St. Thomas, Ont. woman makes $1-million donation to reach city’s animal centre and dog park budget goal

St. Thomas City council is expected to approve a new animal centre and dog park Tuesday after a massive donation from a local businesswoman.

After the city required private donations or fundraising of $1 million to reach the $2.5 million goal set out in the strategic plan, Sara Teare stepped up and made it her intention to donate the entire amount.

“I would like to donate $1 million dollars towards the new Animal Service Centre,” Teare wrote in a letter to council.

“As our city continues to grow, I believe a facility like this will help cement our position as a top place to live, and look forward to being a part of that future.”

Teare and her husband own the multi-billion-dollar password management software business 1Password. She adopted her former dog from the local animal shelter, and believes the current centre on Burwell Road. is not up to today’s standards.

“After having the chance to see the new location and design, incorporating both a new dog park and the trails together, I feel that this new Animal Services Centre would be an excellent addition to our community,” says Teare.

Teare’s mother Joan Rymal has been advocating for a new shelter during her eight years on St. Thomas City Council.

“I don't think the city's probably ever had a single $1 million donation at any time,” says Rymal.

“That is a lot of money and kudos to her. They've been successful with their business and you don't have to do those kinds of things, so it's very much appreciated. I’m sure all the citizens of St. Thomas will be very pleased and appreciate it as well.”

St. Thomas businesswoman Sara Teare made a $1M private donation to help the city reach its $2.5M goal of a new animal shelter and dog park in the city. Teare and her husband own the password software management business 1Password. (Source: 1Password)

If approved by council Tuesday, the plan would be to build the centre in the large wide open space, south of the Doug Tarry Baseball Complex.

The vision includes an educational centre for field trips to learn about animal care, training, biology and interaction with real animals. It would be a necessary upgrade from current centre.

“It means let's do it right now before we think anymore,” says Joe Preston, St. Thomas’ mayor.

“It can be done but the fundraising goal was a fairly high number, and it didn't look like until we came out of COVID and got into a fundraising campaign, it would it would work. Now we’ve made it and it’s great to have fantastic community citizens like this who are helping us out with the project”.

Preston believes the piece of property along Southdale Line is an ideal well-drained piece of property for a dog park. He calls it the “perfect location” for the park and centre.

Rymal feels the current centre is both outdated and in a bad location.

“It's stuck right in the middle of the environmental services,” says Rymal.

“If someone wanted to come in and adopt a dog or take a dog out, you're walking in the middle of a noisy area where there is a plow and a backhoe. There's industry across the street, so we're looking at it more in a residential area”.

There is a limited number of dog parks in the city, and none of them are located in the south end.

“I have a lot of dog friends actually that go to Kettle Creek Dog Park and we always talk about how we need another dog park,” says April Sheller who was walking her dog Leo in Lake Margaret near the proposed location.

“It'd be nice to have one down here because the dog parks are so packed every day because everybody goes there and they definitely need an upgrade. So that's really exciting”.

Her friend Lindsay Tremblay agrees that it would be nice, while acknowledging the current shelter is outdated.

“I think it'd be amazing a bigger area for the dogs to run, and it definitely needs upgrading for sure,” says Tremblay.

Preston says after approval Tuesday, the plans will go to architect and tender, and if they can get a builder and supplies, the project could start construction soon.

The current Animal Services building in St. Thomas, Ont. on April 16, 2022. (Brent Lale/CTV London)