A pet supply store reopening this weekend is looking to lend a paw to a local animal shelter that is still looking for a new home after a tragic fire.
Pet Valu on Essa Road is having the official grand reopening of their newly renovated store, located at 555 Essa Rd. with fundraising activities dedicated to helping Street Cats Rescue, an organization that lost its home to a devastating fire on May 26.
Store owner Luc Ormsby has two special connections to the rescue.
“I actually have two of the cats from the fire," Ormsby told BarrieToday.
He is also a volunteer for Street Cats and his Essa Road store "exclusively deals with them when it comes to fundraising and support."
That's why he'll be using his store's re-opening celebration to help the rescue.
Weeks of extensive renovations, the store is having a “fun-filled day” on Saturday, July 8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. While the store has been open for about a week, and was offering curbside service for about a month before that, this weekend makes it official.
“We were doing some pretty extensive renovations in the store and having customers walking around just wasn’t an option,” said Ornsby. “Curbside worked well but we’re glad to see the customers again.”
The store will host various activities and events on Saturday, including prizes, colouring contests, giveaways, and more.
Street Cats Animal Rescue building was damaged in a fire on May 26.
Oro-Medonte Township firefighters were called to the fire at the rescue near Colborne Street at about 11:20 a.m., on May 26.
A garbage truck was on fire close to a building, which operates as a cat shelter, with 56 cats inside. All the felines survived.
On June 2, it was made clear to the staff at the shelter that the facility they had been in would not be ready for several months, if at all, and they decided to begin the search for a new place.
Street Cats executive director Carol Snow told BarrieToday that as of Friday, “there was nothing new to report and we are still looking for a space.”
Ornsby said that proceeds from the day's activities and a portion of store sales will be donated to Street Cats Rescue to help them rebuild and continue their work in the community.
