Animal euthanasia will be minimized in the City of Montreal’s future centralized animal shelter, the organization chosen to operate it said on Wednesday.
Proanima, which will receive 158 million over 10 years to manage lost and abandoned animals in the metropolis, ensures that it only euthanizes animals that are terminally ill or have no quality of life.
“Yes, we will carry out euthanasia, because it is part of good practice,” said the organization’s chief veterinarian, Vincent Paradis. “The euthanasia that we do is only for the well-being of the animals. »
“In the field, we talk about “shelter without euthanasia” when less than 9% of animals are euthanized, he added. We do that or even less. »
Mr. Paradis spoke at a press conference at city hall to formalize the award of this contract. After 12 years of hesitation, Montreal finally decided to outsource the construction and operation of an animal center with 7,050 places, as well as animal services.
“For more than 10 years, it was the SCPA which provided these services for several districts, services which go well beyond its mission,” said the elected official responsible for the file, Maja Vodanovic. “We had to take our responsibilities. »
The 10-year contract begins now, but Proanima will only open its centralized shelter in 2026. That’s when it will also take over animal control. The location where the shelter will be located has not been revealed, but we know that it will be in the “central-east” of the metropolis.