Part of each sale through the iHeartCats store is donated to Greater Good, which helps support various charities. Thanks to customers like you, happy endings, like the one below, are made possible.
Two shelters in one trip = a rewarding double build. Rescue Rebuild split both the crew and volunteers in half to help renovate shelters in Kentucky. This took quite a bit of juggling of both people and our one trailer of tools. Builds like this remind us why we do what we do—a one state stop and hundreds of cats and dogs helped!
One half of our team headed to Menifee County Animal Shelter in Frenchburg, KY. This build focused mainly on cats. This was one of Rescue Rebuild’s first feral cat related builds! Lots of new outdoor enclosures and repairs. The feral cats got quite the lifestyle upgrade, that’s for sure.
The team built a feral cat barn for them to have shelter and protection. The feral cats also got a feeding station built outside, so they know where the food will be daily. This shelter already has to take care of their adoptable cats indoors, but the staff goes out of their way to also take care of their feral cat community on their grounds. Acts like this show that the staff genuinely care about the well-being of all animals. With the feral cats taken care of, it was time for the shelter cats. The team built an outdoor cattery where cats can see, smell, and feel the outdoors.
The more free space and enrichment that a cat can get, the happier they will be. And the happier the cat, the more adoptable! Having that outside area lowers illnesses and decreases the number of upper respiratory diseases floating around. It is incredible what a little bit of fresh air can do. Rescue Rebuild also converted two indoor rooms into catteries. Catteries are such a positive addition to a shelter as they can make such a difference in a cat’s life while looking for a furever home. With the cats able to roam freely together in one room, rather than each cat in a single cage, this allows them to learn socializing skills and feel more relaxed.
The other half of our team headed to Rowan County Animal Shelter in Morehead, KY. This build, in turn, mainly focused on dogs. Municipal shelters like this one benefit strongly when partnering with nonprofits. When the budget is low, it is imperative that shelters have these groups of dedicated volunteers who will bring help when needed. Being able to cut costs through having partners goes a very long way for municipal shelters similar to this one.
This shelter not only partnered with Rescue Rebuild but also partners with another nonprofit, Saving the Animals of Rowan (STAR). STAR is a nonprofit foster-home-based dog rescue organization committed to improving the conditions for the abandoned dogs of Rowan County, Kentucky. STAR’s mission is to save the lives of the dogs at the Tri-County Animal Shelter in Morehead and to help educate the public about the importance of spay/neuter, vaccinations, and heartworm/fecal testing for the health of their dogs.
Teaming up together helps accomplish goals much faster. Nobody can do it alone. Rescue Rebuild came in and helped repair some flooding damage from a severe rainstorm. The team completely redid the roof, repaired cracked concrete and painted the outside of the shelter and spread stone all around the property. Volunteers also fixed all the chain-link kennels both inside and outside, built beds for the pups to lay on, and added shade covers for sun protection.
Rebuilds like these give shelter dogs and cats a much more comfortable life until they find a family of their own! When you shop from the Rescue Rebuild collection in the iHeartDogs store, you’re supporting hardworking teams who put the work in to improve shelters!
