- The advocacy group previously functioned in cramped quarters for decades housing up 80 to 100 animals at a time.
- This move has allowed the humane society to offer benefits to their employees for the first time.
- Watch the story to see how sheltered animals have been impacted by the move.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT :
WTXL reporter AJ Douglas was in the Bainbridge neighborhood standing where the Humane society once stood for decades…
But as of May of this year volunteers and staff tell me the grass is greener on the other side where the Bainbridge-Decatur County Humane Society has a new home to shelter vulnerable animals.
"We had just one little eight by eight office,” said president of Bainbridge Decatur County Humane Society Dennie Nichols.
Nichols has worked as the president of the Bainbridge Decatur County Humane Society for the past eight years.
She's reflecting on that fact the advocacy group previously functioned in cramped quarters for decades housing up 80 to 100 animals at a time.
"They [animals] were on top of each other side by side which caused aggression,” said Nichols.
Nichols said things have changed for the better with the completion of their new building on Zorn Road. The close to $5 million project has created spacious kennels, isolation rooms to combat the spread of disease, and adequate drainage systems to keep animal spaces clean, and more.
"I start crying every time I walk back there,” according to Nichols.
Douglas caught back up with long time volunteer Andy Woods.
He said the biggest change he's seen since the relocation is in the animals.
"The animals are more energetic. More happy to be [here]. More room for them to run. Stuff like that,” said Woods.
The humane society decided to partner with the city and county to house the organization and animal control under the same roof.
This move has allowed the humane society to offer benefits to their employees for the first time.
"It's just been great the way they've supported us,” said Nichols.“Stood by us. It took a long time of begging, borrowing and stealing. [people] were like are you all ever going to build that building."
The official grand opening will take place September 12 where neighbors can get a look at the new building and learn more about becoming a new pet parent.
