“The building was never meant to be an animal shelter,” says Quinte Humane Society’s Executive Director Frank Rocket.
Work has been done over the years to retrofit their current building in Belleville, but Rocket says it’s “beyond its usable lifespan.” He points to the leaky roof, flooding issues, the septic system that’s on its “last legs,” and an HVAC system that is not meant for an animal shelter.
Rocket says the new building will be built from the ground up on land they have purchased. It still be in Belleville, but on Wallbridge-Loyalist Road, which is on the border of Belleville and Quinte West. “The new building has pretty much been designed so we know what we’re shooting for,” he says.
Over the past three years, 1,730 animals have been spayed or neutered by the Humane Society. Rocket explains that work isn’t done in-house, but done by driving the animal to another vet in the community. He says that’s why they want to have a spay-neuter clinic in the new shelter. When the humane society’s team presented to Bancroft council last week, they said they also want to make the new building more spacious for more storage and to give them room to engage with the community. There will also be an enclosed area to walk dogs.
They request $40,000 from Bancroft council, but that decision was referred to the Finance and Administration committee. Rocket explains what they ask each community for in terms of funding is tailored to how much that area uses the humane society. They have already gotten $400,000 from Belleville and $250,000 from Quinte West.