January 22, 2009 Issue
Watauga Humane Society to Break Ground on New Adoption Center in June
“We’re almost home,” shouted Sarah Gilley and Mark Van Arnam, co-chairs of the new facility capital campaign, at the start of a recent new facility-planning meeting. “With more than 65 percent of our capital campaign goal of $2.7 million received in pledges and donations, we are ready to schedule the next steps in order to break ground on our new Animal Adoption Center in June of 2009.”
In 2003, the society started its capital campaign and raised sufficient monies to purchase a 13.8-acre pastoral tract three miles east of Boone. Now completely debt-free, the parcel of land off Old Highway 421 hosts the Society’s Dog Park and is the site for the planned new adoption center. Watauga Humane Society hired the architectural firm of Walter Robbs Callahan & Pierce from Winston-Salem to create the plans for the entire complex and the almost 14,000 square foot LEED-certified adoption center.
Some of the features of the new adoption center as well as the complex include the following:
• State-of-the-art kennels for adult dogs, puppies, kittens and cats and outside areas for play and behavioral training
• A community room for behavioral training classes, children’s programs, meetings and conferences
• A retail gift shop
• A medical and surgical unit
• Quarantine areas
• Administration office space and storage
• Memorial gardens
• A crematorium
• Walking paths
“It is only fitting that we break ground on our new facility during the 40th anniversary year of our serving as the leader in animal guardianship within Watauga County,” said Lisa Van Arnam, president of the Watauga Humane Society. “The new adoption center will allow us to care for more than twice the animals we now provide for, add new support programs and services for our community of animal caregivers, upgrade our medical facilities and expand our low cost spay/neuter program.”
“It has been a long but rather satisfying road to where we are now,” said Executive Director Janet Pepin. “There have been countless hours put in over the last few years by those who have managed this campaign for our new facility. The monies we have been able to raise from the 664 campaign supporters during the private phase of this campaign have been inspiring considering the fact that we also have to raise almost .5 million each year for our operational costs.
“There are people who believe that with this economy it is ridiculous to attempt to do what we are doing,” Pepin continued. “However, we witness each and every day examples of miracles and people doing the right thing for our four-legged friends. These animals depend on us to take good care of them and know nothing of up or down investment markets. We are going to fulfill our responsibility and provide for them by building this new shelter.”
If you would like to make a donation, click to the Watauga Humane Society website at www.WataugaHumaneSociety.org or contact Janet P. Pepin at 828-268-1486. All donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.
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