After more than five years of planning and over one year of construction, the North Bay and District Humane Society and Pet Valu officially opened its Companions for Change Pet Adoption and Wellness Centre, establishing the shelter as the “Hub of the North” for animal services in Ontario.
The $2.4-million building is a public showcase for adoptable animals and a place for community connection, volunteer engagement, and educational opportunities for youth and seniors, received a $250,000 Companions for Change sponsorship from Pet Valu last fall plus funding from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) and generous private donors.
See related: 'Pet project': Local Humane Society launches fundraising campaign
“We are so excited to be opening the Companions for Change Pet Adoption and Wellness Centre. It is a transformative addition to our campus,” says Executive Director Liam Cullin. “Each year, we help more than 1,400 companion animals live better lives and with the new facility, we look forward to providing increased and better support in the years to come.”
As seen on a tour led by Cullin in the video below, the Companions for Change Pet Adoption and Wellness Centre can accommodate 12-20 dogs and puppies and up to 50 kittens, cats and small animals. With its bright, uplifting décor, in-floor heating, sound-dampening and air exchanger, it offers a more comfortable and less stressful accommodation experience for companion animals.
The spacious building has plenty of room to explore. Cats benefit from three new colony rooms with shelves and scratching posts as well as access to an outdoor patio. Dogs benefit from expanded kennels and outside runs for exercise and play. The new centre is wheelchair accessible and also has a dedicated "Meet and Greet" room where potential pet parents can connect with animals looking for their forever home.
This is a significant change from the shelter’s existing building, where space was very limited and access to the dog kennels was off-limits to the public. Now, potential adopters can wander the halls and visit with the dogs that are available for adoption. The new centre can also accommodate up to three times the
number of cat visitors, making it easy to find the right match. There is also an Education Room which will host Paw Pals Summer Day Camp, board meetings and training sessions as well as workshops and clinics.
See also: Pet Valu delivers boost to new Humane Society adoption centre
Companions for Change initiatives help animal rescues and charities across Canada achieve larger capital projects and Pet Valu says it is very proud to support the construction of the Companions for Change Pet Adoption and Wellness Centre” says Adam Woodward, senior vice president of franchise store operations at Pet Valu. “The dedicated, hard-working team at North Bay and District Humane Society has been providing critical support to pets across Ontario for decades. With the
addition of this centre to the campus, they will be able to help even more pets, devoted pet lovers and rescue groups.
Since 2018, with the help of generous donations by devoted pet lovers across Canada, Pet Valu’s Companions for Change has given over $1.7 million to support 15 animal-related organizations across the country. From August 17-30, all Pet Valu stores across Canada, outside of Quebec, are raising funds to support the Companions for Change programs. Devoted pet lovers can round up their purchase to the nearest dollar or make a custom donation at check-out.
