Steinbach City Council has given their blessing to a proposed animal shelter on the west end of the city.

Michelle Neufeld is the president of Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue or SAAR. She says they have been working toward building a permanent shelter for years and they recently put in an offer for 39 Keating Road just north of Highway 52.

"Our vision for this property is to build a 3,000 sq.ft. building that would house domesticated animals being cats, dogs, and occasionally bunnies."

Neufeld notes they plan to have 9 kennels, a fenced-in outdoor dog run, and a number of rooms for cats. Even though she says they currently work with over 25 foster homes in the area, they are constantly turning away animals due to a lack of space.

"The shelter operation would be an extension of our non-profit business with regularly scheduled staff and volunteers overseeing the animal care."

SAAR sees this shelter as a service to the community providing protection against stray and diseased animals as well as providing wonderful companion animals to local families.

Neufeld adds, "We also see our home base developing into a resource centre for schools, daycares and other therapeutic visits and volunteer opportunities for people living with disabilities, intellectual disabilities, or even at-risk youth. I think anyone that has an animal can attest to their natural therapeutic abilities and unconditional love."