News - Humane Center History



		WELCOME TO P.A.W.S. OF DEARBORN COUNTY HUMANE CENTER
		Released Sept 18th, 2011 Welcome to P.A.W.S. of Dearborn County Humane Center! As of the end of September, the old county-owned Dearborn County Animal Shelter on County Farm Road in Manchester will close . . . and the long-awaited P.A.W.S. of Dearborn County Humane Center will begin operation. Center Hours: Monday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday - Noon—4:00 p.m. Tuesday & Thursday - Noon—7:00 p.m. Wednesday Closed Volunteer Hours: Monday-Wednesday-Friday-Saturday-Sunday - 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday - 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. The P.A.W.S. organization owns and operates the new Humane Center. Under a contractual agreement with the county, P.A.W.S. will provide care for all of the animals. Dearborn County will still be responsible for animal control and enforcement of county animal ordinances. Dearborn County Animal Control Officers will have their base office at the Humane Center and will be bringing stray dogs into the facility for the ordinanced 5–day holding period. The P.A.W.S. Humane Center will be “open-admission,” which means that every stray, abandoned or owner relinquished dog or cat in Dearborn County in need of shelter and care is welcome. The Center will be a refuge for animals in need - turning no dog or cat away due to space issues. The P.A.W.S. Humane Center is dedicated to preventing animal suffering and cruelty and to providing quality care. P.A.W.S. Humane Center has employed two full-time employees (Director—Becky Foster and Assistant Director—Tara Rogers) and initially, five part-time employees. These part-time employees are made up of current or past Dearborn County Animal Shelter employees and one certified vet tech. Volunteers will be trained to assist in all areas of the Center work as well. The Center will be a positive, pleasant space where animals and people can get acquainted, and where staff and volunteers can counsel prospective adopters, enhancing the ability to match people and animals for life-long relationships.			A valuable community resource: Significant changes in attitude and modern sheltering practices have taken place over the past 50 years. People have come to expect a higher level of care for homeless animals. The new Center will enhance our county’s reputation as leaders and proponents for excellent animal care and education. The new Humane Center will be as much for the people as the animals. As a “humane center” rather than just a shelter, P.A.W.S. will strive to make the facility a valuable resource for the community - the “go to” place for animal related information, training, and activities. Our Humane Education program will offer opportunities for children of all ages. We Never, Never, Never Gave Up! When P.A.W.S. first began our campaign to raise money for a new shelter for Dearborn County’s homeless animals, we started with a simple philosophy: “Never, never, never give up!” But we knew we couldn’t do it alone. We knew it would take a concerted effort by many . . . It would take a community. Community can be defined in many ways. As P.A.W.S., our community is the animals we serve, the volunteers who give so willingly of their time and talent, and the donors and sponsors who give so generously and afford us the opportunity to make our dream of a new shelter a reality. As the famous author, George Bernard Shaw, once said: “You see things and say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?’” What has, until now, been only a dream IS NOW A REALITY! It took the effort, generosity and enthusiasm of an entire community to make it happen, and we thank each and every one of you who believed in us and our dream. Words cannot describe the joy and gratitude we feel knowing that the P.A.W.S. of Dearborn County Humane Center is a state-of-the-art facility offering a second chance for Dearborn County’s homeless animals. And after all – that’s why we all did this in the first place—for the animals. “Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.” ~ Margaret Mead

		P.A.W.S. AWARDS CONTRACT FOR HUMANE CENTER
		Released Jan 20th, 2011 The Partners for Animal Welfare Society of Dearborn County, Inc. has awarded a contract for interior construction of the new P.A.W.S. of Dearborn County Humane Center to Maxwell Construction. Based in Greendale, Maxwell Construction has been a leader in the shaping of many Southeast Indiana commercial and industrial properties since 1988. Interior construction has begun, and P.A.W.S. plans to open and begin operation of the new animal center in late spring, 2011. The facility is located on an 8-acre site in Lawrenceburg on Charles A. Liddle Drive, adjacent to the Ivy Tech Community College lakefront campus. Having successfully spearheaded a $1.8 million campaign to build a new animal shelter for Dearborn County, P.A.W.S originally planned to build it from ground up, according to plans created by architect Darrell Sears. However, when a perfect location -- an 8-acre site with an existing building and wooded trails ideal for dog-walking -- became available, P.A.W.S. leaders decided to purchase this “perfect package.” The most crucial piece of the new center is the interior space, and architect Sears has meticulously adapted his original plans to fit into the building’s layout, also preserving all naming rights that were a part of the fund-raising process. The money raised by the New Shelter Campaign will cover the cost of the site and conversion. Continued next column.......			Under an agreement with Dearborn County officials, P.A.W.S. will assume responsibility for animal care for the county, while the county will maintain responsibility for animal control. The new center will include space for county animal control officers. P.A.W.S. has asked the county for an annual budget commitment to help cover the costs of the responsibilities that P.A.W.S. will assume from the county, and Dearborn County officials have agreed. The amount has not yet been finalized, but P.A.W.S. will nonetheless need to raise about twice as much annually as it has in the past. “The new P.A.W.S. of Dearborn County Humane Center will be much more than an animal shelter for homeless animals,” said P.A.W.S. president Sandy Carley. “It will be a valuable resource and ‘go to’ place in our community for animal welfare education, animal care and training, and teaching the importance of spay/neuter.” The Partners for Animal Welfare Society of Dearborn County, Inc., (P.A.W.S.) is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of unwanted and abandoned animals in Dearborn County, Indiana. Since its founding in 2001, P.A.W.S. has helped more than 9,000 dogs and cats at a cost of about $400,000. For years, through donations, fundraisers and with the help of local grants, P.A.W.S. has completely paid for the spay/neuter program at the county animal shelter, for a companion animal voucher program, and for much of the medical care of shelter animals.. In addition to fund-raising and foster-care of abandoned animals, P.A.W.S. volunteers stage frequent mobile adoption events to place animals in loving homes.

		P.A.W.S. SELECTS SITE FOR NEW ANIMAL SHELTER
		Released Mar. 5th, 2010 P.A.W.S. of Dearborn County, Inc. has chosen the location for its new animal shelter. The new shelter, which P.A.W.S. will own and operate, will be located in Lawrenceburg on Charles A. Liddle Drive, just off of Industrial Drive. The 8 acre site includes a building that P.A.W.S. will convert into the shelter facility. P.A.W.S. has signed a contract of purchase for the land and building with the owner of Lawrenceburg Motorsports. The closing will be within 60 days, pending satisfaction of contract contingencies. The site and building formerly housed Lawrenceburg Motorsports. The building’s large, open floor plan is ideal for conversion to the requirements of the animal shelter. The park-like setting, next to Ivy Tech and a large lake, is likewise ideal. Wooded trails that were formerly used for testing off-road vehicles will be perfect for walking dogs. While the setting for the new shelter is somewhat rural, its Lawrenceburg location places it conveniently near the hub of activity and the county’s population center. It is about a mile off of Bielby Road, entering Industrial Drive at the foot of the hill by the UPS Store. Furthermore, the location already has full hook-up to water, sewage, electricity and natural gas lines -- an important consideration. If all goes according to plan, P.A.W.S. leaders anticipate the new animal shelter, called P.A.W.S. of Dearborn County Humane Center, will be operational by Fall, 2010. Known simply as P.A.W.S., the Partners for Animal Welfare Society of Dearborn County is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of unwanted and abandoned dogs and cats in our county. Founded in 2001, P.A.W.S. has worked side-by-side with the Dearborn County Animal Shelter for many years. In 2007 and 2008, P.A.W.S. successfully spearheaded a campaign to build a new, desperately needed animal shelter for Dearborn County to replace the current county shelter, on County Farm Road in Manchester. Through myriad fund-raisers and donations, the community generously contributed $1.8 million for P.A.W.S. to build the architect-designed facility and then give it to the county for operation. Construction was to have begun in 2009. Plans stalled when county officials questioned the county’s fiscal ability to maintain and operate the new shelter. Last fall, the county appointed a task force to study concerns and move the project forward. Based on options presented to P.A.W.S. by the county at the task force committee, and after much research of shelters in other counties, P.A.W.S. made a proposal to build, own and operate the new shelter, and enter into a contract with Dearborn County for space for its animal control services and the housing of stray animals.			P.A.W.S. has received approval from county leaders to move forward with this proposal. The organization is in the process of finalizing details with the task force committee. While searching for land for the shelter, P.A.W.S. was shown the Lawrenceburg site. “We fully intended to build the shelter from ground-up, according to the plans that our architect created,” said P.A.W.S. president Sandy Carley. “But this piece of land and its location are absolutely perfect. Our architect has studied the building and determined that it is absolutely doable to convert the interior into the animal shelter that our community has worked so hard to have.” Carley added that the floor plans as originally designed will be adapted so that all naming opportunities that were a part of the donation process will be honored. “The new shelter isn’t the end-goal for P.A.W.S. It’s really just the beginning,” said Carley. “We are so excited to be moving forward, and so appreciative of the community’s support and generosity. The new shelter is truly a win-win-win opportunity -- for the county, for the residents and -- most importantly -- for the animals.” * * * * Founded in 2001, Partners for Animal Welfare Society of Dearborn County, Inc. is an all-volunteer, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of unwanted and abandoned dogs and cats in Dearborn County, Indiana. Since its founding, P.A.W.S. has helped nearly 8,000 dogs and cats at a cost of more than $300,000. For years, P.A.W.S. has completely paid for the spay/neuter program at the county animal shelter, for a companion animal voucher program, and for much of the medical care of shelter animals -- including lab work, x-rays, medications and surgery. P.A.W.S. stages frequent adoption events, and offers foster homes for shelter animals. P.A.W.S. raises the funds to support its many programs through fund-raisers, private and civic donations, and grants. The success of the new animal shelter will continue to hinge on the support of residents of Dearborn County and others. The building is only the first step. PAWS will need the help of volunteers and donors for this shelter to be the best that it can be – a successful and safe haven for the stray and abandoned animals of our county.

		Features, Advantages & Benefits of Task Force Committee Proposal (This is a preliminary proposal at this time)
		The Task Force Committee has reviewed and approved P.A.W.S.’ proposal to build and own the new shelter and have full and complete control of the construction and operation of the facility. P.A.W.S. would enter into a contract with the county to provide office space for animal control and housing and care of stray animals. We believe that, while this will take a lot of hard work and effort on the part of the P.A.W.S. organization to provide considerable additional funding for operating the new shelter – this is a win, win, win opportunity for the county, the residents and the animals. Our current antiquated shelter harkens back to the “less than modern day” buildings and sheltering practices of the 1960’s. Significant changes in attitude and modern sheltering policies and procedures have taken place over the past 50 years. People have come to expect a higher level of care for homeless animals than ever before. Upgrading to a modern state-of-the-art facility will better meet the requirements and expectations of our Dearborn County residents. The new facility will be just as much or more for the people as the animals. Feature: New Facility • Advantages & Benefits to the county: 1. The new shelter will provide a safe, clean environment for employees, patrons, and animals, resulting in less chance of accidents and better employee/volunteer retention. 2. With proper equipment, employees will be able to do their jobs more effectively and efficiently. 3. As the monies to build the new shelter have been raised by P.A.W.S., the county will reap the benefits with no capital investment. 4. People needing to relinquish their pet may be more willing to bring their animal to the new facility rather than just turn them loose. This will result in less strays, and save the county money and the animal control officer’s time. 5. The new shelter will be more human oriented – attractive, and with sufficient amenities for people to come to visit, adopt, volunteer or for education. 6. It will be an inviting place where animals and people can get acquainted to form life-long relationships. 7. The new shelter will enhance our county’s reputation by being perceived as leaders and proponents for excellent animal care. Feature: Outsourcing to Non-Profit Ownership & Management • Advantages & Benefits to the county: 1. Outsourcing the service of animal care & sheltering to P.A.W.S. relieves a substantial burden of the cost to the county. 2. The county would have no unnecessary or unexpected expenditures. 3. There would be no additional burden on taxpayers. 4. The management and administration regarding animal care of stray, abandoned and relinquished animals would no longer be a worry for the county.			Feature: Community Resource P.A.W.S. goal is to make the new facility a valuable resource to the community for animal welfare education, animal care & training and teaching on the importance of spay/neuter. As a “humane center” rather than just a shelter, P.A.W.S. will strive to make the facility the “go to” place for animal related information, training, and activities for the county. Advantages & Benefits to the county: 1. More education regarding responsible animal care equals less stray animals. Less stray animals equals less cost to the county for animal control. 2. More education on the importance of spay/neuter equals less unwanted pets. Less unwanted litters equals less cost to the county. 3. Books and videos will be available to assist families with problems that might come up with their adopted pet, along with helpful literature and brochures. a. Helping adoptive families work through issues with their new pet may result in the pet being able to stay in their new home and not returned to the shelter. 4. Working with children will be the best benefit of all. Educational programs for children of all ages will be offered. The children have been the biggest supporters of the animals. They are our future. Feature: Perceptions - Collaboration & Cooperation • Advantages & Benefits to the county: 1. The combined effort of the county and P.A.W.S. will make for a better outcome. 2. It will facilitate a good balance for animal care and animal control. 3. With P.A.W.S. taking on the responsibility of animal care, the animal control officers will be freed up to provide more assistance to the community for animal control issues. 4. The county will be demonstrating more progressive thinking about animal care which will enhance the overall perception by county residents and those in surrounding areas. Dollars and Cents: Based on budget discussions with other shelters, along with county and P.A.W.S. actual expenditures, and increased size and animal intake, P.A.W.S. has prepared a “projected yearly budget based on anticipated expenses and income.” (2011 budget) Anticipated expenses for the new shelter per year $284,599 We are asking the county for a contract amount of $130,000 P.A.W.S. contribution to new shelter operation $159,500

		Dearborn County Commissioners to announce bids for new shelter on August 4th, 2009, could be awarded August 18th, 2009.
		For publication - week of Sept.21, 2009 GUEST COLUMN P.A.W.S. Board of Directors Sandra Carley, Robbin Pelfrey, Janet Luebbe, Audrey Snyder, Donna Bauer, Penny Schroder, Carol Bamberger, Becky Foster, Genie Hebert, Dennis Monroe, Penny Fisk. Never, never, never give up! That has been, and will continue to be, the motto of P.A.W.S. -- the Partners for Animal Welfare Society of Dearborn County. The monies needed to build a new Dearborn County Animal Shelter have been in hand for nearly a year. This money was raised by P.A.W.S. through the generosity and effort of thousands of county residents to give our county the kind of shelter that our residents want and our animals deserve. Throughout the entire planning and fund-raising effort, the project has had the county’s blessing and encouragement. More than half of the money -- $1 million -- is sitting, in good faith, in county coffers. By now, the construction of the shelter should have been well under way. We should be at an exciting crossroad in our community. However, instead of a crossroad, it appears that there is a roadblock. Campaign for a New Shelter It is no secret that the current animal shelter on County Farm Road in Manchester, is literally crumbling beyond repair and is well below accepted standards for animal care. P.A.W.S., an all-volunteer non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of unwanted and abandoned animals, has worked side-by-side with the shelter for years. In 2004, P.A.W.S. first approached the Dearborn County Commissioners with the proposal to raise the funds needed to build a new shelter for the county, and began collecting donations for the new shelter. In early 2007, with the county’s blessing, P.A.W.S. launched the official New Shelter Capital Campaign. Through an incredible number of fund-raisers, five annual Bark & Wine galas, six massive rummage sales, participation at more then 20 festivals, contributions from local churches, schools, businesses and organizations, individual donations large and small, grants large and small, the City of Lawrenceburg’s generous donation as well as contributions from Greendale, Aurora and Dillsboro, the goal of $1.8 million was reached in less than two years! Dime by dollar, the money was raised for the new animal shelter. It was all donated in good faith. P.A.W.S. is proud to be part of this compassionate and charitable community. We offer our heartfelt appreciation to everyone for their support -- financial and emotional -- especially the children in our county, who have been overwhelmingly involved. Building a Better Shelter Architect Darrell Sears designed the proposed shelter to be optimally efficient and cost-effective in order to minimize operational costs to the county. Geothermal heat, proper ventilation, and power washers are a few of the features that Mr. Sears included in the design to save costs for heating, disease control, and staffing. Efficiency was a key element in the design concept to minimize operational and staffing costs. P.A.W.S. provided county leaders with informational packets that included projections of future staffing needs, design plans, as well as financials and campaign strategies. These packets addressed everything from utilities such as heat and water, to a volunteer program that would help control staffing costs. Throughout this entire process, P.A.W.S. has kept all information transparent by continually updating the county, the City of Lawrenceburg, and the public of the progress. After each of several presentations to Dearborn County Council and Commissioners, the P.A.W.S. organization was commended for its efforts and professionalism, and the tremendous amount of work it was doing. continued next column . . . .			At each juncture, P.A.W.S. was encouraged to keep moving forward. Since 2004, more than 23 Register Publication articles and 12 PAWprints newsletters have contained information and updates about the campaign in an effort to keep the public informed. Because the county and P.A.W.S. had developed such a good working relationship, and with no indication to the contrary, there was no reason for P.A.W.S. to believe there were problems brewing with the new shelter project. The architect went under contract with the county in February, 2009. The drawings were turned over by the architect to the Commissioners in March, 2009. On a WSCH radio broadcast on July 15, Commissioner Ralph Thompson announced that the drawings were going out for construction bid. P.A.W.S. had every reason to believe that with the drawings approved and out for bid, everything was on track. The first hint that P.A.W.S. had that there might be a problem, was a comment made by the Dearborn County Auditor at the County Commissioners meeting on July 21. After preparing the 2010 animal shelter budget, the Auditor expressed his concern that with the added operating costs for the new shelter, the county might not be able to break ground. In other words: a delay in the new Dearborn County Animal Shelter. Among other things, we can’t help but wonder why the county encouraged P.A.W.S. with the fundraising campaign if they were not prepared to operate the donated facility. Was any of the research with regard to operational savings and staffing for the new shelter looked at by the county when the budget was prepared? If asked, during budget preparation for 2010 or any other time, P.A.W.S. would have been glad to reiterate the ways that the new shelter was specifically designed to keep operating costs lower. P.A.W.S. is concerned over the delays to build the shelter which will cause costs to go up, and are anxious to continue the momentum to get it built. While P.A.W.S. is ready and willing to help resolve whatever issues exist in order to move forward, we cannot help but note that there are a few who are needlessly stirring up the community with misinformation and insinuations. This behavior is disparaging of P.A.W.S., and disrespectful of all who have contributed to the new animal shelter. It is counterproductive to a reasonable and successful resolution, and is an embarrassment to our county. P.A.W.S.’ objective has always been to help the animals in every way possible, and the community has clearly shown that it supports the need for a new shelter. Our growing community and our donors expect a modern animal shelter that will adequately care for our homeless animals. Thousands of residents privately donated the money to give our county the gift of a new animal shelter, saving the county -- taxpayers -- the public cost of building a new facility. For the sake of the animals, it is imperative to resolve issues and move forward on this immediately. Dearborn County Commission President Ralph Thompson has called for a meeting of the Dearborn County Commissioners and the Dearborn County Council to discuss the future of the new animal shelter. The meeting is open to the public, and we urge Dearborn County residents to attend the meeting to hear the discussion and express their opinions. The meeting is at 7 p.m. Sept. 29 at the Dearborn County Administration Building, 215 W. High St., Lawrenceburg. P.A.W.S. firmly believes that we can work together with the county in order to proceed with the new shelter project. With current economy woes in mind, we are more than willing to come to the table and discuss ways that P.A.W.S. can help so that the facility is one that the county can afford to operate and maintain. Underscoring the motto Never Give Up, P.A.W.S. looks forward to sitting down with the county leadership -- in good faith -- to figure things out.

		UPDATE - August 18, 2009. a month after the Dearborn County Commisioners announced bids for the new Dearborn County Animal Shelter, they advised they had received 7 bids for new shelter with no decision or date for awarding bid.

		July 15, 2009, Dearborn County Commissioners' announced on Eagle 99.3 that bids for the new shelter project will be announced at the August 4 commissioners' meeting. The bid could be awarded to the best contractor at the next meeting two weeks later.
		We’re On Our Way As you know, P.A.W.S. original new shelter cost target was $1.6 million. We believed that P.A.W.S. would be able to build the shelter and then donate it to the county. But this spring we found out that we would be required to use prevailing wage for the construction since the building would be a county-run facility. Adding a 25% prevailing wage adjustment, plus needing to place our architect under contract with the county, the cost soared to nearly $2.1 million. In an effort to reduce costs and begin construction of the new shelter, P.A.W.S. asked our architect to cut back the overall size of the shelter. By eliminating the garage wing, one of two offices, and one of two adoption rooms, slightly reducing the size of the Humane Education Center, and reworking some of the room placements, our architect successfully reduced the size of the building by 2, 100 sq.ft. This lowered the $2.1 million for a new total of $1.75 million. continued next column . . . .			A Clear Vision The concept of the New Dearborn County Animal Shelter represents years of planning and research. Members of the New Shelter Committee have spoken with several shelter designers and visited a variety of facilities all across a 5-state area. Two of the committee members even visited Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, the largest sanctuary for companion animals in the country. The committee met repeatedly to synthesize the best ideas from across the country. The result is a traditional facility incorporating non-traditional solutions. "Muppet" the Official New Dearborn County Shelter's Spokesdog looking over blueprints to work! We're ready to move....YOU HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE! THANK YOU Architect's rendering of the New Dearborn County Animal Shelter Architect's blueprint of the New Dearborn County Animal Shelter Through the hard work of Darrell Sears, the architect who volunteered his time and expertise for this project, the plans for the new shelter are complete. Darrell is knowledgeable in both form ad function and his innovative design will serve us well for years to come. The New shelter will greatly enhance our ability to rehabilitate and place animals quickly. In addition to more than doubling the number of dogs and cats we can accommodate, the new facility will enable us to increase adoptions by providing a healthier environment and spaces where animals and people can get to know each other well.
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