No-Kill Shelter Must Raise $125,000 by October 1st to Meet Matching Funds Deadline
WESTPORT, NY (August 18, 2011) – The North Country SPCA in Westport plans to break-ground on a brand-new environmentally friendly no-kill shelter in Elizabethtown this fall – and needs to raise $125,000 by October 1st to do it. The organization has already raised more than $1.25 million for this new facility.  If they can raise $125,000 by October 1, 2011, they will qualify for matching funds and meet their target construction goal of $1.5 million. 

Since its doors opened in 1969, the North Country SPCA Shelter in Westport has provided quality care and shelter for thousands of abandoned, abused and surrendered cats and dogs.

However, the current Westport shelter, located on Lakeshore Road, operates at double capacity - housing between 60-70 cats and 25-30 dogs. The shelter itself is in an advanced state of disrepair.
“For more than 40 years, the present location of the North Country SPCA has done well serving as a shelter for homeless, abandoned and abused cats and dogs in Essex County,” states  Senator Betty Little. “But a new facility is now needed and incorporating environmental and energy-efficiency standards is the right long-term approach.”

The North Country SPCA is planning to build a new facility in Elizabethtown, the center of Essex County. The new facility has been designed by ARQ Architects, a small firm which has 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:

· 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% less electrical energy, 43% less natural gas, and over 40% 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
· A room for basic medical procedures

“I have worked very closely with the staff, Board of Directors, and volunteer help at the NCSPCA for many years,” David Goldwasser, DVM Adirondack Veterinary Hospital, Westport, NY. “I can't imagine a more dedicated group of people. Unfortunately, that dedication can only go so far toward providing the care that the animals at the Shelter so desperately need.  The woefully inadequate facility on Lake Shore Road can no longer be expected to serve the needs of our homeless animal population.  I am thrilled that we will finally have a new facility which we can be proud of.”

Studies show that modern shelters increase adoption rates by...