PARIS — A $100,000 Community Development Block Grant is making it possible for Responsible Pet Care to build a larger intake facility.

It is a plan that has been years in the making. RPC applied for the funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture back in 2022, with the town of Norway providing a letter of support with the application.

RPC Board President Shirley Boyce says the grant, along with local donations, will support starting the construction on the new building later this year. The organization will continue fundraising to cover the total projected cost of $277,000.

The structure will be 34 feet x 50 feet, with an additional attached covered kennel area.

“The Animal Intake & Community Resources shelter building gives us a new receiving area for animal control officers to more safely transfer stray dogs,” Boyce said.

Oxford Hills animal control officers have to unload stray dogs at an outside gated entry and transfer them up a set of stairs and through a cramped corridor, a system that is unsafe for both humans and animals. A Community Development Block Grant is making it possible to more safely house strays in a separate building. Nicole Carter Advertiser Democrat

Currently, off-loading is done at an outdoor gated pen that requires using a stairway to get dogs to the intake room, which is small and is used for multiple functions. The intake room only has two cages so if there are two new dogs feeding them can be impossible. If there are three or more dogs, often they have to be housed in crates in a corridor.

The new building will have four connecting enclosures that can expand to eight, providing options for shelter employees to close unpredictable dogs off while they clean or bring food to a vacant section.

“We serve more towns than we used to,” Boyce said. “And they’re getting more dangerous. In the beginning it can get pretty scary. When we don’t have unpredictable dogs we will house up to eight, but it provides options to isolate them when necessary.”

The plan for a new 1,700 sq. ft. intake and community resources building, to be build at Responsible Pet Care Shelter in South Pairs.

Boyce said support from U.S. Sen. Susan Collins was instrumental in securing the grant.

“The dedicated staff and volunteers at Responsible Pet Care reunite pets with their owners and help dogs, cats, and other small animals find loving forever homes,” said Senator Collins in a statement to the Advertiser Democrat.  “This funding will allow shelter staff to expand the compassionate services they provide and enable them to keep the animals under their care healthy and happy.”

The intake and resources building will include a room for cats, dedicated rooms for storage and laundry, and an open community space for public events like training classes and community programs such as spay/neuter or vaccination clinics.

It will also serve as a place to temporarily place animals removed from over breeding or hoarding situations, or that need care following emergencies like car accidents or house fires.

“We are grateful to Senator Collins for her support of this project,” Boyce said. “The need for the services this building will provide grows each day and will ultimately be critical to lowering the numbers of unwanted cats and dogs in our area.”