You may remember that back in 2016 we had a flood. And it was a doozy. Much of our veterinary hospital was destroyed and we found ourselves faced with the critical need to rebuild and renovate.
As we took a look at renovating a portion of our facility, we also recognized that the entire building was outdated and no longer met our needs and the needs of our animals. That’s when we embarked on a $3 million project to transform our facility into a state-of-the-art shelter that provides a more enriching and healthier environment for the animals in our care and better serves the nearly 30,000 people who visit us each year.
Here’s what you’ll discover when you visit us:
EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE
Starting from the moment you walk in, you’ll be greeted by a staff member or have the opportunity to use one of our touch screens to find out where to go first. We have plenty of café-style space for would-be adopters to sit and discuss among themselves or chat with an adoption counselor or (hopefully!) fill out adoption paperwork!
CATS, CATS, CATS
Instead of 2 by 2 foot steel cages, cats on the adoption floor are now housed in either one of our three new cat “pods” or a community cat room, adjacent to the lobby that can house 6-8 cats at a time. This new housing, based on industry best practices, provides quadruple the amount of space, on five different levels, for each adoptable cat.
EASIER WAYS FOR DOGS TO MEET ADOPTERS
Renovations included the addition of four more dog bonding rooms, for a total of five. These bonding rooms provide a welcoming environment for visitors or potential adopters to get to know the dogs in our care. These rooms now offer a perfect spot for all-important enrichment time with staff and volunteers, like puzzle toys, a bubble machine and ball pits. This new dog adoption wing features its own adoption area with a courtyard setting where visitors and adopters can play with the pups!
SPECIAL SPACE FOR SMALLER PETS
Rabbits and smaller pets such as guinea pigs, hamsters, ferrets and more will now have their own, expanded space, separate from the cats and dogs and easily accessible to visitors. In particular, we always have plenty of rabbits for adoption so be sure to visit “Bunderland!”
VETERINARY HOSPITAL
While it’s behind the scenes, away from the public area, our veterinary hospital impacts everyone who comes through our doors because it’s the place where we ensure our animals are healthy. The complete overhaul of the veterinary hospital was the first priority for us to address and was completed in October 2017. The new hospital includes a large surgical suite, state-of-the-art equipment including digital x-ray, increased isolation and recovery spaces, a dental suite, and an on-site lab and pharmacy. The new layout provides vastly improved functionality and a learning lab-style, ideal for our Ohio State Veterinary School student rotation.
The bottom line is you have to come visit! Even if you aren’t ready to adopt but just want to come and hang out with some cute animals, that’s great, too. “We want to end the stigma shelters have,” says our CEO Rachel D.K. Finney. “We’re not a sad, scary or depressing place. We’re actually a fun, educational and helpful destination. If you’re looking for something to do for a couple of hours, why not come and visit us? Hanging out with animals is good for the soul. If you happen to adopt, well then it is a win for everyone.”
We are so grateful to our supporters, adopters, volunteers, staff and community who have helped us raise much of the money for these changes. If you’d like to contribute you can do so below.
Hope to see you soon!
