The Andrews Labor Government is delivering a record investment in the welfare of pets in Ballarat with $11.5 million from the Victorian Budget 2022/23 for a new purpose-built animal shelter.

Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas, Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison and Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle visited Ballarat’s existing shelter to announce the new funding which will improve animal welfare services in the Ballarat region, creating a new state-of-the-art facility to care for lost, stray and surrendered pets.

The new shelter will replace the existing shelter managed by the City of Ballarat – a repurposed abattoir – which will no longer meet the growing demands on its services as the Ballarat population and pet ownership have increased.

Ballarat is one of the fastest growing cities in regional Victoria. Between August 2020 and August 2021, the shelter cared for 2136 animals including dogs, cats, kittens, puppies, birds and rabbits, and has been often operating at capacity.

The new building will have all the facilities needed to deliver high quality domestic animal management services. This includes better holding pens, capacity to hold an additional 100 animals and improved infection control with newer housing facilities.

The investment will transform animal welfare services in this region and adds to the Labor Government’s long record of improving the welfare of Victorian animals.

It will mean better care for the hundreds of animals that stay in the shelter each year and ensure it can meet the needs of the growing numbers of animals in the region for years to come.

The broader region will also benefit from the new animal shelter which will service pets in Hepburn, Moorabool, Golden Plains, Pyrenees, Ararat and Central Goldfields local government areas.

Quote attributable to Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas

“This new facility will ensure the increasing number of pets in Ballarat can continue to be reunited with their owners as fast as possible and allow more animals to get the best care while they find their forever home.”

Quote attributable to Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison

“Pets bring such joy to so many people. We experienced this firsthand when we adopted our rescue dog from the Ballarat animal shelter. A new, state of the art, fit for purpose animal shelter is what our community and our beloved pets deserve.”

Quote attributable to Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle

“This purpose-built animal shelter will be a game changer for pet owners in the Ballarat community and surrounds providing much needed care and support for animals in need.”

Quote attributable Ballarat Rural City Council Mayor Cr Daniel Moloney

“The Ballarat Animal Shelter cares for more than 2000 lost, surrendered, abandoned animals from across our region each year. Funding for this project will ensure these animals will be cared for in a new modern facility.”