The Humane Society of McDonough County has closed on a site for the new animal shelter.
“We are very excited about what this can be,” said Bonnie Smith-Skripps, President of the Humane Society of McDonough County.
The seven-acre site at 1930 W. Jackson St. on the far west edge of Macomb has three buildings and plenty of green space.
“It will be very functional, and I think very healthy and safe for the cats and the dogs, for visitors coming in to look for a pet, for volunteers and for the staff,” Smith-Skripps said.
It will also be more visible than the current location on Tower Road, which she said was another factor that made the site attractive.
One of the buildings at the new site currently houses Munson’s Pools and Spas, which will remain there through the end of September.
Smith-Skripps says the plan is to renovate that building to house cats, and a barn on the property will be renovated to house dogs.
It’s not yet known how the third building will be used.
The work will be done in phases, so the Humane Society has not set a date for moving.
The organization says the current shelter is cramped and has infrastructure problems that are beyond repair.
Smith-Skripps said they’ve been raising money for a new shelter for about the past six years, and have looked at sites for the past couple years.
Last year they announced an agreement to use a portion of the impound lot owned by the city of Macomb, just east of the current shelter. But the humane society decided it had concerns about the site, including its size.
The organization purchased the property on West Jackson Street through an estate sale. Smith-Skripps said they spent about $500,000 on the acquisition, including closing costs. They closed on June 19.
She said before the closing, the organization had raised $1.24 million, and more money has come in since then, so they have a good start on having the money needed to pay for renovations.
“We will continue to fundraise. It will be a lot more focused fundraising. We’ll be able to say, give this amount of money and this is what it will buy us,” Smith-Skripps said.
“When you have a floor plan, when you can show people what it’s going to look like, that takes you a long way rather than an abstract idea of a new shelter.”
She said the shelter currently has around 25 dogs and around 50 cats. She said that will be the approximate capacity for the new shelter.
The Humane Society of McDonough County is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
In a statement to TSPR, Smith-Skripps said while the organization has taken full responsibility for raising funds necessary for the new animal shelter, “it will continue to be administrated by the McDonough County Board.”
She said the Humane Society works in partnership with shelter staff to promote adoptions and provide necessary medical assistance and support to the shelter animals.
“As a non-profit, charitable organization, donations made to the shelter can be tax deductible. We have been very pleased with the working relationship we have,” she said.
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