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New  Dearborn Animal Shelter Facility
"Our Friends’ New Home"

“The true measure of any society can be how well its people treats its animals.”
                                               –       Mohandas Gandhi

 

Introduction          Design           How You Can Help      Casey's Trail

The Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter (the Friends), in partnership with the City of Dearborn are undertaking  the campaign to build a new, state-of-the-art animal adoption and education facility.

 Current Facility

There are numerous compelling reasons to construct a new facility. The most important concerns are that the current facility is:

  • Inadequate to provide a healthy environment for the animals (poor air exchange, poor sewage disposal, porous housing materials)

  • Insufficient to provide a positive experience for visiting members of the community (unappealing location, crowded conditions, high noise and odor levels, no get-acquainted or counseling areas)

  • Very difficult for the staff and volunteers to work in (constrained and difficult work areas and limited storage space)

  • 26 years old and in need of major and most probably increasingly expensive repairs

New Facility Advantages, Location, and Design

A new facility would have many advantages. It would:  

  • Employ innovative and sustainable ecological design (“Green Building”) and state-of-the-art animal care housing, equipment, and practices

  • Provide the opportunity for robust community involvement, education, and enrichment

  • Significantly improve the level of city service while including an innovative revenue-generating front wing for owned animal services

  • Be conveniently located to fully integrate with other public services  

What is a green or environmentally sustainable building? It is a building, which in its design, construction, and operation, makes a minimal draw on non-renewable resources and gives high priority to respecting the physical environment.
                    The Kresge Foundation
                  “Green Building Initiative”

The planned new facility is being located and designed to alleviate the above issues.

 Proposed Funding and Timeline  

The Friends organization has undertaken a major capital fundraising campaign of private, corporate, and foundation funds in partnership with the City to obtain the estimated $5 million needed to complete this project ($4 million for construction and a $1 million endowment goal). The target for groundbreaking is 2011.  You can help achieve this date by becoming a new shelter sponsor.

 Governance  

A joint Governing Board made up of City officials and Friends members has been established to provide direction and oversight for this project. An Advisory Board of interested citizens provides insight, opinions, advocacy, and financial assistance.

 Qualifications

The organization is 15 years old, has successfully operated the Shelter in partnership with and under contract to the City of Dearborn since 1996, manages a full staff with a Licensed Veterinary Technician as Executive Director.  The Friends have made numerous improvements including full adoption screening and adoption contracts, vaccinations and medical treatment programs, mandatory sterilization in partnership with area veterinarians, and identification with microchips.   Facility improvements include cat room with cages, isolation ward, and puppy and kitten rooms.  Community involvement includes over 70 events annually and education programs with 3rd graders, dog training, and adult education classes.  Over 200 volunteers and 12,000 supporters (over 50% come from outside Dearborn) support the Friends.  The Friends have one of the highest adoption rates in the country and since 2001 have found loving homes for 100% of their adoptable animals.

 

 


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Page Last modified October 03, 2009
Copyright ©  Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter  All rights reserved.   Adoptions, Donations, and Volunteers always appreciated.
2661 Greenfield, Dearborn, MI 48120, 313-943-2697, friends@dearborn-animals.com,  www.dearborn-animals.com