‘This building is deteriorating’: Greater Moncton SPCA sets sights on construction of new facility

The SPCA in Moncton is continuing to make do with the resources it has.

But the building out of which the organization operates is over 30 years old, and it’s showing its age.

“It’s about $65,000 (each) year that we are spending on repairs,” said Brittany Wright, who is the campaign manager for the Greater Moncton SPCA.

“Every year, more and more things are breaking, (and) not everything is a perfect fix because of our financial situation so a lot of things do get duct-taped.”

With things like door frames showing their age and health concerns for animals, Wright says it’s time for the organization to move.

“We do not have an airflow system at all so the air in here is stale,” she said. “We’re working with concrete everywhere; disease gets caught up in there.”

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While the new, proposed building plan includes a structure identical in size, the proposed building will have a new layout, allowing the SPCA to start with a fresh floor plan to help with storage and animal well-being.

“When animals come in and they’re sick, we do not have a proper quarantine area for them,” Wright explained. “The result of that is other animals end up getting sick coming through our doors.”

The new building will have an adoption and shelter wing, and it’s set to take shape on land just down the road in a nearby industrial park with a price tag of $5.8 million.

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Of that cost, $840,000 was contributed by governments, including $450,000 from the province, $375,000 from the City of Moncton and a $15,000 contribution from the Town of Riverview.

Now in the “quiet phase,” the SPCA hopes to officially launch its capital campaign in the spring.

“Shovels in ground by 2020 is what we hope,” added Wright.