LAPS identified a problem with its
sheltering of cats who suffered from communicable diseases. First, there
was no stopping the spread of disease amongst the population of animals at the
shelter, and second, it was incredibly hard to heal these cats and
preparing them for adoption when they were housed together with healthy cats
and dogs.
LAPS came up with a plan for an isolation
shelter that would give these cats a chance to be cured of their diseases and
slowly be introduced back into the shelter population. Together with ENM and
architects at Carscadden Stokes
McDonald, they designed an innovative new ISOasis feline shelter, which
ENM is constructing at cost.
The shelter consists of 12 fully furnished suites, including feeding stations
for the cats that will provide specific medical treatments and feeding
regiments. Each suite is built at hospital-level standards using medical-grade
building materials. Bacteria-resistant and fire-retardant materials were used
and the washable walls are designed to prevent the spread of disease. The
design includes air filters, preventing airborne disease from spreading. The
ISOasis is the first of its kind in Canada.
This shelter has drastically improved the
quality of life for ill or injured cats at LAPS. It is helping cats get
healthier faster and ideally be adopted much more quickly, making room at LAPS
for more cats in need.
Daniel Greenhalgh, one of our co-founders
at ENM, says that these kinds of collaborations are one of his primary goals
for the future of the business. “We’ve directed our efforts into taking on
projects that will contribute to the greater good of the community in Langley
and the Lower Mainland. Whether it’s taking on purpose-built rental projects
like we’re doing with Willoughby
Walk, or partnering with Habitat for Humanity to build affordable housing
projects, we want to do things that make us all feel good about our business
model.”
