The Friends of the St. Joseph Animal Shelter is considering plans for a new animal shelter. 

They recently kicked off a new campaign to start raising funds for a new and modern shelter. 

Kappy Hodges with the Friends of the Animal Shelter said some of the reasons they began the campaign include the current location being prone to flooding, it not being in a visible or easily accessible area and the need for an updated facility. Hodges said they would like to build a new facility that would move away from the older barracks type style and she has taken notes from other modern facilities she’s visited. 

“They want pets to have more of the kind of environment they’ll have when they’re living out at someone’s home or in the world,” Hodges said. “Their kennels typically have glass or plexiglass of some kind, so there’s not that cacophony of super loud barking and stuff like that. That keeps the pet calmer and less stressed. You can see the pet better when you don’t have to look through chain link. I’ve been to a couple of these modern shelters and they are just amazing.” 

Hodges said the first step is to find a piece of land that is five acres or more. The exact cost of the project won’t be known until after the land is acquired, but Hodges said it will most likely cost a couple million dollars. They hope to have a new shelter finished or close to finished within five years. 

For more information about Friends of the St. Joseph Animal Shelter or to make a donation, go to petforu.com.