If you drive by 325 Bill Martyn Parkway this week, you will see something new: St. Thomas’s animal shelter, open in its new home for the first time.
The Animal Services team spent July 21 and 22 packing up its old building at 100 Burwell Rd and moving in, and the city announced the new shelter’s opening on July 23. Mayor Joe Preston called it “a proud moment for our community,” adding that the new building gives the team “a welcoming and functional space” to keep caring for the animals that come through its doors.
The city says the move has been years in the making. St. Thomas Economic Development, the city’s economic development agency, credits a $1 million donation from Sara Teare with giving the project real momentum. As of last spring, it was still asking residents to help close the rest of the gap through donations, trivia nights, puppy parades, and local art sales. Tonda Construction Limited won the building contract with a bid of just over $4 million, and council formally awarded it in January 2025. Ground broke that March, with the mayor, council members, and the project’s architects and builders on hand.
Now that the doors are open, the shelter is still working out a few kinks. The phone lines are not fully hooked up yet, so for now, call 519-631-1680 and follow the prompts for Animal Services, or press 0 during business hours to reach Customer Service. There is also a hiccup with the front door’s lock system. If you show up and cannot get in, call and someone will let you in.
The city says it is looking forward to welcoming residents through the new front door, kinks and all.
Sources: City of St. Thomas: “Animal Services Opens New Shelter Facility,” July 23, 2026, City of St. Thomas: New Animal Services Building project page, St. Thomas Economic Development: “From the Beehive E91, A New Home for St. Thomas Animal Services”
By Anthony Zruna · About the LocVox Newsroom
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