Ballarat Regional Animal Facility
We are building a brand-new animal shelter to care for the pets, strays, and other animals in the municipality and those of surrounding councils.
The existing animal shelter is in an old, repurposed abattoir building; it is not fit for purpose and often at capacity. The Ballarat Animal Shelter provides care for more than 2,000 animals from Ballarat and neighbouring shires each year.
City of Ballarat’s vision for a new fully compliant animal shelter is partly funded by the Victorian Government with $11.5 million budgeted to deliver the project.
The City of Ballarat has identified a site for the new facility and committed $200,000 toward planning for the facility in its 2021/22 budget, with planning for the new shelter commencing in late 2021.
The $11.5 million in funding announced by the Victorian Government for a new regional animal facility will represent the single biggest improvement to animal welfare services in this region in a century.
The new purpose-built shelter will lead to improved quality of life for the animals in our care with integrated indoor and outdoor facilities, improved ventilation and infection control and the ability to care for more than 100 additional dogs and cats in code-compliant pens.
A new, fully compliant regional animal facility will:
- Enhance the quality of life and standard of care delivered to the thousands of stray, lost, abandoned or abused animals from around the region that pass through the City of Ballarat’s animal shelter each year
- Give staff the ability to quarantine dangerous animals appropriately and provide better welfare and enrichment for the seized dog with significantly less risk for staff. The Ballarat Animal Shelter is the only facility in the region which is able to hold seized dogs, often for several months, ahead of pending court cases.
- Improve infection control. Ensuring the animals are adequately housed minimises the spread of disease and reduces the amount of time needed for infection control and cleaning.
- Enhanced emergency boarding facilities. Increased capacity to care for the animals of people in crisis situations including family violence, temporary ill health, or emergencies such as bushfire or flood.
- Improved quality of life for the animals. With integrated indoor and outdoor facilities, staff will not need to manually transfer animals outside for cleaning and maintenance of pens, meaning staff can spend more time on animal enrichment activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do we need a new Regional Animal Facility?
The existing animal shelter is in an old, repurposed abattoir building; it is not fit for purpose and often at capacity.
The new purpose-built shelter will lead to improved quality of life for the animals in our care with integrated indoor and outdoor facilities, improved ventilation and infection control and the ability to care for an additional 30 dogs and 80 cats in code-compliant pens.
What is a Regional Animal Facility used for?
- Caring for stray, lost, abandoned or abused animals from around the region.
- Quarantine of dangerous or seized animals.
- Emergency boarding for people in crisis situations such as domestic violence or natural emergencies.
- Facilitating adoptions of animals to their new homes.
Where will the new facility be?
The new Animal Facility will be on City of Ballarat land at Waringa Drive in Mitchell Park.
How will the new facility improve animal welfare?
Enhance the quality of life and standard of care delivered to the thousands of stray, lost, abandoned or abused animals from around the region that pass through the City of Ballarat’s animal shelter each year
Give staff the ability to quarantine dangerous animals appropriately, with significantly less risk for staff. The Ballarat Animal Shelter is the only facility in the region, which can hold seized dogs, often for several months, ahead of pending court cases.
Improve infection control. Ensuring the animals are adequately housed minimises the spread of disease and reduces the amount of time needed for infection control and cleaning.
Enhanced emergency boarding facilities. Increased capacity to care for people's animals in crisis situations including family violence, temporary ill health, or emergencies like bushfire or flood.
Improved quality of life for the animals. With integrated indoor and outdoor facilities, staff will not need to manually transfer animals outside for cleaning and maintenance of pens, meaning staff can spend more time on animal enrichment activities.
What will happen with the old facility?
The facility will be assessed by the City of Ballarat as to its future use.
How long will construction take?
The project is currently in the design phase, with the finalised designs anticipated from the architect in mid 2024.
The project will then go out to Tender with construction to commence in early 2025.
How is this funded?
The new facility would not be possible without the contribution of $11.5 million from the Victorian Government and $3 million from the City of Ballarat.
How many animals does the Animal Shelter care for?
Each year, the Ballarat Animal Shelter cares for more than 2,000 lost, surrendered, abandoned, or mistreated domestic animals and livestock from across our region, offering care for pets displaced by bushfire and other emergencies.