Animal Shelter Still Needs Donations

The Stuttgart Animal Shelter Building Fund is one-third of the way to their goal of $100,000 for matching funds to build a new shelter for Stuttgart’s furry friends. They hope to secure grants for the majority of the funding, but they can not start looking for grants until they have the matching funds set aside for it.

This editor sat down with Karolyn Jackson, who is spearheading the fundraising to give the furry friends a safer, cleaner, more visitor and volunteer place to play.

Why do we need a new shelter? The current shelter is 50 plus years old and is not in the best shape. There is not enough space to adequately care for the dogs. Currently the shelter only takes in dogs. There needs to be a place for cats, too. They aren’t able to take in puppies because there is parvo in the ground. Parvo is a disease that can make puppies and dogs very sick and usually ends in their death. It can live on the ground, on surfaces, etc.

“We need to have facilities that can take in both cats and dogs,” Jackson said, “We need more space and it needs to be more accessible to the community.”

Because of the location of the shelter, it is not easily accessible to the community, which prevents volunteers from helping out more at the shelter. If there was a facility with more space and easily accessible, volunteers would be more likely to come out to play with or walk dogs. 

The city has several properties that could be a new place for the shelter, if they can secure the funding that is needed.

Currently, the shelter is not taking new animals because they are full with between 15 to 20 dogs, many of which are aggressive breeds.

Donations can be sent to: Stuttgart Volunteers Accts. At Southern BanCorp, PayPal or Go Fund Me or mail checks to Stuttgart Volunteers, 304 S. Maple, Stuttgart, AR 72160.