking.”
In June city council agreed to rezone the land, a necessary step before it could leave the Lansdowne Road location.That spot was built as a pound and not designed for hold animals for the long-term.
During its presentation to council, the SPCA said moving is a "very long process" and construction of the facility was likely about three years away.
Jennifer Gore, president, of the BC SPCA said it's grateful to the province for the land.
"We have a goal of finding new facilities for eight shelters as part of our provincial five-year development plan. Being purpose-built, the new facilities will provide greater ease in taking care of the animals and making them more comfortable," she said in a statement. "The high-visibility location should also result in increased animal adoptions."
If the SPCA ever lost its animal-control contract, it would have to leave the old city-owned building, the release said, so Crown land offers some stability.
A long-term location will secure the organization's future, said Shirley Bond, MLA for Prince George-Valemount.
"All of us want to ensure that vulnerable animals have the care that they need, and this step will support the SPCA as they provide care and protection to thousands of animals in our region," Bond said in the statement.
