Barry Piasta is more than just a dog lover. He’s a kind-hearted soul and advocate for dogs and cats across Manitoba. What drives him is a desire to put an end to the greed that perpetuates puppy mills and the ignorance that leads to unnecessary animal reproduction and abandonment. Piasta is the founder of Dog Adoption Manitoba.
“My drive… is to help animals,” says Piasta. “I have always had a love for dogs. I wish that humans could love as unconditionally as they do.”
According to Piasta, there are too many unloved dogs and cats and not enough homes available for them. Currently, he says, there are over 50 animal rescue locations in Manitoba with a combined total of about 800 animals in their care. Piasta estimates there are at least 300,000 stray cats in the province. Add to that the thousands of pups being bred annually by backyard, for-profit breeders and the number of animals needing homes becomes staggering.
Dog Adoption Manitoba’s mandate is to promote animal rescue through fundraisers and public awareness. Three successful pet adoption events have been held in Niverville and, along with the help of Piasta’s family and volunteers, 2013 became the largest event of its kind in Canada.
Piasta works alongside three local veterinary hospitals who, together, have created low-cost spay and neuter programs for pet owners. Over 450 animals have been through the program from as far away as Virden, Dauphin, and Ontario.
Together with his daughter, Piasta runs a campaign called Hot Car Awareness, reminding pet owners of the dangers of leaving animals unattended in vehicles during the summer months. Through donated funds, they have installed 290 warning signs at businesses and parking lots across Manitoba, Ontario, and Minnesota, free of charge.
Piasta’s newest venture is the creation of a unique dog park in Niverville. With the help of a committee and generous donors, the current dog park at the arena grounds will soon be equipped with jumps, climbs, weaving poles, benches, and a photo prop for pet owners, with the potential for more equipment to be added in the future. Piasta says that without the help of donors, the equipment would have run upwards of $10,000.
“Because of the uniqueness of this park, I can see it drawing people from Winnipeg [and other communities] to come out and enjoy the dog park and visit a business here in town or even discover our great community and move to Niverville,” he says. “Niverville will be the first community in Manitoba with such a ground-breaking dog park and I am sure [it will] become the blueprint of parks to come.”
Once the park is complete, his hope is to attract agility events, training, and dog shows on a national and international scale.
A grand opening for the new dog park has been set for July 23, although the equipment will be ready for use before that. Piasta’s committee is planning a fun event. Canines and their owners will be encouraged to compete in a variety of Olympics-style games designed to promote bonding between pets and their fur families.
Piasta anticipates the participation of veterinarians and other pet-related specialists at the event as well.
