SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Construction of the new NWT SPCA animal shelter is tentatively set to begin in a month, but the organization still has a lot of fundraising to do to ensure the facility has everything it needs.

Nicole Spencer, president of the NWT SPCA, found out last week that the construction cost for the structure will be $856,000, rather than the $600,000 that was originally estimated, so she's asking businesses, organizations and individuals to help out. That's not including the approximately $200,000 purchase price for the land.

One way to do that is to sponsor one of the 30 dog kennels, also known as "dog apartments," or one of the 10 cat kennels, "cat condos," set to be included in the shelter. Sponsors will have their name displayed above the sponsored kennel, said Spencer.

The increase in cost for the facility leaves the SPCA $368,000 shy of its target. Spencer said $600,000 was the estimate given by Clark Builders, the project manager for the project, early on in the process, before the designs were complete.

The more than $250,000 increase is mainly to ensure the facility will be adequate to maintain animals' health while staying there, she said.

Becca Kroeger, an intern architect for Pin/Taylor Architects, designed the shelter.

She said there are all kinds of things that need to be considered when building an animal shelter, like keeping the animals separated so there is no cross-contamination.

"The idea was to limit (physical contact) to make sure the dogs stay healthy," she said. This is done by putting dogs in their own kennels with solid, washable walls between them, rather than chain-link fences.

Another necessary feature is an exam room, said Kroeger. That saves the SPCA from having to drive an animal to Great Slaves Animal Hospital for an examination. There will also be a quarantine kennel if an animal is sick and needs to be separated from the rest, said Kroeger.

"It's a small building, it's simple, but it is a speciality building," she said.

Spencer said it's all of those special considerations, like proper ventilation, flooring, walls and kennels, that increase the price.

If the SPCA doesn't reach its fundraising goal of $856,000, then the plans for the 3,000-square-foot structure will have to be changed to reflect the organization's finances, said Spencer.

"Hopefully we can get some more money. If not, we'll have to start altering a little bit, but it won't be the main structure because we'd like to keep the design," she said. "Maybe more the superficial things, the outside dog kennels or maybe the cat room won't get done right away. We might have to work on that next year."

At the end May, the city and the SPCA reached a purchase agreement for a lot in the Engle Business District. The cost of the lot is about $200,000 and will be paid back over a period of 15 years.

Spencer said last Wednesday that she would be signing the paperwork for the land by the end of the week and expected to have a development permit two or three weeks after that.

Signing for the land "is almost like a dam breaking," she said. "Now everything can start."

In January, the SPCA won $300,000 toward the construction of a shelter in a national competition, put on by Aviva Canada, providing funding for community projects. Signing for the land will allow the SPCA to start drawing from that fund.

Aviva has given the SPCA a deadline of Dec. 15, 2011 to have at least a substantial portion of the shelter built, which means the shovel needs to be in the ground no later than mid-July, said Spencer. No date has been set on when the facility will open. The plan is to run the shelter with one paid full-time staff member, and with help from volunteers.

Spencer said she is eager to get started, but she's still apprehensive because there is still a lot of money left to raise.

"We're counting on companies throughout the territory to help us," she said.

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