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| ABOUT
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Our
History Interest for the Cape Breton Branch of the S.P.C.A. was generated over 25 years ago, sometime during 1973. It was at this time a young women, Mary Keshen, formalized the idea by placing an ad in the Cape Breton Post inviting anyone interested to meet. The first meeting turned out approximately 40 people who were determined to get the arduous task underway. After correspondence with the Halifax S.P.C. the group was given permission to operate under the official name of "Cape Breton Branch of Nova Scotia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty." It is interesting to note that the N.S. society was the first of it's kind in North America. The Cape Breton Branch also applied for and received a Federal Tax number for donations. After the groundwork had been laid the group now needed a means to construct a fully operational animal shelter, thus fundraising efforts began. Everything from bake sales to tag days to memberships were undertaken, but these efforts seemed to be useless as shelter costs were escalating and the moneys collected fell short. The realization that the shelter would never be opened if it depended solely on the initial fundraising idea's spawned a new effort. One brave soul, Phyllis Jones, planned and orchestrated a door to door fundraising drive that consisted of the entire industrial area. She actually did this twice! In all she raised over $30,000 and the SPCA is forever grateful. After a lengthy search for a suitable location, the group found a parcel of land off East Broadway that was up for tax sale. The 2 1/2 acres available was a good fit. It was the desired size, price and far enough away that it would not bother any residents with any undue animal noise. As construction of the Shelter commenced in November 1977 the Society hammered out their Constitution and its By-Laws. The Society also registered with the N.S. Joint Stock of Companies. On June 12, 1978 the Cape Breton Branch of the S.P.C.A. opened it's doors for business. It's paid staff consisted of the Manager as well as an Animal Inspector. All others were volunteers. Later that year the Shelter was able to hire two kennel workers who's wages were subsidized by a government program. In 1979, after being approached by the County of Cape Breton, the SPCA took over the duty of animal control.
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