Board members for the future Wags & Whiskers animal shelter in Innsbrook say they’re hoping to have construction start on their facility early next year. The nonprofit group will host a groundbreaking ceremony this Saturday to celebrate their progress toward the longtime goal of creating a large, purpose-built shelter for lost and stray dogs and cats in Warren County.

Volunteers wanting to build a shelter have been fundraising for this facility off-and-on for two decades, with momentum increasing significantly over the last few years. The Wags & Whiskers organization received final permit approval to build the facility from the village of Innsbrook in September, and are now eager to proceed to the step of actual construction.

The 3,000-square-foot shelter will be located on Highway M just west of Highway F. It will have comfortable occupancy for 25 dogs and 25 cats, as well as spaces for community education and animal welfare services, as well as indoor and outdoor play areas. 

The groundbreaking ceremony on Nov. 12 will take place at the shelter site, 13620 Highway M, at 1 p.m. Speakers representing Wags & Whiskers, Innsbrook Corporation and the village of Innsbrook will also give short addresses at the event.

Construction

 Mike Bohm and Kathy Caton, members of the Wags & Whiskers Construction Committee, said their goal is for facility construction to start by the first week of January, after the committee has finalized a construction contract with a general contractor and building materials are delivered.

The first phase of construction will be getting the building’s foundation and exterior complete, likely within a few months of their start date, Bohm said.

“During that time, we’re starting a capital campaign to raise more funds to complete phase 2, which will be all the interior of the building — partitions, heating and cooling, mechanical systems, fixtures,” Bohm explained, adding that phase 3 of construction will be the outdoor play yard for dogs.

How quickly Wags & Whiskers is able to proceed through construction will depend on how quickly the necessary funding and materials become available, Bohm and Caton said. Their general goal is to have an operational animal shelter by the second half of 2023.

“Our goal is to raise $750,000. That includes the cost of the building and the initial cost of operating — so that we start with some cash to allow us to care for animals as they come in, before we have any other revenue,” explained Caton. Once finished, the animal shelter will be more than just a big kennel, she said; it will be a community service that helps the community better care for and manage the local animal population.

“Our biggest need, from what we’ve seen, is community education and assistance to the community,” Caton said. “Our goal is to get animals returned to their homes and educate the community about how important it is to contain your animals, get them spayed and neutered, get them microchipped, get their vaccinations up to date.”

“One of the big things brought to the conversation about the building is that it’s not just going to be kennels. There needs to be space for community events for chipping, or vaccinations, or education,” Bohm added.

Along with accepting monetary donations to help with the facility,  the board members said they are happy anytime they hear from local businesses offering to donate materials or professional services for the construction.

More information about the future Wags & Whiskers animal shelter and how to get involved in supporting the nonprofit facility can be found online at www.wags-whiskers.org.