Vermilion Co. Animal Shelter calls for new facility after A/C issues
DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — The Vermilion County Animal Shelter has bounced back after suffering with no air conditioning about a week ago.
Dozens of people came to support the shelter by taking in the animals and keeping them cool. It’s a different scene now: a lot cooler and more empty.
“It was unbearably hot. I would have never had my house this warm and the cats were so lethargic. The dogs were lethargic. It was absolutely miserable,” Bonnie McLain said.
McLain was one of several people who took an animal home to make sure they weren’t suffering in that heat. She decided to make it permanent.
“And what’s better than one orange cat? Two orange cats,” McLain said.
Cecilia Brown and her sister have been fostering animals from the shelter for more than six years.
She said seeing the animals in this situation was painful.
“There were people sitting in the parking lot just with dogs in their cars just to keep them cool. But yeah, it was a sad situation, too.”
The Vermilion County Animal Shelter has had a rough ride to start out the year, dealing with a respiratory illness, no dog food, and no A/C.
“We’re doing everything we can possible to keep the animals out of the shelter,” Adoption Manager Kathleen Orcutt said. “We just really need a new facility to be able to provide that.”
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Orcutt has asked the county for that. But until that change, she said they’ll keep doing what they can and thanking the community.
“It helps the animals in need,” Orcutt said. “They’re living in cages and they’re not getting as much socialization. Everybody knows how much benefit you get from having a pet in your home and in your life.”
Mangers at the shelter say they are pushing for a new building. Three months ago they had a survey done for someone to do a walk through of their current building for suggestions on how to make it better.
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