Local shelter needs a six-figure fix to keep a roof over its head

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (WTVG) - The Wood County Humane Society helps hundreds of animals every year. But like many shelters and rescues, that work is becoming more challenging.

The need for help is increasing and donations are decreasing. The Bowling Green shelter is faced with an expensive construction project to keep a roof over its head.

The Wood County Humane Society is a busy place.

“We take in around 450 to500 animals a year, so far this year, we’ve had over 400 successful adoptions. Our humane agent had over 300 cruelty calls,” Nic Hardin, the shelter director, said.

In addition to all the day-to-day expenses, which add up quickly, the roof is in need of a six-figure fix.

“Over the years, we’ve done lots of patches to our roof, but right now, that won’t get us through anymore. We’ve had three companies look at it and all of them agreed we need to replace it,” Hardin said.

And raising the roof will cost about $100,000.

“We’re now looking at something that is a fourth of the amount of our usual annual budget, just to fix something. It is very scary and makes me very concerned about the longevity of the organization overall and our ability to serve the community,” Hardin said.

The patchwork has kept the staff and animals safe, but it is not a long-term solution.

“There’s no danger to the animals right now, but there is a possibility of that in the future if we don’t properly address this. We’ve been able to patch it and fixing smaller problems, but that’s just putting a band-aid on a larger issue,” Hardin aid.

The shelter relies on donations and grants to keep the doors open. And the roof project adds another layer to an already challenging situation.

“Finding funding and keeping us in the black has been difficult for us the last few years. We’ve been operating at a deficit for at least the last two years. So, looking at spending on something beyond the reach of our current budget is definitely daunting,” Hardin said.

But Hardin has faith in a community that’s supported the shelter for decades and says that donations large and small will help keep a roof over their heads.

The shelter is working to raise the money before starting the project, with a goal of beginning the work sometime next year.

If you’d like to learn more about ways to help, click here.

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