Shipping container animal shelter a Tasmanian first
Published on 07 September 2018
The City of Launceston is constructing Tasmania's first purpose-built mobile animal shelter for use in natural disasters.
Based in a 40-foot shipping container, the shelter will be able to house the most at-risk animals in an emergency, and will boast insulation, air conditioning, LED lights, extraction fans, running water, and an administration area.
The $23,000 project has been funded by the City of Launceston with assistance from a National Disaster Resilience grant, with the shipping container supplied and fitted out by Royal Wolf Containers Tasmania.
Royal Wolf handed the Council the keys to the container this week, and now City of Launceston crews will complete the fit out, including the installation of shelving, animal cages, and animal care equipment.
Launceston Mayor Albert van Zetten said the project was the first of its kind in Tasmania.
"The Council is grateful for the assistance of Keith Rowe and Clayton Bevis of Royal Wolf Containers Tasmania because their knowledge and support has been invaluable," Mayor van Zetten said.
"The great benefit of repurposing a shipping container is of course that it is portable.
"Within a few hours we can have the mobile shelter on a truck and in transit to anywhere in the municipality, and indeed anywhere in the State.
"The shelter will be able to temporarily house the most at-risk animals in a natural disaster where they can be monitored and cared for by our officers.
"However, it is important for pet owners in Launceston to think about what they might do with their four-legged friends in an emergency like a natural disaster.
"Our Pet Pal program encourages pet owners to make arrangements with a friend or family member to look after pets should the need arise, and this is something that's very important. In a natural disaster, people may not necessarily be able to take their pets with them to an evacuation centre so it's important to make arrangements in advance."
The fit out of the new mobile animal shelter is expected to be complete later this year.