New Shelter Fund

Pet Helpers Breaks Ground on New Facility

Thursday, March 22, 2008 was an exciting day for both the animals and the people of the Lowcountry.  Pet Helpers Rescue and Adoption Shelter, currently located at 1430 Folly Road held the groundbreaking for its new, state-of-the art adoption and spay/neuter center.  The new building was built across the street at 1447 Folly Road and is anticipated to be completed in late November or early December of 2007.  Mayors Joseph Riley, Harry Hallman, and Carl Beckmann were in attendance to show their support for the new adoption facility and to recognize the achievement of President Carol Linville along with Pet Helpers’ dedicated Board of Directors and staff.  Featured in the photo, left to right are: Suzanne Carr, Executive Director, Prudence Yost, Mayor Harry Hallman of Mount Pleasant, Mayor Joseph Riley of the City of Charleston, Mayor Carl Beckmann, City of Folly Beach, Carol Linville, Pet Helpers President/Founder, Ellen Harley, Patti Secrist, Diane Straney, Pet Helpers Treasurer, Laurel Greer, Pet Helpers Vice President, Hank Greer, Board Member, Blake Thornton, Chuck Davis, Board Member, Paul Lauer, Sonya Marchant, Jason Schall, Board Member, and Bob Linville.

“This is an exciting day for Pet Helpers as we break ground on this new adoption and spay/neuter facility,” said Carol Linville. “This new facility will better house the animals that come to us for a ‘new leash on life’.  Our goal is to collaborate with other shelters and lead Charleston into becoming a ‘no more homeless pets’ community; where no adoptable pet ever has to be euthanized.  It is being done in other cities and with community support, commitment and involvement, we CAN do it here!’ added Linville. 

Pet Helpers was able to purchase the land four years ago for its new site, but has had to continue to raise money to begin work on the project due to the soaring costs of new construction, particularly after Hurricane Katrina.  Currently, the cost of the building is projected to be $6.1 million dollars.  According to Beverly McElroy, Pet Helpers Director of Development, “We need the community’s support to help us raise the balance of what we need to build this facility.  There are many naming opportunities still available.  We invite you all to dig in and help us build this new shelter, where all pets are kept until they are adopted.”

Pet Helpers has raised a portion of this amount, which will allow the center to be built in two phases.  Phase One of the future 14,000 square foot state-of-the-art shelter will include 5,200 square feet of space for our adoption center and 2,000 square feet for the spay and neuter clinic.  This will leave approximately 6,800 feet to be completed in Phase Two of the project.  Pet Helpers Executive Director, Suzanne Carr is very excited about the new building as it will allow Pet Helpers to make further strides in ending the pet overpopulation problem in the Lowcountry.  “This incredible new facility will allow us to offer an aggressive spay/neuter program.  Though we already offer assistance to low income families through our low cost spay/neuter assistance program, we will now be able to offer spay and neuters at our facility.  We anticipate this making a huge difference in the number of unwanted pets since the top two reasons people do not have their animals spayed or neutered are money and lack of accessibility to a veterinarian.”  Pet Helpers Treasurer, Diane Straney added, “We cannot adopt our way out of the pet overpopulation problem.  This clinic is an important part to ending this problem.”

Carr ended by saying, “We were thrilled with the turnout for our groundbreaking. We are very blessed at Pet Helpers to have so much community support.  By working with people, implementing lifesaving programs, and truly treating each life as precious, Pet Helpers can transform our community!”  For more information on how you can get involved with Pet Helpers or to contribute to our capital campaign, please call Pet Helpers at 795-1110 or call Tracey Erwin, Development Director at 795-1110 x 11.

The New Pet Helpers Adoption Center

The Tri-county area of Charleston, Berkely, and Dorchester with a population of 613,000 people euthanizes over 23,000  animals each year.  That amounts to 63 animals everyday for a year.  Local shelters are forced to kill 70%-80% of the animals they  take in simply because there are too many animals and not enough homes.   According to our estimates, at least 40% percent of these animals are healthy and adoptable. The Tri-county kills twice the national average of homeless pets relative to human populations.  Low-cost spay and neuter programs are one of the most important parts of prevention – the best way to reduce this sad statistic. 

As we have seen in forward-thinking communities around the US, low cost spay/neuter programs effectively reduce the number of animals euthanized.  In five years, New Hampshire shelter intake was reduced by 55% and euthanasia was reduced by 79%.  In three years, a small shelter in Virginia reduced intake by 38% and euthanasia by 58%.  With a population of 613,000, the Tri-County area must complete at least an additional 6,130 spays/neuters per year to begin to make a similar impact in our community. According to the South Carolina Quality Growth Initiative, the South Carolina coastal population is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years so we must address this problem now.  Pet Helpers is working diligently on both immediate and long term solutions. 

The New Pet Helpers Adoption & Spay/Neuter Clinic will expand our capacity to prevent these terrible problems through education, adoption and spay/neuter assistance, as well as handle the needs of existing animals.  The New Pet Helpers will be more than a traditional shelter. It will incorporate groundbreaking design features and programs that will more effectively connect people with animals, expand our ability to spay & neuter animals and provide an environment that will improve our current level of adoptions.  It will be constructed on a 1.5 acre parcel of land purchased in June 2003 and located approximately ¼ mile from our present location.  It will be designed by the nationally recognized animal shelter architect Stephen Jensen of Blue Sky Collaborative Architecture. 

The Greer Spay/Neuter Clinic, the definitive component of the overpopulation solution will offer low cost spay/neuter services to the public as well as for each pet adopted through the center.  We expect to be able to sterilize 7,000-10,000 animals per year.  Pet Helpers will also extend reduced rates for feral cats and other animal welfare groups.  The clinic is the most important tool we have to help us reach our goal of ending euthanasia.

We expect our adoptions to increase as well.  Our new adoption area will be a playful environment that greets the community, showcases pets, offers adoption counseling, getting acquainted spaces, and open play areas that will encourage good placements.  There will also be spaces available for laundry, food prep, storage for donated goods, bathing and grooming and a staff/volunteer break room.  The animal living areas will have windows and access to screened porches to reduce stress.  The configuration of these rooms will be flexible to accommodate the changing needs of the population. 

The best services are only effective if people know to use them.  The learning center and classroom will allow us to sponsor education programs that promote humane values, responsible pet ownership and spay/neuter.  This center will also be used for dog training, agility seminars and group play.  Behavior modification programs, for both shelter animals (to increase their desirability as pets) and for pets owned by the public (to increase their enjoyment of their pets) will be held.  Whenever possible, training programs will be offered to the public for a slight fee to help generate operational funds.

This project will have far reaching effects that will benefit the animals and citizens of Charleston, Dorchester and Berkely counties.  The availability of low cost spay and neuter services will directly improve the quality of life for pets in this area both now and in the future by reducing the number of unwanted pets, homeless animals, and euthanaisa rates.  Also, pets that are spayed or neutered live longer and healthier lives.  The citizens of these areas, particularly those with lower incomes,  will also benefit from this project.  A spayed or neutered pet means less healthcare costs.

Please consider making a donation to our New Shelter Fund. The benefits of your contribution will be significant and far reaching.