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Local animal shelter facing financial hardships

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By Matt Sanctis, Staff Writer 6:05 PM Thursday, July 2, 2009

URBANA — A lack of donations and previous financial obligations are making it hard to keep the PAWS animal shelter in Urbana open.

Two local businesses, however, are trying to help the agency stay afloat.

Nila Randall, shelter manager at PAWS, 1535 W. U.S 36, said the agency is still paying off debt from a mortgage and daily bills, but donations are down while the shelter is already at full capacity —32 dogs, 50 cats.

“The donations aren’t there and we’re still having lots of animals coming in,” Randall said.

The agency is not necessarily on the verge of closing, but the shelter has been living “day-to-day and week-to-week” at times,” Randall said.

In some cases, the shelter’s board members have had to step in and cover bills from their own pockets to keep the agency afloat.

The shelter has only two paid staff, she said, and often uses volunteers to keep costs down. But with expenses from a mortgage, insurance, and daily operating costs such as electricity and supplies, the shelter’s bills are still often difficult to cover, she said.

“We still financially have a big burden out here, but it’s something we’re trying to work through,” Randall said.

The agency is trying some new tactics to help raise funds, including setting up a concession stand at this year’s county fair, and reducing adoption fees for dogs and cats to make it easier for residents to adopt the pets.

Other area businesses are trying to help out as well. Later this year, The Ole’ Book Nook, 1637 E. U.S. 36, is planning a book signing in which a portion of the proceeds will go to help the shelter. The Rock N’ Robin Diner, 1010 Scioto St., is also planning a dinner from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 22. Half of the proceeds will be used to assist PAWS, said Alice Chadwell, who owns the diner.

Vicki Brown, who owns the bookstore, said the fundraiser made sense since the bookstore is also celebrating an upcoming anniversary, and it was a way for her business to help out.

”Everyone that works for me is not only a book lover, they’re an animal lover,” she said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0355 or msanctis@coxohio.com.

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maybe these city council members need to be ut in an animal shelter and when nobody wants them we can put them to sleep once and foreall

the man
12:31 AM, 7/17/2009

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Whats really happening is our local Governments need cleaned out, when all of the council members in a town and city managers are good buddies they do what they want not the will of the people

Shirley
12:21 PM, 7/3/2009

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Make people that own cats get a licence just like dogs, it's not fair that people who own dogs only have to get them.

Abby
10:12 AM, 7/3/2009

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I think a free spay and neuter clinic would be great .the veternanians that are lining there pockets should do the right thing by donating some of there services to help with the animal over- population.

mel
9:24 AM, 7/3/2009

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Let's take the money people give to teach the illegal immigrants how to speak english and give that money to care for the animals - at least the animals were born here - the animals are a product of our local problem with people not caring for them - the illegals simply drain all our job and medical resources leaving the locals 2nd to them.

What is really happening?
12:14 AM, 7/3/2009

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