The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Bradley County and the Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County have partnered on a capital campaign to meet a pressing need in the community, building a new, modern facility in Bradley County. This campaign will also create an endowment for the SPCA of Bradley County, allowing the Community Foundation and SPCA to partner together to provide ongoing support and funding for the community’s most pressing animal adoption needs.
The current facility is far past its capacity, with size restrictions limiting the amount of adoptions the SPCA can facilitate. At the present time alone, over 60 animals are in foster care due to a lack of space and kennels available. In addition, the current facility was not designed for animal care, meaning that the facility as it stands lacks both sanitary and procedural necessities to ensure the well-being of the community’s animals, said officials.
Building a new, modern facility will allow an expansion in services for Bradley County’s animals, with the proposed facility increasing in size to include more dog and cat kennels, exam and surgery rooms, and an indoor dog run and cat colony.
The SPCA Endowment Fund will also be established through the campaign and managed by the Community Foundation. This is a permanent fund where contributions are professionally invested to generate a steady stream of income for the SPCA’s ongoing needs, long after a building is complete. Working with the Foundation enables non-profits to access professional investment strategies, maximizing the impact of the dollars that come into the fund from donors. This partnership provides stability to the SPCA and allow them to focus solely on their mission of providing for Cleveland and Bradley County’s most vulnerable animals, said officials.
With the launch of this public capital campaign, the SPCA of Bradley County and the Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County are turning to the community for help taking this facility from a plan into a reality.
“We’re excited to be partnering with our local SPCA to bring awareness to the need for a new adoption center in Bradley County,” said Cathy Barrett, president of the Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley County. “Adopting a pet is a truly rewarding decision, you are not only adding a loving family member, you are also saving a life. We think it’s important to have a nice facility for individuals looking to adopt a pet to come meet these loving animals in need of a second chance, and find the best match for their family. Having a quality facility is also important to maintain the highly qualified staff and dedicated volunteers we are blessed to have.”
Currently, the SPCA of Bradley County is at capacity at their current facility, with their team and building resources stretched thin as they provide care for Bradley County’s animals. This new facility would allow them to continue their much-needed care, while also allowing them to welcome additional animals and provide increased services.
“The biggest limitation of our facility is how hard it is to maintain,” said Samantha Vincent, director of operations for the SPCA of Bradley County. “With a larger, more purposeful facility we’d be able to provide our animals with the five basic freedoms of animal welfare, which includes allowing them to exhibit some of their natural behaviors.”
“No animal should have to live its life in a pop-up kennel until it’s adopted, and that’s our current reality for some of the animals that are here,” said Ms. Vincent.
With this campaign, Melissa Smith, director of animal care, said, “Having this larger facility specifically designed for the care of animals would allow us to make our animals healthier and happier, and to serve the community in larger capacity.”