Stephenville SPCA still needs new home, 1 year after devastating fire

Volunteers with the South West Coast SPCA in Stephenville are still trying to find temporary housing for their stray cats and dogs, more than one year after a devastatingfire destroyed the animal shelter,killing24 cats and kittens.

• All 24 cats and kittens at Stephenville SPCA die in fire

• How the Stephenville SPCA is coping 1 month after devastating fire

The SPCA has been renting a four-bedroom house as a temporary shelter, but now the owner wants the building back.

"We're finished our time at the end of April, so our time is running very, very short," shelter volunteer Donna Hobbs told The Corner Brook Morning Show,adding there's no home sorted out for May just yet.

"We only need a building for a few months, and we're still looking."

Construction coming soon

Hobbs hopes whatever housing they find will be temporary, as the SPCA plans to begin construction on its new facility sometime later this spring, or in early summer.

"The building plans are all drawn up, and we got the land secured," said Hobbs, adding the plans weredesigned specifically with the shelter's needs in mind.

The shelter's new location will be on a plot of donated land behind Stephenville's town hall, and Hobbs estimated construction costs at about $200,000.

"We have about $65,000 in the bank for startup. We're certainlyhoping we'll get some kind of help," said Hobbs.

She said the generosity from the local community since the fire in March 2015has been overwhelming, and hopes that support continues.

"We've made quite a lot, had great contributions from people and a lot of support from everyone, as we try to raise the money and take care of all the cats we have, and dogs."