Warren County Animal Control and Adoption Center has been given a $1,000 Wysiwash Wellness Grant to help establish a new holding room for sick animals.
The funding, offered through Association of Shelter Veterinarians and Wysiwash, was applied for by Helping Animals of Warren County at the request of Animal Control director Kim Pettrey.
“I would like to thank HAWC for its support,” said Pettrey. “This grant means a lot to us and it means a lot to the animals it will help protect.”
The Wysiwash Wellness Grant is designed to empower animal shelters to take proactive steps to prevent disease. This is the grant’s first year, and HAWC is one of two recipients. Both grants were awarded to facilities seeking to establish holding areas for animals who show signs of illness.
Animal Control has had its sights set on establishing a separate room to house sick animals since a distemper outbreak in 2015 resulted in the facility being quarantined for one month and ending with 11 animals being euthanized to stop the spread of the disease through the animal population. It’s a situation, said Pettrey, which could have been prevented with an area to separate affected animals.
The facility is currently renovating a room into a quarantine area. Work is being done to electrical, HVAC and insulation in the area.
HAWC is a 501(c)3 organization in Warren County with the goal of uniting people and organizations within the community to help animals. Its motto is “All for one, and one for Paws.”
For more information, or to join the effort, HAWC has a Facebook page and holds monthly meetings that are open to the public.