Burlington Humane Society Breaks Ground On $1 Million Shelter Expansion

The Loft, the second-hand store run by the Burlington Humane Society, is squeezed into a couple of small rooms inside a shelter already short on space. The society has broken ground on a building of its own for the store, 1,700 square feet directly west of the current shelter at 740 Griffith Court, off Fairview Street between Walkers and Appleby Lines.

The rooms the store leaves behind get converted into animal areas. "As the need for our services continues to grow, this expansion will help us care for more animals in need and provide better space for the cats and dogs who come through our doors," executive director Doug Shirton said.

The building will cost about $1 million, and all of it comes from fundraising, because the society gets no government funding. Construction is expected to finish later next year.

Animals arrive at Griffith Court at all hours. The night before the groundbreaking, a pair of cats was driven in from Montreal by a volunteer group called the Freedom Drivers. The Loft helps pay for the work: puzzles, books, clothing, kitchen items, gifts and a wide range of pet accessories, all second-hand, sold to support Burlington's animals and keep usable things out of the landfill.