Throughout the shelter, steps were taken to make the building energy efficient, including LED lighting, quality insulation, and natural lighting.
The 9,000-square-foot animal shelter is a far cry from its nearby predecessor, which will now be used primarily for storage. That space will be a relief to humane society volunteers and officers, many of which now use their homes and garages to store items. The shelter will also use the building as a base for its SPOT program, the Serving Pets Outreach Team, which offers help to county pet owners.
A spacious parking lot is in front of the building. Behind it are the fenced spaces connected to inside animal areas, as well as larger fenced areas for exercise, and a fenced get-acquainted area. Behind that is a lagoon, created when earth was moved to level the area. It provides a peaceful view and handles the rainwater runoff.
Money for the new shelter was raised by a combination of donations and grants.
Werling said it was scary to undertake the large fundraising campaign, but she always thought the group could do it.
“ It starts with the organization,” she said.“ We have a very good reputation and do what we say we are going to do.
“ People in this county truly care about animals and about doing the right things.”
Through the years, Werling has been both a major donor and a tireless volunteer for the humane society.
“ I’ m able to do both,” she said.“ I have the passion and love to do both and I believe in the organization.” But she admits she gets the most joy from her volunteer work with animals.
Brown County Commissioner Jerry Pittman said the new facility is important because it saves county taxpayers money through a contract with the county to handle strays, and other arrangements would be more costly.
But the shelter has an economic impact in other ways too, he said, making the county a more desirable tourist destination. Pittman remembers seeing roving packs of stray dogs when he was a child here, tearing up property and threatening people. That is no longer a problem, and he credits the humane society programs with solving those issues.
In other ways, the new building reflects the community:“ I think this facility says something about the people of Brown County,” he said.“ People who care about animals usually treat other people well.”
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July / August 2021 • Our Brown County 27