Mae Bachur animal shelter gets money for new floor, heating system

Renovations are about to get underway at the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter in Whitehorse. 

The Yukon Government is providing $22,000, with additional funds coming from private donors, to help upgrade the heating system and replace cracked floors.

"It lessens the chance with the spread of the diseases ... with some of the parvo issues, coccidia, things like that," said Dan Moore, executive director of the shelter. "The disease sits in the floor and now we are able to seal that area off completely and start fresh."

2015 was a bad year for diseases at the shelter, including outbreaks of the parvovirus. The virus can survive in cracks in the concrete. 

The shelter is also getting a new propane boiler to replace its oil boiler to reduce heating costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

The shelter is currently fundraising to increase the size of its outside dog kennel by 10,000 square feet so dogs have more room to run around and potential adopters can play with the dogs outside.

Yukon's spay and neuter program to continue

A pilot program aimed at reducing the number of animals that end up at Mae Bachur is continuing. 

From 2013-15, Yukon's spay-neuter program provided vouchers to rural residents and low income Whitehorse residents to partially offset the cost of spaying or neutering their dog or cat.  

More than 200 dogs and 27 cats were sterilized during the two year program, according to a report released by Environment Yukon. Yukon's chief veterinary officer, who now oversees the program, said each community has different challenges and the program should be tailored to their needs.

"There are a variety of options that are available besides surgical sterilization and there are some injectable programs that have been used in other jurisdictions that work quite well," said Mary Vanderkop. 

She said an overpopulation of dogs leads to safety issues and concerns about the dogs welfare.

The pilot program cost about $30,000 a year, but Vanderkop expects the focus of the program will shift away from spaying and neutering.

She says it's been aimed at rural communities and bringing pets into Whitehorse for surgery is a financial burden.