Regina Humane Society moves into new home

It was an emotional experience for everyone at 4900 Parliament Avenue, the space the Regina Humane Society (RHS) now gets to call home.

“Arriving here with the animals for the first time … there were a lot of tears,” explained executive director, Lisa Koch.

The $28 million facility is truly a sight to behold. Nearly twice the size of the RHS’s former location on Armour Road. The new facility is complete with a fully functional veterinary clinic, two dog parks, an adopt shop, communal areas, and educational spaces for school groups.

“It is intentionally designed and functionally organized to provide best practice bio-security, odour control, and acoustic control. But you don’t see all that when you walk in, you see the bright, beautiful colours and the light, the natural light and the open spaces,” Koch explained.

After nearly 60 years at their location on Armour Road, the RHS team is grateful to see a decade of efforts come to fruition in the form of the brand new building which solves countless challenges staff had to contend with.

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“If you could think of a way something could differ, it differs. The old building as a tool to do the work that the humane society does was failing us and was failing the animals in the community,” Bill Thorn, RHS’s director of public relations explained.

“It was old, it was rundown, biosecurity was very, very challenging and we’ve looked after that in this new space.”

The facility is designed for educating, so people can learn about animals. Covering the walls, people can also find “donor tails” which explain why those who put money towards this facility chose to do so.

“It tells their stories about their connections to animals, people that they loved who loved animals, and I think it really is a testament to what a central role animals play in our lives and our quality of life,” Koch said.

The facility will be open to the public on Tuesday, Feb. 6.

Anyone interested is more than welcome to come by and say hi to RHS’s furry friends in their home.