State-of-the-art animal hospital progressing in King Township

By Mark Pavilons

King is poised to be home to the country's most advanced animal clinic.

Dog Tales is putting the finishing touches on the veterinary facility that will be a showpiece for not only York, but the entire province and beyond.

Building is progressing on the facility owned by the renowned King animal rescue facility. Situated on a beautiful rural landscape on the 19th Sideroad, the veterinary hospital is a work of art. It's not only beautiful, but it will be the most technologically advanced facility of its kind.

Rob Scheinberg of Dog Tales said the hospital boasts some 56,000 square feet on three levels. It will serve mainly horses, dogs, cats and some exotic animals such as birds and lizards.

The facility will have top-of-the-line equipment not found anywhere else in the province. It will be a 24-hour emergency referral hospital serving all of southern Ontario. It will be a welcome addition to this part of the province, known as “horse country.”

The centre will have the latest in MRI and CT scanners, along with water therapy pools and even hyperbaric oxygen treatment for dogs. This specialized chamber uses 100% oxygen to promote healing.

Used by professional athletes, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) provides enhanced wound healing, reduces inflammation, and improves tissue and muscle healing.

The spacious second floor will house offices, board and meeting rooms, staff facilities and continuing education rooms.

Robert and his wife Danielle, paid very close attention to every detail. They wanted to design an aesthetically pleasing building that fits in with the rural landscape. It looks like a European resort or chalet, but inside it means business.

The main emphasis is on animal care and animal welfare, something that drives everything the Scheinbergs do.

The hospital will provide many employment opportunities in the community. Scheinberg estimates it will employ some 80 staff when it's up and running in roughly 14 months.

While the interior remains to be finished, nothing about this facility looks cold or sterile. Perched in a tranquil setting, large windows abound everywhere, allowing natural light to permeate the building.

It will boast one of the only indoor, all-weather riding arenas, too.

On the lower level, the new facility will have one of the very few standing CT machines for horses. They can simply walk right in and don't require to be sedated for the procedure. The machine has robotic arms that do all the work.

Dog Tales has a strong relationship with nearby Seneca College and the students in their veterinary technician and animal care assistant programs. The Scheinbergs hope to strengthen ties with Seneca and offer co-op and internships at the new facility.

Seneca offers two veterinary programs – veterinary technician and veterinary assistant.

According to Tony Mallette, Chair, School of Health Sciences at Seneca, all relationships between industry and the programs are extremely valuable, and the animal health programs at Seneca are no exception. In 2017, Scheinberg, a Seneca alumnus, made a philanthropic contribution to Seneca in support of equipment upgrades for the animal health programs and the capital expansion at King Campus.

“We have had students on their site actively participating in bathing and grooming, as well as graduates being employed at Dog Tales,” Mallette said.

“The new facility will result in increased employment options for our graduates and possible clinical spots for the students while they are still in the program. We are looking forward to sitting down with them in the near future to discuss potential opportunities.”

The new hospital was Danielle's idea and Rob admitted she always has the best plans for the sanctuary.

It extends their mandate of compassion and giving back. While challenging at times, the work being done by Dog Tales staff and volunteers is immensely fulfilling.

Dog Tales continues to evolve into a large-scale undertaking, a harmonious passion of caring for dogs across the province, and even around the world.

For more on Dog Tales, visit dogtales.ca.