HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – The Christian County Animal Shelter has been awarded a grant from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, totaling $83,400. Judge Executive Jerry Gilliam said this funding can go toward capital improvements at the shelter.
A news release from the ASPCA in September disclosed that this is the second year they opened the National Shelter Grant Initiative. The organization said this opportunity will provide more that $2.5 million in funding nationwide to support animal shelters across the country that are over capacity or have limited resources and staffing.
“Many shelters across the country are full, and animals are often staying longer in their care before being adopted. With the ongoing staffing and veterinary shortages, paired with barriers to housing and veterinary care that prevent many families from adopting new pets, shelters are struggling to meet the needs of all the animals in their care,” said Christa Chadwick, vice president of shelter services at the ASPCA. “The ASPCA’s National Shelter Grant Initiative will provide shelters with funding that can be used for equipment, supplies, staffing, or veterinary care, to help support their critical work caring for animals in their community.”
This influx of grant money from the ASPCA comes after $100,000 was already included in the county budget to help fund improvements to the shelter. During Gilliam’s budget address before the start of the fiscal year, he said the county met with a consultant who advised how to best utilize the space at the shelter.
Gilliam thanked Director Melissa Goff for her hard work in pursuing the grant money for the shelter. Some future changes may include redesigning the kennels to help prevent illness from spreading, along with other aesthetic improvements.
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