New wellness center a big boost for pet owners
Donor says it will wage war on animal suffering
Hoping its creation will help “to end unwarranted euthanasia” of dogs, cats, rabbits and other pets, the Howard Ash Animal Wellness Center opened for tours on Saturday on the campus of Animal Friends in Ohio Township.
The grand opening of the $8.5 million, 18,400 square foot center on Saturday was attended by several hundred people.
“This center is going to wage war on animal suffering in a way no one has ever seen before,” said Howard Ash, a major donor to the project, who began volunteering with Animal Friends 20 years ago and progressed to serving on the board of the non-profit organization.
The center “will help pet owners who are in desperate need of affordable care,” said David Swisher, president and CEO of Animal Friends. The goal of the building is “to end unwarranted euthanasia.”
Low-cost spay and neuter surgeries will be performed in the wellness center, and low-cost vaccines against distemper and other deadly diseases will be dispensed. Veterinarians Theo Nelson and Emily deCardenas and six veterinary technicians also will provide some basic care, treating minor issues including ear infections. Animals with serious health issues will be referred to veterinary partners in the community.
Animal Friends currently performs 10,000 spay and neuter surgeries each year. That number is expected to increase to 15,000 with the new building, Mr. Swisher said. The number of vaccinations will double to 30,000 per year. As many as 10,000 families will be helped at the Chow Wagon Pet Food Bank, which now has more storage area in the new building.
Many of the rooms are named for the pets of people who donated to the Wellness Center, including Kiefer and Jack’s Surgery Suite, from Stefania and Jeffrey Romoff, who also have a plaque at The Coordination Center “in honor of Isa and Bea.”
Surgeries will not start in the new building until September, while minor construction “tweaks” are completed, Mr. Swisher said, and the staff gets certified on the new equipment. The vaccine clinic will move to the new building in October.
The Butch and Samuel Ash Patio is named for the deceased cats of Mr. Ash. His current cat, Tyson, an Animal Friends alumnus who weighs 26-28 pounds, is immortalized in a life-sized and eerily lifelike sculpture in the lobby. Mr. Ash commissioned artists Mercedez Linke of Moon and Devin Seman of Irwin.
The wellness center is brown with gold and green trim, which blends in with the heavily wooded surrounding countryside. The Animal Friends campus has expanded in recent years from 13 to 75 acres.
“We will protect the land,” Mr. Swisher said. “We’ve only built on nine acres.” Much of it will remain as it is. Walking trails and off-leash exercise areas for shelter residents have been incorporated into the campus.
Eula Houston of Garfield, who was celebrating her 60th anniversary as an Animal Friends employee, was among the ceremonial ribbon-cutters. She began her work there as an animal care worker and has graduated to many other positions over the years, including kennel manager.
Watching the cutting with great interest were Jazzie, 13, a black Pomeranian, and Champ, 4, a black-and-white pit bull mix.
Never missing a chance to advocate for homeless animals, staff members and volunteers told everyone within earshot that Jazzie and Champ are available for adoption.