Furry friends who find themselves lost in the City of Mount Pearl now have some nicer accommodations while they wait to find their way back to their owners.
The City’s animal holding facility has undergone some remodelling that will, according to Councillor Isabelle Fry, give animals who find themselves temporarily housed at the facility a less stressful experience.
“One of the biggest changes that we’ve made, we’ve completely separated the cats and the dogs,” said Fry who noted that while some separation existed between the two animals at the facility previously, they were not completely separated until now. “We wanted to make it as comfortable as we could for what we have there.”
Other improvements made to the facility at the H. Neil Windsor Municipal Building include the addition of a washer and dryer to clean animal blankets after each use, the addition of larger dog kennels and a fresh coat of paint.
World junior ball hockey is coming to the City of Mount Pearl. The City and Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador announced on Tuesday that Mount Pearl will play host to the 2018 under-18 and under-20 International Street and Ball Hockey Federation World Junior Championships. The tournament will take place from July 4 to July 8 at the Glacier Arena. Four local players shown will play for the under-18 and under-20 teams including, starting from left: James O’Brien, Joel Bishop, Jack Keough and Mount Pearl resident Jesse Sutton.
Fry said the enhancements aren’t fully complete yet as the City is currently waiting on new cat kennels to replace the 30-year-old enclosures that are used now. The remodelling cost around $20,000 — a worthwhile investment, according to Fry.
“Mount Pearl is so progressive in every other way, and our animal holding facility was less than,” said Fry. “It wasn’t deplorable but there was room for improvement. For a small investment at least we have a facility now where the animals are not stressed out, they’re more comfortable — as comfortable as they can be under the circumstances.”
While there are no plans to upgrade the facility from its current status as a holding facility to an animal shelter — a distinction which would see improvements that would offer animals more long-term accommodations while they wait for pick-up or adoption — Fry noted she is pleased to see pets that have to depend on the facility now have more comfortable accommodations. While she was unsure of the numbers currently at the holding pound, Fry said it is her understanding the facility sees quite a few ‘visitors.’
“A lot of people don’t even realize that we have a holding facility here,” said Fry. “I’m really, really happy with this… It didn’t cost a lot of money, but it made a big difference.”
