The Delaware Humane Association has reason to celebrate this week.
Not only did the animal welfare organization turn 56 years old on Tuesday, it’s also breaking ground on a new facility at its current home on A street in Wilmington, not far from the Amtrak station along the Christina River.
[audio:http://www.wdde.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/carroll.mp3|titles= WDDE Morning Edition host Susan Geary's interview with Delaware Humane Assoc. Executive Director Patrick Carroll.]
The new no-kill shelter will be 11,000 thousand square feet with an operating room to spay and neuter pets, and a larger lobby area with retail space to purchase pet-related items.
Executive Director Patrick Carroll says Delaware Humane’s current building has become a challenge to operate in, especially when trying to serve people wanting to meet shelter animals up for adoption.
“To spend time with them now, you kind of have to do that in a hallway or if it’s nice out we go outside with dogs We just don’t have a lot of space," said Carroll. "In the new building, we have some get acquainted rooms. You can go into a room with a dog or a cat or a kitten [or] puppy and really spend time with them”
The $3.1 million project is expected to be completed late spring or early summer next year. The Delaware Humane Association still needs to raise another $80,000 to cover the project cost.
During construction, the Delaware Humane Association will still be fully operational at 701 A Street in Wilmington. You can leann more about Delaware Humane and its new shelter at the organization's website.