| Local animal shelter closer to reality as volunteers gather to show support | | Posted: Wednesday, March 28, 2012 8:58 pm
| By KEVIN BOWDEN
Staff Reporter
A new Obion County animal shelter moved one step closer to reality Monday night.
After weeks of meetings involving a small group of volunteers, a public meeting was held at the Obion County Public Library and now the volunteer group is ready to move forward with the project.
Monday’s meeting was significant because shelter organizers wanted to determine the level of public interest in the project and they weren’t disappointed.
A total of 24 people turned out for the meeting. Others contacted organizers to say they couldn’t make it to the meeting but were interested in getting involved in the animal shelter.
It is the lack of a county animal shelter that has spurred the movement to get a shelter built and operated for the county.
As it stands now, the Pudge-N-Pals animal rescue organization is being overwhelmed with calls about homeless and abused dogs and cats. The organization relies on foster homes to take in the animals with the ultimate goal of getting them spayed, neutered and adopted by loving families.
“It’s disturbing … It just doesn’t make any sense to me,” an emotional Laura Archer said Monday night about animals being abused and neglected. “I just know there’s a lot of need (for an animal shelter).”
A follow-up meeting will be scheduled in the next few weeks to organize committees and assign tasks related to the startup of an animal shelter. Among the tasks that need to be handled is the naming of the organization, coming up with a board of directors, identifying prospective sites for an animal shelter and raising funds.
Judging by the good turnout and the enthusiasm expressed at Monday night’s hour-long animal shelter meeting, organizers said they are optimistic about the potential for the project.
“We’re wanting something that’s going to be right,” Miss Archer said. “And we want to think big.”
It was revealed at the meeting that the proposed animal shelter will include a main administrative building with offices and treatment rooms. The facility would also potentially have 50 dog kennels and facilities for cats, with the option to expand.
The volunteers have been looking for a site between Union City and Troy, to keep the facility centrally located where it can serve the entire county. There have been discussions about acquiring and renovating an existing building or possibly building a new facility.
Staff Reporter Kevin Bowden may be contacted by email at kmbowden@ucmessenger.com.
Published in The Messenger 3.28.12 | | | | |
