By Jack Brittle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
After more than 50 years in Burlington, the Burlington Humane Society (BHS) is expanding its facility with a new outbuilding. The development provides more room for dogs and cats in the main building, as the Humane Society’s thrift store, The Loft, will move into the new build.
Doug Shirton, executive director of BHS, elaborated on the need for an expansion.
“For approximately 13 years, we have called our current building home,” Shirton said. “But today, we have simply outgrown it. The need to provide safe shelter and find loving homes for abandoned and stray cats and dogs continues to grow, especially for cats. We need more space to care for the animals who depend on us.”
Shirton said The Loft receives a significant number of donated items, but there simply was not enough room to display everything.
“A larger, dedicated space means more donations can be put to use, more items can be kept out of the landfill, and more funds can be raised to support the animals in our care,” Shirton said.
BHS will be repurposing existing space in its shelter to house approximately two dozen more cats and create a second isolation room for sick animals.
“If a cat becomes sick, having a dedicated isolation space allows us to separate that animal from the rest of the population, helping prevent illness from spreading and keeping more cats safe and healthy,” Shirton said.
Shirton said that The Loft and BHS’s second thrift store, The Attic, located in downtown Burlington, contribute immensely to Burlington Humane’s ability to care for animals, raising thousands of dollars each month.
“These stores are so much more than second-hand shops,” Shirton said. “They are an incredibly important source of support for Burlington Humane Society.”
Shirton said that every dollar raised from the stores goes toward providing food, medical care, medications, enrichment, and shelter for dogs and cats.
BHS held a groundbreaking ceremony on September 21 to celebrate the start of construction on the outbuilding.
“We never knew exactly when the digging would begin, so once we knew the time, we quickly pulled everything together,” Shirton said. “Members of our Board of Directors were there, as well as staff, members, volunteers, and members of the community. I’m sure we would have had an even bigger crowd if it hadn’t been such a cold day.”
Shirton was pleased to see the project finally moving forward after facing many delays, but said he was unsure when the building would be completed. BHS is taking things “one step at a time.”
“For now, we’re just incredibly excited to see this long-awaited project finally getting underway,” Shirton said. “This new space will mean more room for animals, more capacity for The Loft, and ultimately more animals helped. After more than 50 years of serving Burlington, it feels pretty special to be taking this next step forward.”
To learn more about the Burlington Humane Society, click here.
