Meet Bashful

We’re approaching the home stretch of the Blogathon — just a few more hours left! My approach last year, and this year, to the Blogathon, and fund-raising in general, is an attempt to create fun, creative content that makes you laugh and stay engaged.

I’m not one to usually hit people over the head and guilt or beg them into making a donation. I believe that if we create a fun environment, you will want to support us and our cause because you’re having a good time and enjoying yourself.

That said, I needed to share part of this letter from the North Country SPCA:

A new shelter is a necessity, not a luxury.

After more than 40 years, the Westport shelter is in terrible shape. The roof leaks, the foundation has shifted, there is minimal insulation and the furnace is dying. This building has so many problems that the only choice is to start over.
The no-kill Westport shelter is also very overcrowded.

It continually houses between 60-70 cats and 25-30 dogs that share a space that is half the size the Human Society recommends. And there is no place to isolate sick cats and dogs, putting all of the animals at risk.

To combat this growing problem the North Country SPCA is planning a new 5,000 square foot no-kill shelter.

Already, they have raised over 80 percent of the money needed to build the new facility.
The North Country SPCA is the only animal shelter in Essex County.

It provides refuge for cats and dogs that have been abandoned, abused, or surrendered. Each year, the Westport shelter cares for over 400 animals.

Since it opened in 1969, they’ve found loving homes for thousands of dogs and cats.
The North Country SPCA does not receive any state or federal funding, nor does it get any money from the ASPCA – over 80 percent of their income comes from individual donors.

Meet Maverick

The new facility has been designed by ARQ Architects. This small firm revolutionized the field of animal care with major shelters in San Francisco and New York. The new facility in Elizabethtown, NY will be a prototype for smaller shelters nationwide, and will include:

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• LEED certification –Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – something only a handful of shelters throughout the country have been granted. ARQ’s LEED shelter in Rhode Island uses 30 percent  less electrical energy, 43 percent less natural gas, and over 40 percent less water. 

• Animal housing that meets modern criteria for optimal animal care and well being.

• A separate intake room for new arrivals, an inviting reception area and  room for basic medical procedures.

Meet Honey Bun.

We hope that you will consider making a donation to the North Country SPCA. These animals need your help!