Bandeath Dog Shelter is a step closer to being replaced after council planners conditionally approved plans for a new building.
Stirling Council had lodged an application for a dog shelter, office, detached ancillary buildings, parking and landscaping at land south of unit 68 at Bandeath Industrial Estate in Throsk near the current shelter.
Access to the site is from the A905 Stirling Road, along the main Bandeath Estate Road, then via a single lane tarmac road.
The new site is to the north of the existing, long-established dog shelter, operated by the council, which is to be closed and relocated to the proposed site. The two council staff employed at the shelter will be relocated to the new site.
In their decision, council planners said: “The proposed dog shelter and office building is for a low key single storey utility pitched building (timber wall cladding and metal roof sheeting) and small scale detached ancillary buildings comprising of a plant enclosure, re-homing pod, and dog cages (relocated from existing dog shelter premises) which will relate well in terms of siting and design to the buildings within the adjacent Bandeath Industrial Estate and will integrate visually with surrounding rural farming landscape.
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“Taking into account that the capacity of the existing dog shelter is for 36 dogs and the proposed shelter is six dogs, the proposed shelter is further away from the nearest house to the south, the dogs are housed in the cages, the limited operating hours are seven days a week 9am to noon and 1-4pm open to the public, it is considered that the amenity impact on the surrounding area would be less than the existing shelter and as such is acceptable.”
Due to the proximity of the proposed development site to the Firth of Forth, and to potential foraging land for the qualifying species of the [River Forth] SPA, a condition is included to the decision notice stating that construction works should take place outwith the over-wintering season of these species, of September to March inclusive.
The Stirling Council-run facility at Bandeath Industrial Estate in Throsk has been housing stray dogs and re-homing unclaimed pets from across the Forth Valley for decades.
The current building is said to have reached the end of its operational lifespan, with high energy costs due 24 hour heating in the kennels, and separate temporary accommodation outwith the shelter for office and staff welfare facilities.
The council had looked at upgrading the existing facilities but it was deemed not to be appropriate or cost-effective.
By law, stray dogs which have been taken to the kennels may be re–claimed by their owners within seven days. After the seventh day, the dog becomes the property of Stirling Council which will attempt to find it a new home.
Shelter staff feed and check the dogs daily. Kennel staff are supported by volunteers who walk them, and spend time with dogs who need individual attention. A team of vets visit at least twice a week. Stray dogs are collected by the council’s dog warden service. If the owner is known, they will return it.
However, up to 700 stray dogs pass through the shelter every year. Approximately half are re-claimed by their owners. Unclaimed dogs are offered for re-homing or given, free of charge, to various animal charities.
The council says dogs are only destroyed on veterinary advice for reasons of welfare or safety and that this accounts for only a small number each year.
