MELFORT — The North East SPCA held the official ribbon cutting for their Harry and Eve Vickar Shelter.
The facility will provide shelter for homeless small house pets through the region. While this typically means cats and dogs, it can also include the possibility of gerbils, hamsters, birds, snakes, lizards and goldfish.
Pat Shiels, the North East SPCA’s chair, said that while the facility is having their grand opening on Sept. 27, it won’t be in operation for a few weeks.
“That’s kind of been on a little bit of a hold because some of the cages we ordered are about a week or two overdue. As soon as they get there and we get organized – my best guess is three weeks.”
Shiels used the opportunity to speak with the East Central Recorder to ask that the community continues donating to their cause. SPCAs do not receive federal or provincial government funding.
“We are a charity, non-profit and we can take all the support that they can give us,” Shiels said. “On the website, drop in at the shelter, check us out on Facebook – I think there’s a button here too.”
When an animal will become available for adoption the North East SPCA will be posting about it on their Facebook and website.
The mayors of Nipawin and Melfort were in attendance at the ceremony.
“Nipawin is a very proud supporter of the North East SPCA, said Rennie Harper, Nipawin’s mayor. “We’ve been supportive monetarily and volunteerwise for Nipawin because we think it’s a wonderful project for this northeast area.”
Rick Lang, Melfort’s mayor, said it’s great to see the project come to fruition.
“We donated this land for this specific purpose because we saw there was a need for the northeast so we stepped up and offered this land for donation,” Lang said. “Of course then all the hard work did begin, all the fundraising, all the planning.”
“Now there will be a place for animals in need, because previously there was no animal shelter as such.”
