The Pemberton Animal Wellbeing Society (PAWS) has completed construction on two new insulated, roofed enclosures after damage from flooding last year.
The new enclosures had been on the organization’s radar since late 2023, but after flooding last January wiped out the larger of two enclosures and seriously damaged the smaller one, the shelter was faced with a choice to try and "patch up" the old shelters, or move forward with an entirely new facility, explained PAWS manager Erinne Campbell.
“We decided to go for it and take the leap," she said. "We're just so happy with the support we received and [that] we were able to do it.”
PAWS launched its subsequent Raise the Roof campaign in April, raising more than $52,000 through events such as an online auction that local businesses donated to.
After raising enough money to pay for the enclosures, PAWS faced a new challenge: finding a construction company that would take on such a small-scale project.
“It's sort of small potatoes to [builders], but we were able to get Kentel Construction there,” said Campbell. “They came onboard and sort of pieced it together amidst [their] other jobs and really helped us out.”
The new enclosures are roughly four times larger than their predecessors, and each consist of an eight-by-eight-foot bedroom, an eight-by-12-foot lounge, and an eight-by-12-foot patio area. Each enclosure is heated and insulated.
There are currently six dogs in one enclosure and three in the other. Campbell said the new enclosures won’t necessarily be enough to house all the animals PAWS takes in. The shelter now has six dogs on its waitlist. Whistler Animals Galore, the Whistler-based animal welfare society and shelter, has about a dozen dogs on its waitlist.
The shelter is a small, volunteer-led operation that receives funding by donation and through the Pemberton District Initiative Fund, which provides $15,000 a year for payroll and veterinary services.
In October, PAWS received charity status, broadening its fundraising efforts.
"It opens the door for a lot more corporate donations, which ideally would boost our fundraising above and beyond what the local community can sometimes withstand,” Campbell said.
In 2025, the team is looking to raise funds for upgrades to their office space and cattery, including better flooring and insulation. Those looking to donate to PAWS can do so through their website or CanadaHelps. Donors will receive a tax-deductible receipt.
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