Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the OHS decided to build a new facility now?
Obtaining a suitable shelter for Ottawa’s animals is long overdue. The need was actually first identified in the early 1980s. Our reservoir of makeshift solutions to deal with the lack of space has been exhausted. We simply cannot continue to provide high-quality services in our cramped and severely outdated facility.
Each year more than 11,000 animals in distress or crisis depend upon the Ottawa Humane Society for shelter, veterinary care, placement in a new home and protection. When you consider that the current facility was built to hold just 2,500 animals per year, you can understand that the Ottawa Humane Society has reached a crisis point.
Why doesn’t the OHS just renovate and expand its existing building?
In 2005 the OHS contracted with a project management firm to look at this possibility and compare it to the alternative options of building a new facility on green land or purchasing another building and renovating it.
The study ruled out the possibility of renovating and expanding our Champagne Avenue shelter, noting among other things that the square footage of the existing property was smaller than the space required for the new building alone!
While the possibility remained to purchase and renovate an existing building, we were not able to find anything suitable that was centrally located and within our price range.
What kind of forethought went into the decision to build a new facility?
The OHS conducted a detailed planning exercise to identify our space requirements. We were conscious of not overbuilding and asking for more from our community than we felt was reasonable and the square footage will be comparable to the square footage of new shelters in comparable Canadian cities. The building will be designed to ensure that expansion is relatively easy, when the need is demonstrated.
Why can’t you just convince a large, wealthy business to build it for you?
While we have great partnerships with many companies, less than 5% of money donated to the Ottawa Humane Society comes from corporations. This is very typical of charities in Canada. Individual donations account for 97% of all funding in the not-for-profit sector. At the OHS, individual donations are the lifeblood of our annual campaign and they will be the lifeblood of our building campaign.
Why doesn’t the City of Ottawa just pay for a new shelter?
The city does recognize our vital function within the community as well as our desperate need for a new facility, and has committed $1.8 million towards a new home for the Ottawa Humane Society.
While the OHS does operate the Municipal Animal Shelter for the City of Ottawa, we do not normally receive additional funding from them for any of our other services such as adoption, community programming or our clinic services.
Are animals euthanized because of the limitations of the current building?
We care for more than 11,000 animals a year in a building designed for 2,500 a year. That type of overcrowding combined with an outdated and overtaxed ventilation system means that diseases like upper respiratory infection and bordetella (kennel cough) are nearly impossible to contain. The building has almost no space to isolate sick animals. To prevent suffering and the spread of disease, we are sometimes forced to make difficult decisions about animals.
Once you move into the new facility, what will you do with the existing building and site?
The OHS owns the building and site at 101 Champagne Ave. South outright. When we occupy the new facility, it will be sold and the proceeds used toward the cost of the new facility. We believe that the Champagne property will sell for close to $3 million, so this reduces the amount we need to raise significantly.
What is the cost of the new facility?
The project managers hired by the Ottawa Humane Society have advised that the cost of the new shelter, including design, construction and equipment will be approximately $12.5 million.
Why is cost of construction for the new facility so high?
Standards for animal shelters have increased significantly since the OHS building on Champagne Avenue was constructed in 1968. The materials and ventilation systems currently employed in animal welfare design are at or near hospital-quality standards. The costs for the non-animal portions of the building will be comparable to other commercial buildings. The estimated construction cost of $250/square foot is actually slightly lower than the cost per square foot for animal shelters recently built in both Winnipeg and Calgary.
When does construction of the new facility begin?
The Ottawa Humane Society hopes to begin construction of the new facility in late 2010, with occupancy in late spring 2011. Whether this is realistic depends on our community, and the extent that it commits financially to the project.
Can the OHS afford to operate a much larger facility?
Research done by the OHS in the early planning stages of the project and the campaign tells us that good design can significantly increase the efficiency of an animal shelter. Green design can reduce operating costs significantly as well. Across the country, new shelters have increased their revenues through new fee-for-service activities and through greater and more widespread awareness and support stemming from the campaign itself.
Can I just redirect my current donation to the building campaign?
Since we are funded almost entirely by our donors, switching an annual or regular donation to the building campaign would diminish our ability to assist today’s animals. Additional donations to the building campaign will enable us to create a better environment for tomorrow’s animals while maintaining our standard of care for today’s animals.
Ten Reasons Ottawa needs a new Animal Shelter
Copyright (©) Ottawa Humane Society, 2010.
