Southern dog shelter finds a new home
Dogs housed in the Far North District Council’s temporary dog shelter at Horeke will soon be moved to a new permanent facility near Kaikohe.
Dogs housed in the Far North District Council’s temporary dog shelter at Horeke will soon be moved to a new permanent facility near Kaikohe.
The Council will complete the purchase of Melka Kennels on Ngapuhi Road next month and will upgrade the facility to fully meet national animal codes of welfare requirements.
General Manager – District Services, Dr Dean Myburgh, says the new facility, which was formerly a commercial dog kennel, is due to open as soon as upgrades are completed. The facility will house up to 24 dogs.
The Council currently operates two animal shelters: the northern area shelter on Bonnetts Road outside Kaitaia, and a temporary southern area facility at Horeke.
The Horeke shelter opened in early 2018 and is located on a property leased from a local landowner. The temporary location had significant limitations for both staff and the public.
“Unlike the temporary Horeke facility, this new animal shelter will be open to the public so dog owners can view and identify impounded dogs, and dogs we are offering up for adoption can also be viewed.
“This new site also means our Animal Management Team will have a safe and permanent work place that we can improve and expand as required.”
He says the Council paid a market rate for the property below the asking price of $680,000. “Discussions with the property owners via their legal representatives were complex, but we arrived at an agreement that both sides are happy with.”
Dr Myburgh says the temporary Horeke shelter will now be closed and dismantled and all equipment that can be reused will be redeployed to the Melka Kennels or to the northern animal shelter near Kaitaia.
The Council plans to build a new northern area dog shelter at Bonnetts Road and is due to start construction once building contracts are signed. It also planned to build a new southern area animal shelter on land purchased in 2017 at Ngawha. Dr Myburgh says that asset will now be considered for other uses related to growth and development opportunities around Kaikohe.