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by Justin Harris

It is always nice to get new stuff. But sometimes, old stuff needs to be moved to make room for the new. That is the predicament Thompson River Animal Care Shelter (TRACS) is in now, and staff hopes to find someone in the community who can benefit from their situation.

Following the fire last year that took the shelter’s cattery, insurance has been settled and new arrangements are in the works.

“We can’t start progress for the cats until the old building is hauled away,” said TRACS President Wanda Thorpe. “The upside is that the building is still valuable and could be salvaged for materials, or re-roofed and re-windowed for use. It is free to anyone able to haul it away – hopefully sooner than later.”

The modular building that was the old cattery suffered fire damage to the roof and water damage to the floor, but Thorpe said the structure is sound and full of usable materials. The walls are sturdy with constructed 2x6 studs and the floors are solid plywood. There is 12x12 quality tile throughout. Some had to be pulled up in the hallways, but the tiles are piled waiting to be used. The entry doors are quality and solid compared to the run of the mill manufactured homes. The windows were removed, but Thorpe noted that they were fairly cheap and human occupants would have upgraded them anyway. She added that it is more than just a shell of a building, with interior amenities still intact. The building is dividable into two parts for transportation. Thorpe feels there must be somebody in the community who could make use of the free structure and assist the shelter by getting it off the property.

“We would have tried to fix it up, but that kind of help proved very hard to find,” explained Thorpe. “Also, the insurance company totaled it out. So, like a car, once it is totaled we could not insure it again.”

TRACS was able to secure a mostly-new manufactured double-wide home that will be delivered once the old building is out of the way. At that time, TRACS will be looking for help to lay a concrete slab for it to sit on – as that will also make the building more insurable and easier to maintain. They will also be seeking help in minor interior modifications that will be needed to make the building more functional for its purpose.

The new building will house the offices as an updated structure to greet visitors and adoptees. A few of the rooms will be free-roam areas for cats, which will be a welcomed return to normalcy for felines that have been cooped up in kennels while awaiting a solution. The structure currently housing the offices will be transformed into more space for cats and hospital/quarantine areas for animals requiring a bit more care before adoption.

“The building we were able to acquire is a bit newer, so it seemed a pity to tear up the nearly new carpet to make a cat house,” explained Thorpe of the anticipated office location change. Some of the free-roam rooms will be outfitted with cat porches, as the felines enjoy fresh air as much as the dogs in their generous-sized kennels and regular outdoor walks. “We don’t believe in caging animals any more than necessary,” said Thorpe. “We like to get the animals out as often as possible, but its been hard without a proper space for our cats.”

Anyone wishing to assist with outfitting the new structure or acquiring the old cat building can contact TRACS at 827-8722. TRACS is always seeking volunteers, there are many opportunities for those seeking to make a dog or cat’s day a little brighter.