Pet lovers show support for new animal shelter

By Derrick Forsythe, Record Staff Writer
Posted 8/12/16

Preparing to spend her first Christmas with her new companion dog, Yogi, Innsbrook resident Barbara Reitz was excited about the chance at a photo opportunity with Santa and her furry friend. Reitz …

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Pet lovers show support for new animal shelter

Posted
Preparing to spend her first Christmas with her new companion dog, Yogi, Innsbrook resident Barbara Reitz was excited about the chance at a photo opportunity with Santa and her furry friend.Reitz was one of a few dozen area residents who came to Wright City Hardware this past Saturday afternoon to support the Pets with Santa event sponsored by the Concerned Citizens for Animal Control in Warren County organization.People could have their pets’ photos taken with Santa while wearing antlers or other Christmas-related costume.Proceeds from this event will go toward the effort to build an animal shelter in Warren County.“I think this is a great idea and that we need a shelter in the area so much,” said Reitz, who adopted Yogi from a region of Indiana that also was without a shelter. “It’s wonderful to have neighborhood support, so I wanted to be a part of that here and get a little keepsake.”CCAC previously forged an effort to build a shelter in the early 2000s. The group was able to purchase a plot of land off the North Interstate 70 Service Road between the Warrenton and Truxton exits in 2008, but the project has been at a standstill much of the time since.“We have 3 acres that were purchased back in 2008 just before the recession,” said Board Member Katie Gorman. “So we do have the value of that property which was purchased by the previous effort.”The group has since been revived with a new board and recently was awarded $2,500 as the winner of First State Community Bank’s KickStart program.“The main goal is to continue getting our name out there to let people know we are back at it and are serious about our goal of getting our shelter built as soon as possible,” said Gorman, who says they are beginning to see increased support from the community.“Any time they have a fundraiser, I see it as a way to contribute to the effort,” said Betty Held, who brought her Great Pyrenees in for a photo. “Since our dog was a stray rescue, it helps the cause for the dogs, which I believe is important.”CCAC will host another Pets with Santa photo opportunity this Saturday, Dec. 10, at the Warrenton Veterinarian Clinic from noon to 4 p.m.“We want to encourage any animal lovers to come out and see what we have going on,” said Gorman. “Even if you don’t have a pet for a photo, we want to meet people and help them understand what our group is about.”

The Concerned Citizens for Animal Control held an event where owners could get their pet's photo taken with Santa. The event was held at Wright City Hardware on Saturday, Dec. 3. Derrick Forsythe photo.


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