New Humane Society facility takes shape in London, Ont.

For animals waiting for a new home, the opening of a new Humane Society shelter in London cannot come soon enough.

But thankfully, a milestone has been reached at the facility, located on Dundas Street East, near Highbury Avenue.

Crews are busy installing the structural steel frame of the Old Oak Animal Campus. When finished, the new shelter will be three times the size of the current site on Clarke Road.

Executive Director Steve Ryall said the expansion is overdue.

“We are a little bit behind here compared to other humane societies in the country. And so we’re excited to be joining our sisters in their efforts towards animals in our communities,” he said.

The new facility is 30,000 sq. ft. compared to 9,800 sq. ft. at the current site, and will house up to 400 animals — that is twice the current capacity.

Construction is underway at the new Humane Society London & Middlesex on Dec. 18, 2023. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)

Ryall said fixed cages will be obsolete as the new site features moveable enclosures and adaptable spaces.

“So maybe only one cat or 12 cats in a room. The facility offers us so much flexibility,” he said.

But the price tag to improve the lives of animals is steep at $17 million. While that figure includes space for an in-house vet clinic, it does not cover the $500,000 needed to equip it.

A fundraising campaign runs until the end of this month to help raise funds.

Ryall said the onsite vet clinic will eliminate the need to transport shelter animals to vets as far away as Sarnia.

Fury, the one-eyed rescue cat at the London Middlesex Humane Society on May 17, 2022. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London)

And, in time, he said some of its services will be offered to the public.

“Lower cost spay and neuter. Rabies and other things that need to be done for animals on a regular basis,” he explained.

Ryall said education will be another focus at the new site.

“Other humane societies are offering junior vet programs. So kids will be able to come and say on Monday they learn about dogs, and cats on Tuesday and Wednesday’s bunnies. And they can then have that real-life experience and be educated about animals and how to care for them, and how we care for animals in the shelter,” he said.

The new Old Oak Animal Campus is expected to open in November 2024. 

Construction is underway at the new Humane Society London & Middlesex on Dec. 18, 2023. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)