Animal House Fund Tries to Raise $4 Million to Build New City Animal Shelter
By Sarah Newman / St. Louis Post-Dispatch

October 21, 2006 — Barkapalooza is more than a rock concert in Forest Park to support the Animal House Fund. It's a reminder that the animals at St. Louis' city pound have not been forgotten.

The Animal House Fund is trying to raise $4 million to build a new city animal shelter to replace the Animal Regulation Center, at 2120 Gasconade Street. The organization is working to  finalize plans for a state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly shelter, designed by the HOK architectural firm and to be located in Ellendale-Arsenal Park, according to Animal House Fund director Katherine McGowan.

The new Animal House will be important for three reasons, McGowan said.

"First, a new shelter is long overdue. The old facility was built in 1941 and was meant for only two years of use. It's not a safe, healthy place for the animals, and it's not inviting to people who are looking for animals to adopt.

"Second, it's important from an environmental standpoint. The in-ground design will actually enhance the green space in Ellendale Park, and it will be the first green building operated by the City of St. Louis.

"Third, no community hoping to go no-kill, to alleviate the unnecessary euthanasia of animals, can do it without addressing the animal-control system. Animal control has to have active community participation including volunteer programs, adoption programs, donors. Animal House will invite that."

In fact, it already has, McGowan says. "Kelly Hawkins has made amazing strides" since taking over as director of the Animal Regulation Center 15 months ago, McGowan says. One reason, McGowan believes, is that Animal House "offers a beacon of hope."

Among other things, she says, "Kelly has been able to initiate an organized volunteer program with 65 active volunteers. She has set up Adoption Partners with other shelters and adoption groups to get animals out of the pound and increase their adoption chances. And she has increased the response rate to citizen calls to 95 percent."

You can learn more about Animal House at www.animalhousefund.org

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