MIAMI COUNTY, Ohio (WKEF) — So far, the Miami County Animal Shelter has raised $2.5m of a $7m goal to build a new shelter.
Rob Craft, Director of the Miami County Animal Shelter said five years ago when he started his position, he noticed right away the 54-year-old building was no longer adequate for a community that sees a lot of strays and pet hoarding.
“We have situations like we did earlier this year where we took in, like, 102 dogs from one single hoarding case in a shelter that was designed to hold 30 dogs. Puts a strain on the facility, puts a strain on my staff,” said Craft.
Right now, the facility can house 33 dogs and 20 cats. The new building would expand that to 48 dogs and 30 cats, doubling indoor space from 6000 to 12,000 square feet. It’ll also include a vet clinic.
“We want to be able to provide, you know, routine kind of vaccines, low cost microchipping, and then, of course, I think the most important thing is spaying and neutering of pets,” Craft added.
Heidi Scribner founded Miami County Partners for Animal Welfare (MCPAW), a fundraising non-profit that’s raised $2.5m of the new animal shelter’s $7m goal, via outstanding community support.
“It’s really a campaign where, whether you donate money or time or just pass around the word to other people in the community, everybody can support it in whatever way is most feasible for them,” said Scribner.
She said the shelter has maintained a 96% adoption rate, meeting the country’s requirement to be considered a no kill shelter despite their small facility, something MCPAW and the shelter are very proud of.
They say the new shelter and clinic would only increase their ability to continue to have a positive impact on the animals of Miami County.
If you’re interested in donating to the new shelter, visit MCPAW’s website. If you’re interested in adopting a pet from the Miami County Animal Shelter, visit its website.