Business & Tech

Five Acres Breaks Ground on New Dog Shelter

With volunteers watching, the Five Acres Animal Shelter board members broke ground on the 4,000 square foot building which will replace their current dog facility.

Tuesday was the second time that some longtime volunteers remember gathering outside (formerly St. Charles Humane Society) for a ground breaking ceremony for a new facility.

But on Tuesday afternoon, Kris Pals, president of the Board of Directors for the nonprofit, told a crowd of about 35 that the new facility would soon be a reality.

A 4,000-square foot building for dogs is expected to be completed in the spring.

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"Our dream will be realized," he said. "The square footage that we will have will more than double the number of dogs we can bring into the shelter."

The current facility holds about 25 to 30 dogs. A separate building on the property can house about 60 cats.

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In 2007, the organization got approval from the city council to build a 5,000 square foot shelter and held a groundbreaking ceremony. However, by 2009, donations for the project had slowed and the nonprofit was struggling to pay for essentials. Staff was cut to just seven from 15 and the hours were reduced. 

Generous bequests allowed the organization to this year__ along with the name change to Five Acres Animal Shelter. On Tuesday, Pals said that the organization had raised $600,000 toward that goal.

"We will be able to build this new facility without any debt at all, so it will be a cash deal and it’s great to know," he said.

The new facility will have a lobby area, three rooms in which families and dogs can get acquainted, space for commercial washers and dryers, a food prep area, kennels, and a grooming area.

Kim Brown, director of Five Acres Animal Shelter, said the size of the building would allow them to turn away fewer people and animals. The group is able to rescue 550 animals every year.

"We can't help them all," she said. "We don't have the space to do it. For some who come here, it's their second chance, but it's kind of their only chance."

Brown said those animals that the shelter cannot accept are often dumped on a country road or euthanized in one of the municipal animal facilities.

"It's important that we step up and are able to grow and meet the demand we're faced with," she said.

Volunteer Mary Alwes said this was her second time attending a ground breaking for the shelter, but added that this time she hopes it will really happen.

"It was just the economy," she said. "We kept hanging in there and hoping things would turn around."

Alwes said she's looking forward to the next project for the nonprofit–renovating the feline facility.

"I'm hoping they can add more space," she said.

St. Louis Blues player David Backes and wife Kelly are members of the board of directors and, according to volunteers, have been a key part of raising awareness of the organization. Backes said they wanted to be a part of something that they were passionate about.

Joining Backes at the ground breaking were Cardinal's pitcher Kyle McClellan and new-Marlin Mark Buehrle, who is from St. Charles.

Backes said the sports community in St. Louis is supportive.

"You can all come together and you can accomplish great things," he said.


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