Animal shelter project is well on its way
By Geneviève April
www.thesuburban.com
After years of consultations and reflection, Laval’s municipal animal shelter plan looks like it’s about to turn into reality. The details still have to be polished and the administrative policies have yet to be written but, according to municipal officials, the city could start construction of a new building as soon as 2015.
“A budget of $10 million has been set aside for the animal shelter and land has been acquired in the industrial park near the former penitentiary,” said city spokeswoman Nadine Lussier. “Most of the terms of reference have been written, and we have a good idea of the city’s need regarding animal control.”
After a string of gruesome 2011 news reports that depicted the Berger Blanc’s practices in sparked widespread citizen outrage, Laval’s administration started to explore the prospect of the city owning and operating its own animal pound—a practice unseen elsewhere in the province.
“One possibility would be for the shelter to be built by the city, and operated by a non-profit organization” explained Lussier. “At this time, Mayor Demers is studying every possibility. We’re still crunching the numbers and compiling statistics on how many animals the shelter receives every year and what interventions and services would be needed. We consulted cities like Calgary and Toronto, which are renowned for their innovative approach to animal control and animal shelter management.”
Meanwhile, in anticipation of Berger Blanc’s contract ending two weeks ago, the city put out tenders for the service.
“We are happy to say that we received three bids for the animal shelter contract. We are now analysing the offers and will soon announce who has been chosen,” specified Lussier. “Animal shelters are essential services that cannot be interrupted; we need to keep the service operational even if there is a management transfer.”
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