Mountain View County councillors have heard about ongoing plans to build an animal shelter for the region in Didsbury.
During last week's policies and priorities meeting, Derek Sutherland, protective services coordinator and community peace officer with the Town of Didsbury, spoke to councillors and answered questions.
“The Wild Rose Humane Society (WRHS) is very close to reaching a deal with the Town of Didsbury to provide land for the society to build a shelter,” said Sutherland. “I was hoping that you would be able to get official support for this initiative from Mountain View County.”
Typically 40 to 45 stray dogs are picked up in the county every year, he said.
In response to a question by Coun. Kevin Good, Sutherland said the WRHS is not affiliated with other humane societies in Canada or elsewhere.
“We are not part of a larger umbrella organization. It is just a common name given to the shelters,” he said.
The society's mandate is not to be an animal rights activist group, he said.
“We are not PETA,” he said. “We are not political at all. We are not looking to tell anybody how to do anything. We just want to provide a safe place for people to surrender these unwanted animals and a good place for people who want to adopt these pets to come and adopt them. That's what we are looking for.”
At the request of organizers, councillors passed a motion recommending that MVC provide a letter of support to the project. The recommendation is expected to come before council this week.
A sample letter of reference presented to council by organizers reads, in part: “We support the WRHS's vision of creating a community of responsible animal guardianship. It is our understanding that the town of Didsbury is working with the WRHS to build a facility that will provide shelter to animals in our community that need it most.
“There is currently a tremendous need and an ever-growing need to provide a facility that will serve our community and our neighbour communities with the humane support that is required. We as a community give our support to the WRHS and their initiative to build a shelter in Didsbury.”
The letter will be used as part of the grant application process, said Sutherland.
