After I moved to The Pas, Manitoba, in 2008, I wanted to volunteer my time at an animal shelter, so I stopped by the Humane Society which was housed in a building in the business area of town. I could hear dogs barking inside, but the door was locked and there was a sign that said “We’re closing down”. The sign said that they were trying to find new placements for all the cats and dogs that were under their care.

So for years now, there has been no official animal shelter in our town. Dogs or cats that were abandoned, injured or homeless had nowhere to go unless some kind soul took them into their home. Many, I’m sure, have perished in our bitterly cold winters or have been euthanized if they go unclaimed at the Town Pound. For two years, we had a wonderful dog rescue run privately but unfortunately it had to close down. We have our mini-shelter for cats but it is simply not enough.

All that is changing now and the future looks bright! I’m so excited to be a part of the Steering Committee that is planning to build a beautiful 3000 square foot brand new animal shelter in The Pas! The Town of The Pas has offered to sell us a plot of land for $1.00…and one of our junior advocates is excited to pay that bill when the time comes!! The new shelter will be energy efficient, environmentally friendly and community oriented. It will house 15 dogs and 10 cats at one time and will service The Pas and surrounding areas. You can check out our progress on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TPAAS/

This January, we began our fundraising for the building fund and we have amazing volunteers who are donating their time and energy to this wonderful cause. The support from the community is just heartwarming. If you would like to donate to our project, donations may be mailed to:

The Pas and Area Animal Shelter Inc.

Box 4079

The Pas, Manitoba

R9A 1S6

Architectural Renderings Courtesy of Bridgmancollaborative Architects - Winnipeg, Manitoba.