ADVENTURE

S

o often the efforts of animal shelters are hampered by the 
multiplying costs of running them, from the expenses involved 
in employing staff to the expenditures required simply to 
keep the lights on—not to mention every dollar that must be 

invested in the animals themselves, from food and vaccinations to care 
for disease, illness, or injury. Add to that the inability to manage the 
growing number of animals so desperately in need of shelter, and it 
becomes a huge struggle seemingly too diffi cult to overcome. Under 
such circumstances as these, the doors of many shelters close under that 
pressure, leaving animals without a safe haven; but efforts have been 
amped all over the world to bring greater attention to the plights of these 
organizations and provide the funding they need to give care to the 
animals who need it the most. 

Originally built in 1997, the Escambia County Animal 

Shelter has been one such organization whose struggle was 
recently given a bit of attention and relief—most notably 
through a grant valued at $75,000 from GreaterGood’s 
Rescue Rebuild, a volunteer program that works to 
rebuild, repair, and renovate animal shelters and rescue 
organizations in need. Up against 150 other project 
submissions, the Friends of the Escambia County Animal 
Shelter’s application was obviously a compelling one; and 
after the grant was awarded, more than 400 volunteers 
lent their hands and their hearts to commence work on 
renovating the shelter and expanding the facility. 

The scope of work needed was indeed large, as it called 

for the complete demolition and reconstruction of the 
lobby, front counter, tile fl ooring, cat rooms and waiting 

area, along with the addition of a so-called “catio” for outdoor cat 
play as well as the installation of sun sails over the dog play yards. 
To accommodate participants in the Dogs Play for Life program—a 
nationally implemented network of canine playgroups intended to 
serve as a tool for the assessment, enrichment, and training of shelter 
dogs that also aids the adoption process—a play yard for dogs was also 
constructed. 

In the midst of the excitement of renovations, further buzz was 

created as camera crews from PBS’s documentary series Shelter Me 
rolled fi lm, spending a week onsite recording the work done by the 
shelter’s staff and volunteers in providing love and shelter to the animals 
in their care. As a fi lm series intended to commend the work of shelter 

story by

 

Liesel Schmidt  |  

photos provided by

 

Escambia County Animal Shelter

24     |    VIPPensacola.com

Seeking Shelter

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4/26/18   8:11 AM