Conceptual image of new animal shelter

Conceptual image of new animal shelter

The organization of ICARE has raised $729,000 for a new animal shelter. ICARE President Ted Schade revealed that remarkably high number at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors’ meeting. The project will definitely move ahead with hopes for a grand opening in December.

Schade told the Board that ICARE has worked for about a year to raise funds for the much-needed new animal shelter. Funds came together from ICARE and from the special Raise the Roof program which brought in $258,000 alone. Schade said $529,000 of the full amount came from direct public contributions. A strong statement of public support for the animals.  ICARE officials noted that $70,000 is still needed to reach the $800,000 goal.

For many years, the Inyo County Animal Shelter has operated out of what was an old dairy barn outside of Big Pine with no space for staff or the public and limited space for the animals. Some improvements were made over the years, but ICARE saw the strong need for a new and much better facility. Now, as Supervisor Matt Kingsley said, there is an amazing amount of public engagement.

Ted Schade said literally hundreds and hundreds of people contributed – from Round Valley kids and their loose change to a $100,000 donation in one case. He said Inyo and also people from Mammoth Lakes donated. Schade said a woman on Park Avenue in New York at Vogue Magazine sends ICARE money.

Deputy Public Works Director Jim Tatum focused on the nitty gritty of building the new animal shelter, which will provide space for staff, the public and the animals. He said the aggressive schedule calls for presenting final plans to the Board on May 6th, going to bid May 7th and starting construction July 14th with a grand opening in December.

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