OLEAN, NY (WKBW) — The Cattaraugus County SPCA is launching a major fundraising campaign to renovate its 40-year-old building that no longer meets animal welfare standards.
The shelter, which is the largest nonprofit animal shelter in the Southern Tier, is currently only able to use 27 out of 50 kennels due to deteriorating conditions and safety hazards.
"We've got a lot of these kennels, but most of them are empty or completely unusable just due to safety hazards that we can't put the dogs in," said Olivia Ingalls, Team Lead at the SPCA.
WATCH: Cattaraugus County SPCA looking to raise $6 million for critical renovations to stay open
With constant wear and tear, the facility's infrastructure has severely deteriorated.
Ingalls pointed out one example: "The whole bottom frame of the door and it's held together by wire."
The shelter is working to raise $6 million through their Claws and Paws Capital Campaign for a complete renovation of the building. This comes as the New York State Companion Animal Care Standards Act goes into effect in December.
Under the new state regulations, the SPCA in Cattaraugus County must take on a slate of renovations, including:
- Transforming surfaces in contact with animals to non-porous, non-toxic, and water-resistant, with adequate drainage
- Expanding space for animals to stretch, lie down, circle and stand comfortably, away from where they eliminate and from food and water
- Ensuring lighting in animal housing areas offers eight hours each of light and dark in a 24-hour cycle
- Properly segregating dogs and cats to reduce cats’ exposure to barking and decrease stress and anxiety
- Ensuring proper isolation areas for any animal with an infectious disease
- Reducing noise decibels to 85 or below
- Limiting cat colony rooms currently housing 30 cats each to 12 adult cats
- Replacing rusted dog kennel fencing and doors
"So with all of that, it really just makes it so much more that we need a new facility," Ingalls said.
"One building consultant I talked with, said it's really more like building a hospital than it is like building an office building or a store or something like that," Kellie Roberts said.
Roberts, who became executive director of the Cattaraugus County SPCA in December, has made it her mission to create a lasting impact on the community. She hopes to offer a low-cost clinic and find families for rescued animals.
"If a dog is in a loving home, we don't want that animal at the shelter; we want it in a loving home," Roberts said.
The renovation represents a shift in the shelter's approach to animal welfare and community engagement.
"Sheltering has really changed, and it's not anymore the out of sight, out of mind animal, the pound down the road, right? We're striving to be a more integral part of the community," Roberts said.
You can donate to the Claws and Paws campaign here.
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