New pens allow dogs to feel comfortable while they wait for their fur-ever home
By Kirra Livingstone
SUNSHINE Coast Animal Refuge (SCARS) has officially opened ‘The Shelter the Sunny Coast built’ on February 12, with a newly renovated dog shelter building, with 19 new pens on offer.
SCARS fundraised for the project through their Paws for a Cause annual events, and Founding Pens Sponsors program, where businesses from the Coast could sponsor a pen for $5000.
Marketing volunteer, Penny Brischke, said the upgrade cost $800,000, and the pens will allow dogs to feel more comfortable in an environment they aren’t used to, until they find their fur-ever home.
“The main thing obviously for us is about increasing their comfort level, being in a shelter is not a natural thing for dogs or cats, and our old shelter was so run down, it was just wire and cement pens,” she said.
“We built the pens to reduce visual and auditory stimulation for the dogs, by limiting their view and hearing of the other dogs in the shelter as this is quite distressing for them otherwise.
“All the buildings are insulated now which is a massive thing, the pens have fans, the flooring is a much better surface, its sealed with epoxy which is very easy to clean.”
The shelter is also celebrating it’s 45th anniversary this month, making SCARS the oldest animal refuge on the Sunshine Coast.
Penny thanked all the people who had offered fundraising support over the years to make the shelter upgrade a reality, and highlighted what projects the refuge now plans to turn their attention to.
“Thank you to all the local businesses who helped fund pens, donated at our fundraising events, and to all the builders and tradies who offered generous discounts and donations in completing the shelter,” she said.
“Many hands made it possible and we feel blessed with the generosity we’ve received from the local Sunshine Coast community.
“One of the next projects we will be working on will be re-building the existing cattery which is one of the original 40-year-old buildings, we have a bit more research to do and obviously will need funding for it too.”
kirra@gcnews.com.au