Give Me Shelter!

Why do we need a new shelter?

The time has come to retire the old animal shelter and build one that is in keeping with current best practices in animal welfare. Much has changed in the 50 years since the existing shelter was built, and we now have a better understanding of the pivotal role environment plays in behavioral and physical health of shelter pets. The cost of maintaining the old building is excessive and causes unnecessary labor due to the inherent inefficiencies of the structure. 

Our current shelter has many disadvantages, which include: 

· Crumbling walls, rusted metal, leaking roofs, loud metal ceiling, exposed beams, deficient sound control, ineffective air circulation 

· Poor workflow and inadequate visibility for staff

· Direct visual contact for dogs which causes increased tensions and frustration

· Requires dogs to be walked down a long row of kenneled dogs when leaving their kennels, which causes fear, anxiety, and stress

· Inability to quarantine areas of the shelter exposed to sick animals, which has resulted in the need to shut down the shelter in response to disease outbreaks and prevent further spread within the community 

· Tucked away in an obscure location adjacent to the airport in Inverness.

Benefits of a new shelter include: 

· Centrally located in the county to improve accessibility for all Citrus County residents

· Fear Free shelter design to increase staff and animal safety as well as decrease stress and frustration among sheltered pets

· Indoor/outdoor housing for dogs to allow them access to fresh air while in their kennels

· Pod-style housing with appropriate airflow that will decrease the spread of contagious disease among sheltered pets

· Appropriate designated isolation housing for sick dogs and cats to prevent disease outbreaks among the shelter population

· Best practice building and kennel materials to allow for proper sanitation to improve the health of shelter pets

· Separate dog and cat housing areas where cats are not subjected to the stress of hearing dogs barking

· More appropriate housing for long-term care such as for citizens who need temporary help caring for their pets due to medical, housing, or other hardships

What will donations fund?

The BOCC has committed to building a new shelter. The funds collected here will supplement what the county is providing and help to ensure that the new shelter meets the needs now AND in the future. With your generous support of the New Shelter Building Fund, you contribute to creating a better community!

Donations can help enhance areas of the shelter to improve the services offered to the pets and citizens of Citrus County, including: 

· “Catio” free-roaming cat areas which can not only improve our cat’s health and happiness, but also provide a more welcoming environment for the community to visit and interact with our feline friends

· A community education center 

o Will enable us to educate the public on proper pet care, humane animal treatment, and to respect the human-animal bond, thus helping keep pets in loving homes and out of the shelter

o Allows for partnerships within the community such as Critter Camp, reading programs for children, and training of veterinary students and technicians

· Expansion of the veterinary clinic 

o Improves our ability to provide low-cost medical care to the pets of Citrus County in the future

o Expands the capacity for low-cost spay/neuter, which is a vital need in our community to decrease pet overpopulation and shelter intake

o Enhances our ability to expand our partnership with the University of Florida for training veterinary students and interns 

o Allows for future partnerships with other training programs such as veterinary technician schools to help foster education and career opportunities within our community

Without donated funding the community education center, the upgraded surgery and medical suite, and other important areas may not be part of the original building plan. We need your support to make this happen! 

We hope you will join us as we assist Citrus County Animal Services in meeting the needs of our community's animals!

There are two ways to give! If you would like to donate directly to the county building fund you would write a check payable to Citrus County Animal Services New Shelter Fund, 110 N. Apopka Ave, Room 2-211, Inverness, FL 34450.  

If you would like to donate to a 501(c)3 for the building fund you can make check payable to CCFAP, P.O. Box 1164, Inverness, FL 34451.  Notate on the check that it is for the building fund. You can also donate via PayPal on this page.  

Your generosity is what keeps us moving forward.  We need your support to make this dream come true for the animals in our care.  The shelter animals are there because they had no one else to depend upon.  Help us to continue to be their safety net.

There will be specific donation amounts specified in the future for those wanting to sponsor specific areas/items in the shelter.  You can donate now for general donations or donate later if you wish to have your name on a placard within the new building!  

WATCH THIS PAGE FOR UPCOMING FUNDRAISING EVENTS!