Animal shelter to celebrate 2nd birthday with ‘Woofstock’
This Friday evening at shelter
by Mary Lib Hoinkes
The “new” Gloucester-Mathews-Middlesex Animal Shelter in Gloucester County is now two years old. How time flies! It seems only yesterday that the 15,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art shelter opened its doors.
But in those two short years a great deal has been accomplished in terms of finding safe havens for the homeless animals of the three counties that the shelter serves. In the past two years more than 1,775 animals have been adopted out. And that is not the whole adoption picture. In those past two years an additional thousand animals have been transported to other shelters and adoption agencies and have found homes in other areas.
To celebrate its birthday, the shelter will host “Woofstock,” an evening of music, food and fun, from 6-9 p.m. this Friday, July 15. Tickets are $15 and are on sale at Papeterie in Urbanna or can be purchased at the gate. Details are set forth in the ad on page A4 in this issue of the Sentinel. People are asked to bring a lawn chair; food and soft drinks and “adult” beverages will be available for purchase.
“Planet Full of Blues” is donating its performance for the evening. All proceeds will go for the animals.
When the new shelter building was dedicated, Ralph Jackson, who headed the building committee, said his dream was that the shelter would not only serve the needs of the animals but become a “destination,” a place that people would want to come to visit.
Ellen Thacker, executive director of the shelter, says that dream has come true. Every day people come just to look at the beautiful building and see and play with the animals. At the present, there are about 75 dogs and puppies at the shelter and about 200 cats and kittens, along with gerbils, rabbits and three ferrets. Watching the cats romp in the condos and lanai, and cuddling puppies in the Puppy Room has proved to be a favorite outing for many families on weekends.
In addition to the small professional staff, more than 100 volunteers of all ages walk dogs, cuddle kittens, help maintain the kennels, assist with grooming, and cover the front desk. Maintaining the shelter is an enormous job, and the assistance provided by volunteers is essential.
Maintaining the shelter also is very expensive, and the shelter is almost entirely dependent upon the contributions of individuals. Anyone interested in knowing more about the shelter, or in volunteering or adopting an animal, is urged to visit the website, for information and application forms.
