Dartmouth Shelter

History

In 1988, a gentleman by the name of John A. Kennedy pass away leaving a sizeable bequest. Due to the money received, the dedication and cooperation of the newly formed Metro board and the Provincial Board and staff, the society was able to open the doors of its newly constructed Metro SPCA animal shelter (now known as the Dartmouth Shelter) in Dartmouth on January 10, 1991.

On March 10, 1992, a devastating fire caused extensive damage to the newly built shelter and worst of all, four animals perished in the fire. No one was formally charged for the fire; however, arson was suspected. On June 26, 1992, the doors of the reconstructed shelter were re-opened.

The Dartmouth Shelter handles the majority of cruelty intake for the province of Nova Scotia as well as addresses the overflow of intake from other Friends of the SPCA in the Province.

The shelter couldn’t be as successful as we are without the support of the public and our annual fundraising campaigns.

While many of the animals that come through the doors have been through some of the most horrific of experiences, the Dartmouth Shelter is, however, a joyous and happy place where deserving animals are given a second chance for a happy life. It is a place where dedicated shelter staff get to witness the culmination of their hard work and sacrifice when an animal begins to trust again, and where animal lovers converge to volunteer countless hours of their time in an effort to change the lives of animals.

The Dartmouth Shelter, formerly the Provincial Animal (Metro) Shelter, is located in the Burnside Industrial Park in Dartmouth. It serves as a provincial animal care facility for animals seized or surrendered through cruelty investigations from across Nova Scotia. Working with the provincial Nova Scotia SPCA, the shelter helps coordinate the sheltering and fostering of abused and neglected animals.

The shelter’s adoption centre provides a welcoming environment where prospective pet owners can be matched with the many dogs, cats and other small animals available for adoption. Shelter staff and volunteers work with adopters to identify the best companion for them, and educational material is available on site and online to help new pet owners. Public donations to the Dartmouth Shelter help offset the often significant costs of animal care for these animals, a service for which the shelter does not receive any government funding.

Adoption Fees

Adopting is a very rewarding experience. You will be giving a homeless animal a second chance in life and providing it with a safe, loving family.

Cats or Kittens Adoption Fee $300 for cats | $425 for kittens

Dogs or Puppies Adoption Fee  $400 for dogs | $700 for puppies

Unconditional love – priceless

What’s Included

Your new best friends comes to you:

• Spayed or Neutered sponsored by PetSmart Charities® of Canada (including kittens and puppies)
• With core vaccines to time of adoption
• Examined by a Veterinarian
• Treated for Fleas/Parasites
• Tested for Feline Leukemia (cats)
• With a free eight-week trial of Nova Scotia SPCA Pet Health Insurance
• Microchipped

Wish List

We go through many supplies to show homeless pets the love and care they deserve.

Check out our wish list here for the items we are most often in need of. We also have an online wish list here where you can add items to your cart and send a surprise gift directly to our shelter.

Another amazing way to help is to donate to fill our top wish list items. We can buy in bulk and often save with a charity rate!