I popped by the open house on March 17th to check out the new space the Saskatoon SPCA has moved to on Hanselman Ave in the Airport Industrial area. They were giving behind the scenes tours of their new space and all I can say is…wow! I was really impressed with their new space and I think they’re pretty excited about it as well.
For those of you that don’t know, the Saskatoon SPCA used to be located down Clarence Ave in the Grasswood area. The facility was in need of repair and they shared the building with Animal Control and the City pound. Currently, Animal Control and the Pound is run by the City of Saskatoon and the Saskatoon Animal Control Agency and they have taken over that space so the Saskatoon SPCA had to find a new space of their own.
The new facility is still being worked on but as they raise more funds they will be able to complete more of their vision. The building was planned out in a way to minimize contact, and decrease the likelihood of disease transmission, between adoptable pets and new intakes. I was able to see both the intake side of the facility as well as the adoption side on the tour.
They have carefully created a space to help cater to the comfort of the animals. The dog and cat areas are separated to decrease noise transmission. There are multiple flex rooms to allow for spaces that accommodate a variety of different things. There are meeting rooms where volunteers and adopters can interact with the animals in a separate space. They have a large flex area where they can hold some classes and are hoping to offer some puppy/kitten yoga in the future. The paint and floor are made with epoxy for easy cleaning and disinfecting and the paint color itself is considered a “fear-free” color to help reduce stress and encourage calm feelings. There are drains everywhere throughout the building to allow for proper cleaning and disinfecting and bright lighting as well.
There are two cat rooms where the cats have mini suites. Their suites are positioned so they do not face one another which helps decrease stress.
The intake dog area has kennels with a partition that can be opened to create a larger space or closed to create two separate areas if they need more kennel space. The adoption dog area has large kennel spaces and once the weather warms up they will be able to start construction on the outdoor kennels that will allow their dog kennels to become indoor/outdoor so the dogs will be able to go outside during the daytime.
In the intake area there are three different exam rooms where the animals can be checked by a vet. One specifically for dogs, one for cats and a third to use as needed. There are also a few rooms specifically used as maternity rooms for dogs and cats so they can have and care for their babies in a quiet space.
On the Adoption side there are two grooming rooms with stainless steel tubs and everything needed to help the animals look, feel and smell their best. Out the back of the building they are planning on developing the outside area to include a small dog park, hold some dog training classes for the public and have some other fun plans as well.
Below is a map of the entire building (click to expand)
Overall the building is definitely an upgrade from their previous space and there are lots of opportunities for growth in this new space. They are always looking for donations to help the animals as well as continue to build-on to what they have started at their new space. You can learn more at https://www.saskatoonspca.com/